Most people would want to save their concrete than replace it. After all, concrete products tend to be expensive, and having someone to do the installation adds even more to that cost.
The problem, however, is you can’t just patch concrete all the time. Concrete driveways, paving, or parking lots may need to be repaired or replaced at some point. After all, these surfaces endure high foot and vehicular traffic day in and day out. But how do you know what you should do, and when?
When to Repair
Concrete is a strong material. There is no doubt about that at all. But even the strongest of materials will begin to suffer under the repeated stress it is put under. Many factors can cause concrete to deteriorate faster, such as water damage, sun exposure, rapidly changing weather and temperature, and of course, bearing weight. Thankfully, you can repair damage to a certain extent.
Now, before you go ahead and hire concrete repair contractors in Salt Lake City or whichever city you live in, you should take a look at your concrete.
How big are the cracks? If you have small cracks going all across the surface, chances are you can still repair it. These cracks are typical signs of minor damage that you can patch up to further extend the concrete’s lifespan (on top of making it look better visually). If your cracks are ¼ inch wide or less, you can simply repair them using some liquid crack-filling products.
Any cracks bigger than ¼ inch, however, typically indicate that your concrete is on its way out. You can still patch this up, but you will only be applying a temporary fix. You will eventually have to replace it. It’s only a matter of time at this point, but the older your driveway is, the sooner it will be.
When to Replace
As mentioned, it is completely possible to simply repair your concrete when it starts to show some cracks. However, if the cracks are starting to grow large or form into holes that get bigger and bigger over time, it may be time to consider concrete replacement services.
Also, take a look at how often the cracks and holes occur. Are they showing up with relative frequency? Do you find that a repaired crack simply cracks again within a few days or weeks? Is the concrete breaking apart faster than you can patch it up? If your answers to those questions are yes, then it is time for you to look into concrete replacement. There may be underlying issues in your driveway or paving that patches may no longer address. Instead of spending money on recurring repairs, it’s better to pay for new concrete pavement.
Whether you want to repair or replace your concrete driveway or parking lot, always remember to hire a reputable company to do the work for you. This ensures that you will be guaranteed a certain quality of work, on top of having some sort of warranty to boot.
