How to Repair a Cracked Garage Floor
It’s spring and you’re cleaning out your garage. You move your car, sweep up a winter’s worth of sand and debris, and suddenly your face drops — there’s an unsightly crack running through the floor. Don’t worry, you may be able to fix it yourself and we’ll show you how.
Assess the Situation
Take a moment to identify the cause of the crack. If the cracks in your garage floor come from an invading tree root or an unsound foundation, then any repair you do may be in vain. It’s best to resolve the underlying problem, either by yourself or calling in an expert, before handling the repair to the cracked concrete.
Prep the Area
Use a hammer and cold chisel to chip out any loose pieces around the cracked concrete. It may be necessary to use a diamond blade on a circular saw to widen the crack a bit if you can’t chip away enough of the loose pieces with the chisel. Once the crack has been widened, sweep or shop-vac the excess dust and debris from in and around the opening. Then, use a degreaser to clean the area around the crack. Make sure the floor is thoroughly dry before proceeding to the next step.
Use the Right Product for the Job
If the crack is small, use an epoxy crack repair product such as Simpson Strong-Tie Crack Pak or Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield Concrete Patch. Both of these products have a fast cure time and are paintable. For larger cracks, fill the crack almost to the top with latex cement. Latex cement comes in easy-to-use kits and expands with temperature and humidity. Once the latex cement has set up for a few days, spread a concrete resurfacing mixture on top and feather the edges to create a smooth surface. With either epoxy crack repair or latex cement, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions regarding preparation and sanding if you plan to paint the floor.
Now that you have flexed your DIY muscles and fixed the cracks in your garage floor, it’s time to move on to another project, like…replacing your garage doors, a task better left to the experts. Contact us to get the job started!