That's a great idea, I especially like how you did the interface between your slab and the house. After the winter, did you need to do any touch-ups to keep the cracks waterproof?
@@MrHardware1 I have also seen where some fix-it guys would sprinkle sand on the wet caulking so that caulking won't stick to shoes, but I believe this would be on the rubbery type caulking. I think your caulking hardens pretty good so there's no worries about sticking to shoes. Your technique saves people thousands of dollars, and am sure they're appreciative of your expertise. THUMBS UP!!
Bullshit. Absolute garbage. Those coatings look like shit and only last a year. To do it right you have to grind/hone (joint cleanout) the crack with a crack chaser blade and an angle grinder seen here. Link:www.ediamondtools.com/products/crack-chaser-blades Next mask tape the edges and fill with exterior silicone (good for 25 years. Drizzle rubbing alcohol over the goo, smooth with your fingers and pull the tape. If you want to get fancy and make it completely disappear, use cementitious tile grout for swimming pools and shower tile floors. Ardex FL is the ultimate, has color match plus 8,700 psi rating in 72 hrs. 8,700 PSI IS HURRICANE PROOF.
A good backer rod underneath would have been great option to stop the caulking from sinking down the large gaps and neutral cure silicone is perfect in resisting UV rays and shrinkage as opposed to solvent or polyurethane based caulking.
@@leskavage Now , now JD L...Tobi2016 is just putting is 2 cents worth in , like I'm fixing to do. Backer rod does come in handy but Mr. Hardware made the point more then once that he wanted to keep the water out and talked about how there was going to be movement going on caused by changing temperatures and the expanding foam is going to do a lot better job since it is bonding to all the surfaces it touches where as the backer rod would not . As for the silicone vs. solvent or polyurethane based caulking...Mr.Hardware might want to address this with his answer but I can tell you from my experience with all above mentioned calks , I use to think silicone calk was the answer to all my calking needs....that is until I started having jobs fail when using it. The thing with silicone calk on this job would be that every bit of the concrete surface, were wanting the calk to bond to , would have to be perfectly clean , dirt and dust free , for a good bond. Yes silicone will stay flexible , but on a job like this you could probably grab one end of the bead , after it has cured , and pull it out like a rubber band. Even though you still want a clean bonding surface no matter what you are using , I have had better luck with a good wet urethane bonding on a job like this then with silicone. That being said....I use a lot more silicone calk then Urethane. It just depends on the job. For what I do I lean towards the RTV Silicone since it is more like a glue then just a calk .''Sealants may be exposed to scuffing and mechanical wear. Examples include the sealant used as an expansion joint in highways and the sealant used in preparing stone walkways. Thus, they must offer good abrasion, puncture and tear resistance. Flexible sealants, which are available in either chemical curing or non-curing types, exhibit varying degrees of tear resistance. Urethanes have the highest tear resistance.'' Sorry but there will be no video made to support any of this.
@@TEBOZ thanks for sharing your knowledge. What if I use the white foam like on this video after chasing the cracks and cleaning them and then instead of self leveling concrete could I use that grey rubbery polyurethane sealer I see on sidewalks and driveways? Do you think this will work better during season changes when cracks could reappear if I use self leveling concrete? And what is that black stuff used to repair road cracks? Is this just super hot liquid asphalt?
Keep in mind there are a number of them on the market about 6 and each works a little different as they are somewhat designed for different applications. I've used the one your referring to...yes a very sticky mess. It appears the white foam is easier to clean up but there are different brands of them. I just used one on two of my exterior windows and after 2 days I thought I could go at it with a flat razor knife to give it a clean look but it still wasn't cured it was still very firm looking but soft to the touch. I just scraped it off then with a damp clothe wiped everything down and redid it with regular latex and silicon calk.
Excellent job, good, practical tips. Almost like listening to one's neighbor. When some critical viewers grow up they will appreciate this useful info, especially if the learn about "weathering." Really glad I found this straightforward video.
Lol do not do this, im a professional caulker by trade. The caulking on that gap should have been 3/4 of an inch deep inside the joint. You have clearly have no idea what you're doing and I would advise you to never make a video like this again. You just lead tons of viewers to perform diy shit jobs on their own property with no benefit what so ever, congrats. Please don't make a video like this when youre not educated what so ever. If you're a handy man, stick to your side hustle. Leave this trade to the caulkers.
You sir don't have a clue what your doing and shouldn't be advising anybody how to fix this problem , not only is your work messy and unprofessional it won't hold up even a few years I will guarantee that !!! Do I need to explain why ?
I would use diamond crack chasing wheel to widen the crack and clean sharp edges, vacuum, self level caulk, and dusting of color matching sand to match the concrete.
I used to do this work in the past. We used foam rods to fill in the cracks, comes in rolls and a variety of diameters. Then waterproof with a quality caulking. Of course the prep work is probably the most important thing you can do. Make sure you clean out the cracks with a diamond V wheel and angle grinder, then vacuum before you start.
