Concrete forms the basis of any constructed structure. To ensure its integrity remains intact, it is important that you maintain your concrete in order to prevent any cracks. Cracks are the first sign of the concrete faltering.
The first thing that most people assume when they see a crack in the concrete is that something has been done wrong by the concrete contractors.
But that is not always the case because concrete cracks are very common and inevitable in most cases.
However, it is important that when you decide to renovate, revamp or build your house, that you hire a professional concrete contractor as they are experienced and know how to deal with concrete cracks.
Also Read: Common Mistakes To Avoid When Applying Concrete In The Winter
It is unrealistic to expect crack-free concrete walls and floors because even with the proper construction and best floor design you can’t avoid concrete cracks.
Certified concrete contractors will tell every homeowner that it is normal to expect some amount of concrete curling and cracking, and that this does not mean that the floor design or the quality of the construction was poor.
In this blog post, we will talk about the three common types of cracks that you might see in your concrete.
Expansion Concrete Crack
Concrete, like most materials, expands when they come into contact with heat, and when the concrete expands it pushes against anything that comes in its ways such as an adjacent slab or a brick wall.
So when neither the brick wall nor the adjacent concrete slab has the ability to flex, the expanding force can be enough to cause the concrete to crack.
This type of concrete crack is called an expansion crack. To avoid these expansion cracks a professional concrete contractor will use expansion joints as they act as a point of separation between the other static forces.
These expansion joints are typically made up of a compressible material like rubber, lumber or asphalt so that they can act as shock absorbers to relieve the stress the expansion puts on the concrete and prevent concrete cracking.
Heaving Concrete Cracks
Heaving concrete cracks usually occur in areas that have a colder climate, so when the ground freezes it sometimes lifts the concrete before settling and thawing back down.
This ground movement that is caused by the thawing and freezing cycle plays a huge role in concrete cracking. Since the concrete slab is not free to move around with the ground, it causes the slab to crack.
Heaving cracks can also be caused by large tree roots, if the concrete slabs are located too close to a tree then the growing roots of the tree will lift the concrete surface and crack it. Therefore always keep this in mind before laying a concrete slab.
Settling Concrete Cracks
Another type of concrete crack is called a settling crack. It happens when the ground beneath the concrete surface is settling.
This type of concrete crack typically occurs in situations where the concrete contractors have left a void beneath the concrete surface after removing a large tree. Sometimes the contractor forgets to fill the void before putting the concrete slab or when the utility company digs a trench for their pipes or line and they don’t compact the soil when they refill the ground surface.
These are some situations that cause settling concrete cracks on your concrete slab or walls.
Final Word
The aforementioned concrete cracks are either caused by environmental factors or because of the impudence of the concrete contractors. Therefore to avoid some of these cracks you should hire professional concrete contractors.About SprayForce Concrete
Are you looking for some guidance regarding shotcrete services and machines? Get in touch with a professional shotcrete company that can deliver you the required services along with reliable machines that can offer fast and more precise concrete applications.
SprayForce Concrete Services provides shotcrete services for your residential, commercial, architectural, and industrial projects. We offer our services in Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, and Saskatoon. Contact us now for more information.