How to Repair Uneven Concrete
Repairing uneven concrete is a challenge for many homeowners. Concrete is used for various purposes such as flooring, porches, garages, courts, and walls.
However, to repair uneven concrete takes the expertise of a professional. To re-level concrete floors, you need help from a licensed contractor on concrete and masonry.
For this purpose, the materials needed are a large grinder, a concrete grinding cup, wheel, concrete glue, a brush, a trowel, a small trowel, a bucket of water to mix products non-shrink grout.
Over time homeowners notice sunken concrete in the driveway, sidewalk, walkway, concrete steps, or even patios. Mis-leveled concrete causes problems such as tripping hazards and, therefore, calls for immediate attention and repair.
Typically, floors are uneven where multiple joints or two separate pieces of concrete come together. Most often, one piece will lift a little bit higher than the other. With a concrete trowel, you can inspect how uneven a concrete slab or floor is.
Most Common Methods for Uneven Concrete Repair
Homeowners often fix this problem by grinding the higher surface up to about three or four inches. Any separations in the concrete use mixtures to fill gaps. After leveling the concrete, check for any gaps that may cause a tripping hazard. To prevent this, ensure that all slabs are resting at an equal level.
So, what causes a concrete floor slab to settle?
When a concrete floor settles, it means there is unstable soil beneath it. Usually, floor slab settlement occurs when the soil underneath is unable to support the concrete’s weight. Shifting soils often cause other foundation issues in the house.
The other factors leading to slab settlement include:
- Drying or shrinking of soils under the slab
- Washout of the ground underneath the slab
- Inadequate compaction of foundation fill soils
How to Address Uneven or Sagging Concrete
Sometimes, the house’s flooring support system needs repair, causing the floors to become uneven or sag. So, how do you repair uneven concrete? The simplest way is to hire an expert who will figure out the problem and recommend solutions accordingly. Some high-end methods to fix significant issues are as follows:
Installing Support Piers or Columns
Flooring support structures or piers stabilize the concrete floor slab in the home. Installing additional piers can prevent further erosion of soil around the flooring support system.
Repairing Floor Joists
Often, the joist weakens due to high humidity levels in the crawl space and begins to sag. Sagging floor repair experts can offer solutions ranging from joist repair to replacement and address moisture issues.
Fixing Beams
Other than joist failure and moisture issues, beam failure constitutes another cause of concern. The experts will identify the exact cause of a beam failure and provide both replacement and future protection.
Ready to repair your uneven concrete? Do you have foundation repair issues that need to be addressed? Call Crossroads Foundation Repair today to schedule a free estimate.