This is the first time I’ve seen foam from a can used I have seen the stuff you speak of I wonder if it’s newer or if he still does it this way the foam doesn’t seem to be for this application imo but I’m no expert and haven’t tried either way. Have you had good luck with the foam rods ? What silicon do you prefer self leveling by stix or the yellow tube? Thanks
Case G, the foam spray will work too, but it’s way more messy. The idea behind using foam in the first place is to seal the crack so you don’t end up using more caulking than is necessary. The job of the caulking is to make the crack or joint water tight. I’m not sure what he used, but I do know that anything Sika or Simpson is good quality. You can use self leaving caulking if you don’t want to tool the caulking afterwards. From my experience this can make a hell of a mess too and it can bubble up sometimes. Do not use self leveling on ramps or slopes. A higher viscosity caulking will make a cleaner job so long as you know how to apply the right amount of bead and tool it nicely.
EXCELLENT JOB What would have made this PRO Level is... PRESSURE WASHING PRIOR So that the grey caulking would blend better color-wise with the clean grey concrete instead of standing out between DIRTY concrete.
Thanks, useful information. About to do this job on a driveway here in Florida. Don't have to worry about the frost, but being that everything is on sand it still flexes and shifts around a lot.
So many things like this I wish I would have known about or seen years ago... So many things you have to learn by trial, error and expense. Thanks RUclips and people like Mr. Hardware. I think I will definitely be checking for other useful videos.
A good clean crack has more chances of bonding and lasting longer than the conditions of cracks in this video. Here in Australia we have to use expansion foam on the brickwork. Some builders even have the requirements of sealing off concrete with SikaFlex around the boundary. Expansion cuts in concrete also helps to reduce cracking. Repairing concrete requires good experience, it’s not something everyone can do. But for a DIY’ers yeah why not, that will do i guess if you ain’t ready to spend big bucks on proper repairs. 🤙
To make it look nicer and an uniform color should it be stained or painted??! I’m thinking a concrete stain Should I use a concrete surface stain preparing primer? Thought on staining? Thx Liked video
The problem with our video was I didn’t take the time to go back and get a darker colored caulk to cover the foam. Choose a caulk that’s closer to the color of your concrete and that would be good enough.
You can tell me whatever you want, once concrete cracks there is no way to repair it, unfortunately that's the way concrete works. The best way to repair it it is to use 2 part epoxy and then resurface the concrete. It will crack anyway.It looks terrible after your '' repair''.
We are not trying to repair the crack, more to waterproof it to prevent water from further undermining the slab and causing more damage. If I had used a darker caulk it would have looked much better. Also when the concrete moves more, which it will, the foam filler which is flexible, is easy to touch up.
I used a product called Slab to patch my concrete patio, which had some serious cracks from settling over 60 years. Works amazingly well. Don't forget the foam filler tubing to use for real deep cracks or you can use this method but the top layer should be a product like Slab from Sashco because if there is ANY further movement this method will not stop that cracking. Slab will. It has the elasticity to keep the seal for years.
does it work the same as good as backer rod? Now if you had to come back like you said and 'touch up' the foam, how do you do that w the calking over it, Im not getting that... (Also it doesnt look level to the concrete could be a camera thing)
It is better than backer rod in that it makes a waterproof contact between the two slabs of concrete. As it expands it fills all the cracks. The smoothness of the caulk is controlled by the skill of the person applying it.
Mr. Hardware ...Your video was helpful however I can't tell if the self leveling caulk actually did even it self out to a nice lever line. I just used this foam on my blacktop driveway as there were area's along the garage apron and side walks that had pulled away anywhere from 1/4 "- 2". I did not take it to the top of the cracks and left it cure for 2 weeks then used a product called Trowel Patch and a pointed trowel over the foam. After watching this video maybe I should have used self leveling concrete caulk. I then had the driveway professionally sealed. I guess I'll see what happens over this winter. Owning a home is to much work as it ages...it's also a big expense with the upkeep. I'm a 72 yr old woman and getting really tired of the work. Just also finished replacing my kitchen faucet, and all toilet tank parts in 2 toilets.
I can't tell if it is flexible or solid like cement from the website. It's in, not to worry, it may not flex with no problem. We'd like to know how it does by next spring. Blair
Mr Hardware: Thanks for this video. Question: could you have just as well used sand instead of foam, to fill in the all but say the top 1/4" of the crack, then used the caulk on top of the sand. The foam idea seems OK, but it doesn't seem to leave any crack walls available for the caulk to touch. Thanks. Kurt
Sand is a great filler but as far as waterproofing once the cement ships the sand will fall away and the caulk will be un-supported which is fine except having water tight foam underneath it the cement can shift it last a lot longer before the crack will leak.
