Concrete Crack & Slab Repair in Brownsville, TX

Concrete crack & slab repair is part of almost every floor we coat in Brownsville, and some homeowners call us just for the repair. The reason is the ground. Wikipedia describes Brownsville's soils as mostly clay to silty clay loam. The USDA's description of the Harlingen soil series, first mapped in Cameron County, lists 60 to 75% clay, with cracks that stay open 150 to 210 days in most years. Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, and the slab on top moves with it.

What clay movement does to a slab

When the ground under one part of a slab dries out faster than another, the slab bends and cracks. Long cracks across the middle of a garage, cracks running out from corners and patios pulling away from the house are all common here. Wikipedia notes that the city's flat land and low-permeability clay also leave parts of Brownsville at risk of localized flooding, and those wet and dry swings add to the movement. The soil is also alkaline and salty in many places. Moisture moving up through bare concrete can bring those salts with it and leave white residue on the surface.

Cracks we can repair

• Hairline shrinkage cracks: fine cracks that formed as the concrete cured. Filled and ground flush.
• Settlement cracks: wider cracks from soil movement. Routed out, cleaned and filled with a flexible or rigid filler, depending on whether they are still moving.
• Chipped control joints: broken joint edges rebuilt so they do not catch wheels or show through a coating.
• Spalls and pits: shallow broken spots patched with a repair mortar or epoxy mortar.
• Worn, dusty surfaces: resurfaced with a thin overlay when the top layer is weak.

When a crack needs more than a patch

Some cracks point to a problem a floor contractor should not cover up. HomeGuide's resurfacing guide notes that cracks wider than about a quarter inch usually indicate a foundation problem, and that cracks in the base slab will show through a new overlay. Signs we look for include one side of a crack sitting higher than the other, doors that stick near the crack, cracks that grow from month to month and cracks running up walls. If we see those, we recommend a foundation or structural evaluation before any coating work.

Repairs under a coating

A coating is only as good as the slab under it. Before we coat, we grind the floor, then fill every crack and chip and grind the repairs flush so the finished floor looks continuous. Cracks that are still active can return through the coating as a fine line. We will tell you which cracks are likely to do that. Flake systems hide those lines better than smooth solid colors or metallic finishes.

Control joints

Control joints are the straight cuts in a slab. They give it a planned place to crack. We fill them for a smooth, easy-to-clean floor, or leave them open where the slab needs room to move. On outdoor slabs and large floors we usually keep them working.

Repairs on their own

You do not need a coating to get a repair. Filling cracks keeps water, sand and salt out of the slab and keeps edges from breaking further. It is also a good first step if you plan to coat later.