Houston, TX · Concrete Repair
Concrete Repair in Houston
Concrete repair in Houston for cracked driveways, spalled steps, broken sidewalk panels and worn patios, matched to whatever actually caused the damage.
01 — What this covers
The work itself
- Crack routing and sealing
- Crack injection where water or movement must be stopped
- Spalling and scaling repair
- Resurfacing with polymer-modified overlays
- Step, curb and edge rebuilding
- Sidewalk panel replacement
- Joint cleaning and sealing
- Partial driveway section replacement
02 — Detail
Diagnose before you patch
Concrete damage has a cause, and the repair should answer it. A crack from shrinkage in the first weeks of a slab's life is cosmetic. A crack that widens every summer is movement. A surface flaking off in patches points to the finish, the mix or water. Patching all three the same way fixes none of them.
In Houston, movement from clay soil is behind a large share of the damage. When a crack opens and closes with the seasons, a rigid patch simply cracks again beside it. Flexible sealants, lifting a settled section or replacing the panel are the repairs that respect that movement.
A good repair visit starts with questions: when the damage appeared, whether it is getting worse, where water goes during a storm and whether there are big trees nearby. The answers decide whether the job is a sealant, a lift, an overlay or a replacement.
03 — Detail
Cracks: seal, inject or replace
Narrow, stable cracks are usually routed, cleaned and filled with a flexible sealant that keeps water out of the base. Water through a crack is what turns a small crack into a sunken slab, so sealing is one of the most cost-effective things a homeowner can do.
Injection with epoxy or polyurethane is used where a crack has to be bonded or made watertight, which is more common in walls, structural elements and commercial work than in driveways. On flatwork that is still moving, a rigid epoxy only moves the crack a few inches over.
When the pieces on either side of a crack have shifted up or down, sealing alone isn't enough. The low side can often be lifted level first and then sealed. If a panel is broken into several pieces, cutting it out and replacing that one panel is cleaner than trying to hold it together.
04 — Detail
Spalling, scaling and worn surfaces
Spalling is when chunks break off the surface, often over rusting steel or at edges and corners. Scaling is when a thin top layer flakes away. Both expose rougher concrete underneath and let water in faster, so they tend to spread if they are left alone.
The repair starts by removing loose material back to sound concrete, cleaning the area and, where steel is exposed, treating or replacing it. The area is then rebuilt with a repair mortar that bonds to the old concrete. On steps and curbs, forms may be set to rebuild a clean, square edge.
If the whole surface is worn but the slab is level and sound, resurfacing with a polymer-modified overlay gives it a new top layer, plain, broom-finished or decorative. It can't fix a moving slab, but on stable concrete it costs a fraction of a replacement.
05 — Detail
Steps, sidewalks and trip hazards
Front steps and porch landings take a beating and often settle away from the house. Cracked or chipped treads can be rebuilt, and a step that has pulled away may be lifted or, if it is badly broken, recast. Handrails anchored into the concrete need sound material around them, which is part of the repair.
Sidewalk panels pushed up by tree roots or dropped by washed-out soil are common trip hazards. Depending on the cause, the fix may be grinding down a small lip, lifting the low panel or replacing it. Where roots are the cause, a replacement panel needs a plan for the roots or the problem comes back.
Where a sidewalk runs along the street, the city may have rules about who maintains it and how it is rebuilt. A contractor who knows your city can tell you what applies before any work starts.
06 — Detail
Making repairs last
Most repairs fail because water keeps getting in or the ground keeps moving. Sealing joints, keeping downspouts from emptying beside slabs and correcting slopes protect a repair as much as the material does. A quick look at drainage belongs in any repair worth paying for.
Repairs rarely match old concrete in color right away. Expect a patch to look like a patch at first; it usually blends in as it weathers. If appearance matters, an overlay or stain across the whole surface can make it uniform again.
Sometimes the honest answer is replacement. If a slab has many cracks, several sunken pieces and a crumbling surface, repeated repairs will cost more over time than starting fresh. A good contractor will tell you when a repair isn't the best use of your money.
How we work
Step by step
- 01
Call back to understand the damage, when it appeared and whether it's getting worse.
- 02
Site visit to find the cause: movement, water, roots, the finish or the mix.
- 03
Written estimate naming the repair method and what it will and won't fix.
- 04
Preparation back to sound concrete, then the repair and sealing.
- 05
Advice on drainage or joints to keep the repair from failing.
What it costs
Repair prices depend on the type of damage, how much material has to come out, access, and whether the cause, such as a settled section or an open joint, is corrected at the same time. Small repairs often carry a minimum charge.
Questions
Concrete Repair — asked and answered
Should I fill the cracks in my driveway?
Yes, if they are open enough to let water in. Sealing keeps water out of the base, which is what turns cracks into sunken slabs.
Can spalled steps be repaired?
Usually. Loose concrete is removed, any exposed steel is treated and the step is rebuilt with a repair mortar. Badly broken steps may need to be recast.
Will a repair match my concrete?
Rarely at first. Patches tend to blend in as they weather. Resurfacing or staining the whole area gives a uniform look.
Is it better to repair or replace?
Repair a slab that is mostly sound; replace one with many cracks, sunken pieces and a crumbling surface. The cause underneath decides how long either option will last.
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