@@MrHardware1 You are 100% correct. Sand will slowly wash away especially if you have a small leak somewhere. This can be fixed by adding cement to the sand with a few tablespoons of hydrated lime. This makes it slightly more elastic. These modern polyurethane fillers look shiny when it rains and the concrete gets wet. My cement and sand fix is almost undistiguishable. Thanks for the nice video
Reminds me of a con artist dentist referred to as a 'drill and fill merchant'... Here we have the equivalent in the building trade ~ a 'bodge it and scarper merchant'! Just remind me not to use the services of this cowboy please! Yeee-haaa....
Sir no offense to you, but sealing anytype of concrete or stucco with caulk is always gonna look bad. And with caulk anyway you have to press the bead or it's gonna have spaces. ..so you know, Home Depot has this stuff for stucco repair.. and I love this stuff..texture is like concrete, I think a lil with water on my fingers depending on texture I'm dealing with. And I did this on many house exteriors before painting. And on driveways..patio block etc. It comes in small bucket in paint dept
Our supplier is currently out of the foam that was shown in the video. We have other substitute foams that work just as well but with supply and demand the way it is it’s constantly changing. You could call the hardware store 586-776-9532 and they will sell and ship a quality foam product to you.
Very painful way to do it.small spray bottle with teaspoon dish wash and water ,and glove.spray on top and gloved hand it will put little film overuse glove hand very neat and tidy won’t be a problem with mould .your way will break surface and mould will eat away leaving you a problem in 3 months
Backer rod stuff into crack and leave a 1/4 inch below surface then use self leveling Urethane caulk.Not saying your method is not just fine but after 30 years caulking concrete you need a bigger bead in there for it maintain. Just skinning over it first time a snow shovel hits it you going to lose the top
Do yourself a favor, buy a foam gun and use larger tubes of the foam filler. The gun is cheap and the foam never dries out. It can be reused and it is a breeze to clean up afterwards. Buy the clean up spray, it goes right through spray gun and totally cleans up any mess and your hands if needed. I use foam all over the place. Have solved so many problems with it. Stops drafts, and water from entering your home. Buy the extra large tubes from Lowe's. Just remember to wear disposable gloves! It sticks everywhere you spray it.
This solution is probably functional but not aesthetically nice. If you have such large cracks , why not expand the crack to about an inch and mix up some cement to a mortar like consistency. Allows you to match the colour with oxides. It is very cheap. If the cause of the crack is expansion, it's time to cut a groove every 3m that can be filled with good old and cheap bitumen. Small cracks which are 1/4 inch or so can be filled with a sand/cement mix which has been coloured blended with colour matching oxides. Just sprinkle water and let the sun finish off the job. To smooth the cement mix add a little cement conditioner that makes it more pliable like Bicol etc. Your hardware store will not like these old timer solutions because they want to sell you all these expensive polyurethane or polyurea fillers.
It would look a lot better if I had taken a little time and found a cock that match the color of the old concrete. I do regret not having that because this video gets quite a few hits and the color is pretty hideous. Thanks for the comment. Also most DIY or‘s that follow these videos don’t, or won’t go to the hassle of tinting and custom mixing concrete filler
@@MrHardware1 Blair, my comment did not want to take away from what is a fantastic and useful video. I take my hat off to you for the effort of making it. Many readers that commented admitted to pouring many $$$ of polyurethane fillers down the cracks, you used the foam which is a much cheaper fill to bulk up of the cracks. Excellent idea. When the it rains and the surface is wet the polyurethane has a shine that makes the patch stand out. Not so with a mortar or concrete mix. However if one wants to go the whole nine yards and make the repair look 100%, pressure wash the surface, broom it with a solution of diluted hydrochloric acid to etch the surface and apply a SEALER before 2 top coats of concrete grey paint. It's a lot more work but the result are similar to a full new resurface at a fraction of the cost. Thank you for taking the time to make these great videos
I never had to fix anything until now. Thanks to RUclips, I am learning. I like your idea of using spray foam, but wonder if there is enough room for the self-level caulk. The foam expands up and over the surface and you trim it slightly in an angle. I watched some other videos, they said the caulk should be 1/4 in thick and 1/8 in below the surface of the joint. Would you please explain for me so I can decide and start working on the joints and cracks on my driveway. You are the only one who use foam I found. Thanks for your help.
When I do this kinda thing,I like to out the correct color of sand over the top of the crack after I seal it,then just sweep it off the next day. It's never gonna be perfect this way unless you resurface it. I mainly just do this method with repairing outside grout lines for flag stone and ect.
I should have used a dark gray caulk. Color is sometimes regulated by what you can purchase in your area. Our goal is the system, but we will use better matching the next time. Thanks, Blair
The rod is great until the caulk fails. Backer rod is not very waterproof. The foam adjusts to variances in the crack making it totally waterproof. Rod is cleaner.
I use polyurethane backer rod to get to depth, then self leveling caulk to surface. I did use some very clever sand type backer that you just pour down into the crack then pour some water on it. This makes the sand substance turn into a rubberized filling and completely seals the crack bottom, stops ants as well. Then self leveling caulk. It works.
