What to Do When Your Industrial Concrete Floors Crack

Although concrete is a strong product, it can crack over time. Concrete will cure and settle and then can result in cracks over the surface or deep within the slab. Once cracks are there, they can become worse with daily activities and other events. If moisture seeps into the cracks or oils or chemicals corrode the floor, this can worsen cracks. Poor cleaning practices and heavy loads on surfaces that are cracked can worsen the cracks and damage. Concrete floors crack for a wide range of reasons and when those cracks occur there are things that you should and should not do.

Is that a Crack in the Flooring is it a the Joint?

Cracks in the flooring are a problem, but the joints are there for a reason. Cracks appear in the floor from aging, abuse, curing or issues that cannot be seen such as the substrate. On the other hand, joints are inserted into the concrete floor to help control cracking, can form when a new slab is poured or can isolate the movement of a slab.

How Can a Cracked Concrete Floor be Repaired?

Industrial concrete can be repaired but it needs to be an effective and reliable solution. You will need to clean the area by removing any loose materials and then repairing the area with a concrete fill product. The adhesive will level itself off and be ready in a short amount of time. Once that area has hardened then it can be sanded to remove any rough edges. After the floor has been repaired and sanded it can then be painted if you want to proceed with that.

Cracked concrete floors have what are known as control joints during the initial slab pour. These control joints help the concrete floor to crack in straight lines. Other repair solutions include specially formulated fillers and caulking products. These products are available in flexible or rigid options which can contract and expand filling in any cracks. The type of filler that you use may be recommended depending on what type of activity is conducted on the concrete floor in your facility. Some industrial facilities have recurring cracking or corrosive chemicals and will need specialized fillers. Facilities that experience high traffic may choose a filler that is designed to provide strength and make the surface of the concrete more even.

There are times when the repair process for deep and serious concrete cracks or broken joints requires a more complex repair and not just on the surface of the concrete. If the damage to your concrete is quite serious, the damage will only worsen over time if it is not repaired correctly.

How Should you not Repair Cracked Concrete?

Plenty of business owners think that repairing concrete flooring means covering it up with a special coating. The extent of the damage and the condition of the concrete can have an effect on whether or not a repair process will be effective. If you simply cover the crack with epoxy, it might not be enough to completely abate the crack problem. If the cracks are simply coated over to hide them then the issue will still likely exist, and the coating can seep into the concrete via the crack before it dries ensuring that the issue is not solved.

Caulking that can be purchased over the counter is not a reasonable solution to ensure that the cracks are completely resolved. You may need a specialty product that is not available in stores. This type of product is something that is designed to take care of the problem, not just cover it up.

Looking after your concrete is important because it is an investment and is part of your business property. Most business owners do not notice when concrete needs to be repaired, but this can lead to larger problems. You need to ensure that you care for and correctly repair concrete cracks as and when they occur. If you ignore those cracks, they can lead to much more serious damage and that will cause more problems in the future. Never leave cracks to worsen, take care of them right away using the right products that will solve the problem immediately. There are plenty of great products available on the market, you just need to know what they are and how to access them. Never use inferior products to repair concrete floors just to save a few dollars, it is not worth it in the long run.