The garage floor is usually one of the easily overlooked parts of our homes, but it is important.
Growing tree roots, freeze-thaw weather circles, and even heavy traffic can cause your garage floor to crack. Water and soil can get in through the crack and cause weeds to grow, which will open the cracks further. Water is bad news to the iron spare parts and other tools in the garage. The good news is that with a few repairs, you can make that cracked, rough floor smooth again. Read on to find out how you can fix cracking and pitting concrete floors with the help of JDL Surface Innovations.
How to repair pitting
Cleaning the garage floor
You start with washing the floor because the refinishing solution won’t adhere properly to a dirty surface. Pour a concrete floor cleaning solution. Let the cleaning fluid rest for a while. Read and apply the manufacturer’s handbook on applying the solution and the time to let it rest. Scrub the entire area using a bristle brush and water. Use a pressure washer to rinse the flour because the extra pressure will remove stubborn stains that have held on to the floor even when scrubbed. Let the surface dry for 24hours.
Prepare the floor for the application
It would help if you dealt with significant blemishes before applying the new coat as they are likely to ruin it.
A caulking gun will be useful when filling the cracks with a sealant. Next, fill all the holes deeper than 1/4 inch.
A touch of caulking or a foam backer rod is excellent when filling single holes. If you don’t fill the large pits, they will still show up after applying the repair solution. Fence off the pit or crack area with tape to keep the filling material from overflowing to the rest of the floor. Level of the patch with a trowel and smooth the area.
Applying the repair solution
Read the manufacturer’s information on the package before applying the floor solution since some may require you to soak the floor with water or apply a primer coat before application. Mix the repair solution properly and pour it on your garage floor. Spread the floor repair solution evenly using a floor squeegee or a hand trowel for smaller areas until all the pits are filled. Pass the squeegee from multiple angles for total filling. An even coverage will guarantee a uniform, smooth finish coat. Leave the floor to cure.
Finishing
Inspect the garage floor once it is dry for any defects which will warrant a second coating. Gently push a broom on the damp surface if you want a rough finishing. You can now apply a sealant or finish like epoxy paint.
How to repair cracks.
Clean out the crack
Hold a chisel to the crack’s sides and hit the back slightly and repeatedly with a hammer. Continue until you reach the healthy solid concrete. This step is vital because the new concrete will only be as strong as the foundation concrete.
Vacuum the crack using a shop vac. Handpick the large concrete pieces with your hand and sweep the remaining ones with a brush before vacuuming the cracks. If not removed, dirt and debris will interfere with the bonding of the new concrete with the old one. Lastly, wash the crack using a wire brush and water.
Laying the Mortar
1.Apply a bonding adhesive. Apply an even layer of a bonding adhesive inside the crack using a brush.
2.Apply the first layer. Trowel the patch compound into the crack and push it to the deepest parts of the crack. Tamp to ensure compaction of the material in the crack.
3.Apply the second layer
Some space may be left after tamping. Add more repair mortar until it forms a mound.
Use a steel trowel to level off the surface of the crack and remove excess filler concrete.
4.Curing
Finally, you should cover the area to shield it from direct sunlight if near a window or accidentally stepped on. Leave the surface to cure for at least a day before walking on it and a week before driving.