That would also be added expense and extra maintenance going forward. Yearly repainting can add up. If not properly maintained alot of chipped paint can look as bad or worse than this patched crack.
An expansion joint and cracks. It doesn’t matter which as they both move and both allow water to seep in and undermine the soil below causing more movement and damage.
I like it, in the old days when we didn’t have all the cocks and we were using tar for cracks we always put sand over the tire to keep it from sticking and it also camouflage the color
Hello, thanks for sharing. What if I chase the cracks with diamond blade and then use the white foam to seal it and then trim the excess like on this video but, instead of self leveling concrete I could use that grey rubbery polyurethane used on sidewalks and driveways? I have a feeling that if I use the self leveling concrete, the cracks could show up again in summer or season change.
Hello Mr. Hardware! Thank you so much for this video! I am going to attempt to fix the cracks on my driveway concrete as you show here. However, the foam you have on your link is out of stock so I looked for alternatives. I found the Red Devil Foam & Fill (Small cracks for my need) Polyurethane. It cost about $5 for a 20 oz can. It says it can be used outside, so I am going to attempt to fix this with just the foam. I am crossing my fingers hoping it works!
This looks like the stuff that someone sprayed on my snow boots when we had a snow storm here and left my boots outside my door to dry. When I went to get it off, it flaked and smudged like chalk. I just noticed this same stuff on the cement ceiling of our parking garage that someone used to fill cracks. Does this stuff have a chalky feel to it if you smudge it?
No this stuff dries hard and sticks to everything like glue. You need acetone to get it off of any area you didn’t want it to go. Or a knife to cut it because it is rigid foam.
S H. If the crack is deep and it just goes down the hole then what, foam expands with rage weather and with self leveling it is great I did the whole drive way. Damn it looks clean and smart thanks hardware
The big problem with this is that as the caulk becomes brittle the water and UV sunlight will break down the foam. Also the foam will not remain flexible like a backer rod. The worst part is that since the caulk is not entirely in the crack and somewhat bonding to the top surface and edges when you have to repeat this process in about 2 years you have a mess of caulk that has to be grinder off as it is too brittle to function and to playable for a wire wheel or brush. If you apply over the top of old caulk it immediately begins to look terrible. I know from experience. I even ladies down a tape mask and “ported” in the spray foam and covered with a rod and board to try to force a groove, but you need a shear edge like you get with a backer rod to have a good surface bond. I will say I used a cheap crack fill, the jug type. What was a quick fix at a new house before winter has turned into a regrettable mess.
I'm gonna do this. Maybe mix a soupy Portland/sand mix instead of the caulk tho. And for everyone complaining about the look, a coat of concrete paint over top would fix that. A slab replacement cost thousands of dollars. This is a good cheap fix. Thx
Geez what a mess. Powerwash everything first. Mask off above the edges of the gap. Use backer rod first. Apply something like Sika, DAP or quikcrete poly sealant. Spray a little 409 on the sealant - this allows you to tool the surface to smooth it out. Pull up the tape and you've got clean edges.
Here in FL we just fill with sand (what we lovingly call "soil") and top it off with: www.homedepot.com/p/Quikrete-1-Qt-Concrete-Crack-Sealant-864000/100318507 I've used the caulk gun products, and they all suffer from OOZING due to trigger pressure, this product does none of that, levels perfectly, and at quart size, is cheaper...
I'm using Noxall Vegetation Killer, 10 lb Bag, it is pricey but for $36 it covers 1,000 sq ft. I sprinkle it on the pavers, sweep it in and water it down.
I clean the crack with a steak knife, removing all the dirt. I pour salt into the crack and pour vinegar (don't dilute it) on it. The sun cooks those weeds well, to the roots. It's been 6 months and nothing has grown in between.
Any foam will do, minimal expanding is easier to control rather than triple expanding. The black landscape foam is uv safe and does not require a coat of caulk to protect it from the sun. They all flex a little and are waterproof which is why I use foam.
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That's a great idea, I especially like how you did the interface between your slab and the house. After the winter, did you need to do any touch-ups to keep the cracks waterproof?
Every couple of years I usually only need the caulk. Keeping the earth dry beneath the cement reduces it's movement from winter's frost.
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Thank YOU!!! I appreciate you sharing your knowledge! I live in Michigan also this is very useful information!
@@MrHardware1 I have also seen where some fix-it guys would sprinkle sand on the wet caulking so that caulking won't stick to shoes, but I believe this would be on the rubbery type caulking. I think your caulking hardens pretty good so there's no worries about sticking to shoes. Your technique saves people thousands of dollars, and am sure they're appreciative of your expertise. THUMBS UP!!
cool idea, I think it would turn out better if you cleaned the concrete first with a power washer
I totally agree, it was not in our time schedule. A lot of our shoots are spur of the moment.
Bullshit. Absolute garbage.
