Beautiful, Strong and Compelling Concrete: Ideas, Tips and More

Concrete Joint Resealing: Some Vital Information for Homeowners Using Concrete Pavements

If you have a concrete pavement in your home, you will find the following information about resealing of concrete joints and sealing of cracks to be useful.

What is joint resealing necessary for concrete pavements?

The purpose of concrete joint resealing by a contractor like Allied Concrete Cutting & Drilling Pty Ltd is to minimise ingress of surface water and incompressible elements such as sand and gravel, which tend to cause cracking when allowed to reach the joints of concrete pavements.

What causes cracks to appear on concrete pavements?

The presence of cracks on your concrete pavements usually indicates that it is time to do joint resealing. Cracks in rigid concrete pavements are associated with higher load stresses, or extreme temperature variations that are not controlled by the joint system effectively.

These cracks may be either transverse or longitudinal. Providing load transfer tools such as dowels at transverse cracks and tie bars at longitudinal cracks can help to reseal joints and cracks in concrete pavements.

What are some essential properties of good concrete joint sealants?

Concrete joint sealants should hold the concrete together in the joint, withstand forces of tension and compression when the joint expands and contracts, and provide a watertight barrier to prevent surface water from penetrating into the joint and damaging the sub-grade and sub-base. The joint sealants should also resist intrusion of incompressible material into the crack or joint beneath the seal.

What determines the quality of a concrete joint resealing job?

The performance of joint sealants tends to depend on the ability to select high-quality material. It is affected by the appropriateness of the preparation and application methods as well. Therefore, the quality of workmanship exercised by a concrete contractor is vital to the results of joint resealing and crack sealing jobs.

What are some of the most common problems associated with joint resealing projects?

Here are a few common problems related to joint resealing for concrete pavements:

  1. Contamination of resealed joint surfaces due to poor cleaning methods. If detected, a concrete contractor will have to clean the surface again.
  2. Spalling of joint walls before application of the sealants because of improper removal of the old sealants. This occurs due to poor preparation methods, and a more suitable technique of removing the old sealants should be used.
  3. Transfer of applied sealant material to unwarranted areas due to excessive application or because the sealant is not suitable for the climate of the area. In such cases, it is necessary to pick sealant material that is suitable for the climate of the area and then apply it in manufacturer-specific quantities.

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