When concrete dries and shrinks, cracks can occur hours after pouring. Any 1/8 inch or smaller crack in your yard or driveway is considered standard. Some fine cracks may form and disappear after a month or two. Yes, in about a month, fine cracks should disappear.
While shrinkage cracks can appear on the surface within hours of pouring concrete, it takes a full month for new concrete to fully settle. Fine cracks in concrete can be difficult to repair. As time goes on, all concrete structures tend to form cracks. The important thing is that these cracks are not visible or affect the overall performance of the structure.
Concrete naturally cracks on its own, unless it is given a place to crack, such as a control joint or expansion joint. As the concrete cures, it heats up and expands. In summer, I saw the slab crack before I could walk on it. Fine cracks in concrete are very common, but they are not well understood.
When most people see a crack in the concrete, especially when it's new, they assume there's a problem. But fine cracks are usually not a cause for concern and are mostly cosmetic. Although that doesn't mean they should be ignored. Repairing a fine crack in a concrete structure involves filling the space with a material that adheres well to the concrete, restores its original appearance, and prevents liquids from penetrating inside the structure and staining the concrete.
If cracks appear right after pouring a concrete base, the concrete may have dried too quickly, mixed poorly, or overworked. After the concrete has fully cured, you can also consider using a concrete sealing compound to improve appearance and reduce cracking. In addition to these traditional curing methods, concrete additives and curing compounds can help concrete cure faster and resist cold ACI 116R-90, Cement and Concrete Terminology, defines fine cracks as cracks in an exposed concrete surface that has widths so small that they can barely be perceive. Big D Ready Mix Concrete has been serving customers in the Dallas, TX area since 2002, with more than 400 utility mixes, heavy-duty wall mixes, exposed aggregate mixes, flexural strength mixes, stamped concrete mixes, fluid fill mixes, mixes for slurry and mixtures for trailer pumps.
A reputable local concrete driveway professional will know the best way to keep a concrete slab in good condition for optimal curing. For a narrow crack like this, you can use a self-leveling concrete crack filler to seal the crack before painting or finishing the surface. When it's hot, a concrete slab will expand as it heats up and pushes against any object in its path, such as a brick wall or an adjacent concrete slab. Instead, cover the concrete with an insulating plastic sheet or even straw to trap moisture and help the concrete cure at an even rate.
If your concrete is a little older, a concrete repair professional can help you fix the cracks.