Those coatings look like shit and only last a year. To do it right you have to grind/hone (joint cleanout) the crack with a crack chaser blade and an angle grinder seen here.
Link:www.ediamondtools.com/products/crack-chaser-blades
Next mask tape the edges and fill with exterior silicone (good for 25 years. Drizzle rubbing alcohol over the goo, smooth with your fingers and pull the tape.
If you want to get fancy and make it completely disappear, use cementitious tile grout for swimming pools and shower tile floors.
Ardex FL is the ultimate, has color match plus 8,700 psi rating in 72 hrs.
8,700 PSI IS HURRICANE PROOF.
@@samsngdevice5103 .
What a mess
A good backer rod underneath would have been great option to stop the caulking from sinking down the large gaps and neutral cure silicone is perfect in resisting UV rays and shrinkage as opposed to solvent or polyurethane based caulking.
Since you're such an expert, why don't you make your own video?
@@leskavage Now , now JD L...Tobi2016 is just putting is 2 cents worth in , like I'm fixing to do. Backer rod does come in handy but Mr. Hardware made the point more then once that he wanted to keep the water out and talked about how there was going to be movement going on caused by changing temperatures and the expanding foam is going to do a lot better job since it is bonding to all the surfaces it touches where as the backer rod would not . As for the silicone vs. solvent or polyurethane based caulking...Mr.Hardware might want to address this with his answer but I can tell you from my experience with all above mentioned calks , I use to think silicone calk was the answer to all my calking needs....that is until I started having jobs fail when using it. The thing with silicone calk on this job would be that every bit of the concrete surface, were wanting the calk to bond to , would have to be perfectly clean , dirt and dust free , for a good bond. Yes silicone will stay flexible , but on a job like this you could probably grab one end of the bead , after it has cured , and pull it out like a rubber band. Even though you still want a clean bonding surface no matter what you are using , I have had better luck with a good wet urethane bonding on a job like this then with silicone. That being said....I use a lot more silicone calk then Urethane. It just depends on the job. For what I do I lean towards the RTV Silicone since it is more like a glue then just a calk .''Sealants may be exposed to scuffing and mechanical wear. Examples include the sealant used as an expansion joint in highways and the sealant used in preparing stone walkways. Thus, they must offer good abrasion, puncture and tear resistance. Flexible sealants, which are available in either chemical curing or non-curing types, exhibit varying degrees of tear resistance. Urethanes have the highest tear resistance.'' Sorry but there will be no video made to support any of this.
@@TEBOZ thanks for sharing your knowledge. What if I use the white foam like on this video after chasing the cracks and cleaning them and then instead of self leveling concrete could I use that grey rubbery polyurethane sealer I see on sidewalks and driveways? Do you think this will work better during season changes when cracks could reappear if I use self leveling concrete? And what is that black stuff used to repair road cracks? Is this just super hot liquid asphalt?
You leave it like that ! That’s is a complete mess ...who would want their driveway looking like that !
I love/hate that foam. It's stickier then a 2 year old!
It's stickier than a 2-month old's diaper!
Keep in mind there are a number of them on the market about 6 and each works a little different as they are somewhat designed for different applications. I've used the one your referring to...yes a very sticky mess. It appears the white foam is easier to clean up but there are different brands of them. I just used one on two of my exterior windows and after 2 days I thought I could go at it with a flat razor knife to give it a clean look but it still wasn't cured it was still very firm looking but soft to the touch. I just scraped it off then with a damp clothe wiped everything down and redid it with regular latex and silicon calk.
You need a pad for those knees partner. Mine are hurting just watching you.
maybe cement ans sand in the top to blend the colors in
Excellent job, good, practical tips. Almost like listening to one's neighbor. When some critical viewers grow up they will appreciate this useful info, especially if the learn about "weathering." Really glad I found this straightforward video.
Sorry but it looks like crap
Will this work to fill the cracks in my heart?
Good idea to use the cheap foam first. The good caulking that is expandable and very rubbery is expensive.
What a messy caulk !!!!!!!!!
Lol do not do this, im a professional caulker by trade. The caulking on that gap should have been 3/4 of an inch deep inside the joint. You have clearly have no idea what you're doing and I would advise you to never make a video like this again. You just lead tons of viewers to perform diy shit jobs on their own property with no benefit what so ever, congrats. Please don't make a video like this when youre not educated what so ever. If you're a handy man, stick to your side hustle. Leave this trade to the caulkers.
If you have the space to use it, when removing the excess dried foam from your project, try using a hacksaw blade.
You sir don't have a clue what your doing and shouldn't be advising anybody how to fix this problem , not only is your work messy and unprofessional it won't hold up even a few years I will guarantee that !!! Do I need to explain why ?
GE Advanced Silicone has done a great job for my asphalt driveway. Not sure if it would work here or not.
How much it $ por lineal f ?
