Ways to repair the fading concrete compound

Today, our emphasis is on concrete compounds and how to repair it in case it gets damaged.

According to Mr Emmanuel Sewava, an engineer, concrete compounds often last longer because they are durable since they are made by mixing sand, cement and stones.

However, natural occurrences or even human behaviours can cause damage that will lead to repair.

“The solution to fixing your damaged compounds depends on the challenge you’re facing. Some repairs might be small, while others might take more time to be handled,” he says.

Here are the ways you can repair your concrete compound.

Sealing concrete cracks

Mr Sewava says concrete compound get cracks on the surface after sometime.  If they are not worked on, they expand causing bigger damages. These cracks happens for many reasons which include ground shifting, improper pouring conditions and natural causes.

“It’s advisable to work on these cracks when they are still tiny. Just because they are small does not mean that they will remain small and so ignore them,” he says, adding that you have to hire an expert to apply concrete seal to the cracks.

“There are several crack repair adhesives on the market. These can be applied directly in the crack and left to dry,” he says. 

“Before applying the solid adhesive into the cracks, you have to make sure that you have protected yourself by wearing safety glasses because it can affect your sight .You have to ensure that the product flows all the way into the crack,” he says

Mr Sewava adds that it’s important to repair and seal joints to keep plants, bugs, water, and other undesirable objects from calling the crack home and causing damage.

Dress up an older surface with pavers

Mr Sewava adds that quite often concrete compound become worn out and outdated. And even though it might not look damaged, it surely will look ugly.

But you can make it look neater by covering it with pavers.

“While you might assume this is a costly project that requires professionals, it bring a newlook in your home, ” he says, adding that you simply need to apply a bit of sand to pitch the concrete surface away from the house for drainage purposes, lay out your pattern, and then glue the perimeter course  in place on the current concrete.

Add smooth surface on top of your concrete

Mr Sewava says applying another smooth surface on top of your concrete is one way of repairing youcompound.

“While applying the new layers, you have to make sure that you opt for good concrete resurfacer which is strong and durable solution that creates smooth, uniform surface, “he says

He adds that applying new surface is also the time to patch any large chunks or damaged corners on your concrete compound. When you are working in small units, you have to pour the solid into the concrete and sponge it out smoothly. After a few minutes, use a concrete broom to apply non-slip texture to the surface.

Straighten out crumpling corners

 Mr Sewava says that one of the most common concrete compound issues faced by home owners is the crumpling corners which tend to deteriorate due to age, floods and usual foot movement.

“They start with sharp and attractive angles but after sometime they start breaking the angles and they become round which is not good.  You can hire an expert to straighten the corners to avoid continuous damaging,” he says.

He adds that if your compound is affected by water clog you have to make sure that you create an alternative way for the water flow which usually damages the concrete compound.

“If water is not flowing well in starts sinking in the ground and after a certain period of time the concrete get soggy and starts deteriorating which means the corners have to be straightened to allow smooth flow of water after a certain period of time,” he says

He adds that though you need to repair the corners, the first step is to clean it thoroughly so that the repair product can adhere properly. Start by using a brush and clearing any loose debris.