It is usually advisable to establish the cause of a problem before you can attempt to implement a solution to that problem. This may help you to avoid making the same mistakes that caused the problem in the first place. This article discusses some of the factors that may cause new concrete floors to crack. Use this information to avoid making the same mistake when you pour other concrete floors on your own.
Excessive Water
A concrete mix is usually made from sand, cement, aggregates and water. Each of those constituents must be of the recommended quantity in order to produce strong concrete. Crack repair may soon be needed in case you use too much water when preparing the concrete mix. This is because the concrete will shrink as all that water evaporates during the curing process. That shrinkage creates forces within the concrete that cause the concrete to crack. Avoid this problem by using the recommended amount of water when you are preparing the concrete mix.
Rapid Drying
Concrete undergoes some chemical reactions as it changes from the pliable state to its solid state. Water is important during those reactions. High ambient temperatures can cause water to evaporate too quickly from the concrete mix. The result of that rapid evaporation is that the concrete will not undergo the necessary reactions that make it strong once it dries. Cracks will then develop easily in that concrete that didn't cure properly. You can avert such cracks from developing by pouring some water on the surface of your concrete floors so that you reduce the rate at which water is being lost from the concrete mix.
Low Curing Temperatures
The chemical reactions referred to earlier require that concrete remains within an optimum temperature range. Rapid temperature drops usually interfere with the curing process to the extent that the concrete will crack within a short time. You should therefore make sure that you pour the concrete floors during the warm months of the year so that the concrete can cure effectively.
Keep the tips above in mind as you repair the cracks in your concrete so that the same problem doesn't recur on the same or subsequent floors that you pour. Contact a concrete crack repair expert in case you suspect that the cracks you see could point to structural problems in your home. That professional will assess the cracks and recommend the best remedy for the situation.
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