About 30 cents
We think alike…I’m gonna clean out deeper and prime
Bonding surfaces. Top with soil…
I would use diamond crack chasing wheel to widen the crack and clean sharp edges, vacuum, self level caulk, and dusting of color matching sand to match the concrete.
Another video I watch showed a man sprinkle dry concrete mix ,
on top of wet sealant once down in crack,
and it was almost invisible once dry.
I used to do this work in the past. We used foam rods to fill in the cracks, comes in rolls and a variety of diameters. Then waterproof with a quality caulking. Of course the prep work is probably the most important thing you can do. Make sure you clean out the cracks with a diamond V wheel and angle grinder, then vacuum before you start.
This is the first time I’ve seen foam from a can used I have seen the stuff you speak of I wonder if it’s newer or if he still does it this way the foam doesn’t seem to be for this application imo but I’m no expert and haven’t tried either way. Have you had good luck with the foam rods ? What silicon do you prefer self leveling by stix or the yellow tube? Thanks
Case G, the foam spray will work too, but it’s way more messy. The idea behind using foam in the first place is to seal the crack so you don’t end up using more caulking than is necessary. The job of the caulking is to make the crack or joint water tight. I’m not sure what he used, but I do know that anything Sika or Simpson is good quality. You can use self leaving caulking if you don’t want to tool the caulking afterwards. From my experience this can make a hell of a mess too and it can bubble up sometimes. Do not use self leveling on ramps or slopes. A higher viscosity caulking will make a cleaner job so long as you know how to apply the right amount of bead and tool it nicely.
EXCELLENT JOB
What would have made this PRO Level is...
PRESSURE WASHING PRIOR
So that the grey caulking would blend better color-wise with the clean grey concrete instead of standing out between DIRTY concrete.
Thanks, useful information. About to do this job on a driveway here in Florida. Don't have to worry about the frost, but being that everything is on sand it still flexes and shifts around a lot.
Great set of tips - thanks man. Foam like this is not going to go down the crack, will stick and stay there - groovy.
Thank you for this!....very thorough & detailed in your explanations! You have a new subscriber🥳
Genius! I hope this works to fill the cracks between the foundation and driveway too!
Did it work? Im about to try same.
Thank you, Blair. Good information.
Hi Blair, can this project be done on this "Fall Weather" with the temperature close to freezing?
Usually you can, however the foam expands less the colder it is. The polyurethane caulk will cure in the cold, but still take longer.
So many things like this I wish I would have known about or seen years ago... So many things you have to learn by trial, error and expense.
Thanks RUclips and people like Mr. Hardware. I think I will definitely be checking for other useful videos.
A good clean crack has more chances of bonding and lasting longer than the conditions of cracks in this video. Here in Australia we have to use expansion foam on the brickwork. Some builders even have the requirements of sealing off concrete with SikaFlex around the boundary. Expansion cuts in concrete also helps to reduce cracking. Repairing concrete requires good experience, it’s not something everyone can do. But for a DIY’ers yeah why not, that will do i guess if you ain’t ready to spend big bucks on proper repairs. 🤙
To make it look nicer and an uniform color should it be stained or painted??!
I’m thinking a concrete stain
Should I use a concrete surface stain preparing primer?
Thought on staining?
Thx
Liked video
The problem with our video was I didn’t take the time to go back and get a darker colored caulk to cover the foam. Choose a caulk that’s closer to the color of your concrete and that would be good enough.
You made a mess
You can grind or sand the foam down so it’s flat and not bumpy
thank you ....learned a new trick for my cracks in my driveway.....excellent
You can tell me whatever you want, once concrete cracks there is no way to repair it, unfortunately that's the way concrete works. The best way to repair it it is to use 2 part epoxy and then resurface the concrete. It will crack anyway.It looks terrible after your '' repair''.
We are not trying to repair the crack, more to waterproof it to prevent water from further undermining the slab and causing more damage. If I had used a darker caulk it would have looked much better. Also when the concrete moves more, which it will, the foam filler which is flexible, is easy to touch up.
I used a product called Slab to patch my concrete patio, which had some serious cracks from settling over 60 years. Works amazingly well. Don't forget the foam filler tubing to use for real deep cracks or you can use this method but the top layer should be a product like Slab from Sashco because if there is ANY further movement this method will not stop that cracking. Slab will. It has the elasticity to keep the seal for years.
We sell quite a few Sashco products including Slab.
That foam is a great idea to fill all the cracks. Nice job!
does it work the same as good as backer rod? Now if you had to come back like you said and 'touch up' the foam, how do you do that w the calking over it, Im not getting that... (Also it doesnt look level to the concrete could be a camera thing)
It is better than backer rod in that it makes a waterproof contact between the two slabs of concrete. As it expands it fills all the cracks. The smoothness of the caulk is controlled by the skill of the person applying it.
Mr. Hardware ...Your video was helpful however I can't tell if the self leveling caulk actually did even it self out to a nice lever line. I just used this foam on my blacktop driveway as there were area's along the garage apron and side walks that had pulled away anywhere from 1/4 "- 2". I did not take it to the top of the cracks and left it cure for 2 weeks then used a product called Trowel Patch and a pointed trowel over the foam. After watching this video maybe I should have used self leveling concrete caulk. I then had the driveway professionally sealed. I guess I'll see what happens over this winter. Owning a home is to much work as it ages...it's also a big expense with the upkeep. I'm a 72 yr old woman and getting really tired of the work. Just also finished replacing my kitchen faucet, and all toilet tank parts in 2 toilets.
I can't tell if it is flexible or solid like cement from the website. It's in, not to worry, it may not flex with no problem. We'd like to know how it does by next spring. Blair
Is this the same as Great Stuff Gaps & Cracks?
So it's basically a backer rod in a can?
Mr Hardware: Thanks for this video. Question: could you have just as well used sand instead of foam, to fill in the all but say the top 1/4" of the crack, then used the caulk on top of the sand.
The foam idea seems OK, but it doesn't seem to leave any crack walls available for the caulk to touch.
Thanks.
Kurt
Sand is a great filler but as far as waterproofing once the cement ships the sand will fall away and the caulk will be un-supported which is fine except having water tight foam underneath it the cement can shift it last a lot longer before the crack will leak.
@@MrHardware1 You are 100% correct. Sand will slowly wash away especially if you have a small leak somewhere. This can be fixed by adding cement to the sand with a few tablespoons of hydrated lime. This makes it slightly more elastic. These modern polyurethane fillers look shiny when it rains and the concrete gets wet. My cement and sand fix is almost undistiguishable. Thanks for the nice video
Can you use it for a small hole in the middle of the patio concrete? I don't know how deep the hole is?
Sure, you may want to take a wire and check to see just how deep the void below is first
Reminds me of a con artist dentist referred to as a 'drill and fill merchant'... Here we have the equivalent in the building trade ~ a 'bodge it and scarper merchant'!
Just remind me not to use the services of this cowboy please! Yeee-haaa....
Thank you so much for doing this video.
Thank you. Great video. Very helpful.
Sir no offense to you, but sealing anytype of concrete or stucco with caulk is always gonna look bad. And with caulk anyway you have to press the bead or it's gonna have spaces. ..so you know, Home Depot has this stuff for stucco repair.. and I love this stuff..texture is like concrete, I think a lil with water on my fingers depending on texture I'm dealing with. And I did this on many house exteriors before painting. And on driveways..patio block etc. It comes in small bucket in paint dept
Very clever, and the audio, speech, and visuals are all excellent.
This is not a repair it's a bodge
Can please share the link of the foam. Thanks so much
Our supplier is currently out of the foam that was shown in the video. We have other substitute foams that work just as well but with supply and demand the way it is it’s constantly changing. You could call the hardware store 586-776-9532 and they will sell and ship a quality foam product to you.
Very painful way to do it.small spray bottle with teaspoon dish wash and water ,and glove.spray on top and gloved hand it will put little film overuse glove hand very neat and tidy won’t be a problem with mould .your way will break surface and mould will eat away leaving you a problem in 3 months
Backer rod stuff into crack and leave a 1/4 inch below surface then use self leveling Urethane caulk.Not saying your method is not just fine but after 30 years caulking concrete you need a bigger bead in there for it maintain. Just skinning over it first time a snow shovel hits it you going to lose the top
Do yourself a favor, buy a foam gun and use larger tubes of the foam filler. The gun is cheap and the foam never dries out. It can be reused and it is a breeze to clean up afterwards. Buy the clean up spray, it goes right through spray gun and totally cleans up any mess and your hands if needed. I use foam all over the place. Have solved so many problems with it. Stops drafts, and water from entering your home. Buy the extra large tubes from Lowe's. Just remember to wear disposable gloves! It sticks everywhere you spray it.
This solution is probably functional but not aesthetically nice. If you have such large cracks , why not expand the crack to about an inch and mix up some cement to a mortar like consistency. Allows you to match the colour with oxides. It is very cheap. If the cause of the crack is expansion, it's time to cut a groove every 3m that can be filled with good old and cheap bitumen. Small cracks which are 1/4 inch or so can be filled with a sand/cement mix which has been coloured blended with colour matching oxides. Just sprinkle water and let the sun finish off the job. To smooth the cement mix add a little cement conditioner that makes it more pliable like Bicol etc. Your hardware store will not like these old timer solutions because they want to sell you all these expensive polyurethane or polyurea fillers.
It would look a lot better if I had taken a little time and found a cock that match the color of the old concrete. I do regret not having that because this video gets quite a few hits and the color is pretty hideous. Thanks for the comment. Also most DIY or‘s that follow these videos don’t, or won’t go to the hassle of tinting and custom mixing concrete filler
@@MrHardware1 Blair, my comment did not want to take away from what is a fantastic and useful video. I take my hat off to you for the effort of making it. Many readers that commented admitted to pouring many $$$ of polyurethane fillers down the cracks, you used the foam which is a much cheaper fill to bulk up of the cracks. Excellent idea. When the it rains and the surface is wet the polyurethane has a shine that makes the patch stand out. Not so with a mortar or concrete mix. However if one wants to go the whole nine yards and make the repair look 100%, pressure wash the surface, broom it with a solution of diluted hydrochloric acid to etch the surface and apply a SEALER before 2 top coats of concrete grey paint. It's a lot more work but the result are similar to a full new resurface at a fraction of the cost. Thank you for taking the time to make these great videos
Looks like concrete from here...
Thanks I needed that. :0)
I'm a new homeowner and I've only watched a few of your videos but I'm loving them. Thank you!
Daniel Thomas mm
The repair looks horrible!!!!!
what a hack job. Just stop.
How about adding play sand on top to make it look pretty?
This foam is not for this,if you repair concrete like this in NYC you're gonna get your ass fired asap...hahahahaha
I never had to fix anything until now. Thanks to RUclips, I am learning. I like your idea of using spray foam, but wonder if there is enough room for the self-level caulk. The foam expands up and over the surface and you trim it slightly in an angle. I watched some other videos, they said the caulk should be 1/4 in thick and 1/8 in below the surface of the joint. Would you please explain for me so I can decide and start working on the joints and cracks on my driveway. You are the only one who use foam I found. Thanks for your help.
Good idea but how about the esthetics? It looks kinda like an eyesore to walk on caulk filled crack lines all throughout the concrete floor
When I do this kinda thing,I like to out the correct color of sand over the top of the crack after I seal it,then just sweep it off the next day. It's never gonna be perfect this way unless you resurface it. I mainly just do this method with repairing outside grout lines for flag stone and ect.
I should have used a dark gray caulk. Color is sometimes regulated by what you can purchase in your area. Our goal is the system, but we will use better matching the next time. Thanks, Blair
Instead of foam, I used foam back rod and stuff it in crack
The rod is great until the caulk fails. Backer rod is not very waterproof. The foam adjusts to variances in the crack making it totally waterproof. Rod is cleaner.
And more expensive. One bag about 8 ft about $7.
I use polyurethane backer rod to get to depth, then self leveling caulk to surface. I did use some very clever sand type backer that you just pour down into the crack then pour some water on it. This makes the sand substance turn into a rubberized filling and completely seals the crack bottom, stops ants as well. Then self leveling caulk. It works.
Bertrand Av Encino....Need quality fill + fix slim but full depth driveway slab to extend life
would look alot better if whole of concrete was painted afterwards
That would also be added expense and extra maintenance going forward. Yearly repainting can add up. If not properly maintained alot of chipped paint can look as bad or worse than this patched crack.
It looks like it needs a good bleaching. Then you could top off with Thompson's Waterseal.
Are you serious? I hope he didn't charge for that so called repair.
Is that a crack or expansion joint?
An expansion joint and cracks. It doesn’t matter which as they both move and both allow water to seep in and undermine the soil below causing more movement and damage.
Great video, I'm going to do it
Ask mr. hardware !
you didnt grind the edges smoothe
you didnt use a primer on the concrete , this is incorrect , exactly what l wouldnt do for any money
I have done similar jobs in the past and found to sprinkle thin layer of sand on top of the caulk helps to look better aesthetically.
I like it, in the old days when we didn’t have all the cocks and we were using tar for cracks we always put sand over the tire to keep it from sticking and it also camouflage the color
Why can't we use cement to fill in such cracks or gaps?
It’s not flexible.
@@MrHardware1 got it
Hello, thanks for sharing. What if I chase the cracks with diamond blade and then use the white foam to seal it and then trim the excess like on this video but, instead of self leveling concrete I could use that grey rubbery polyurethane used on sidewalks and driveways? I have a feeling that if I use the self leveling concrete, the cracks could show up again in summer or season change.
Exactly, foam and self leveling flexible caulk. Why bother w the diamond blade? The coarse surface provides better grip for the foam.
For some people this is going to be harder than you made it look. Very good idea to use the foam and sel- leveling seam.
We come back and touch it up life is good. Great line.
Lol looks like shit
Hello Mr. Hardware! Thank you so much for this video! I am going to attempt to fix the cracks on my driveway concrete as you show here. However, the foam you have on your link is out of stock so I looked for alternatives. I found the Red Devil Foam & Fill (Small cracks for my need) Polyurethane. It cost about $5 for a 20 oz can. It says it can be used outside, so I am going to attempt to fix this with just the foam. I am crossing my fingers hoping it works!
Take your time installing the foam and minimize trimming before covering w a caulk.
I have to try that
This looks like the stuff that someone sprayed on my snow boots when we had a snow storm here and left my boots outside my door to dry. When I went to get it off, it flaked and smudged like chalk. I just noticed this same stuff on the cement ceiling of our parking garage that someone used to fill cracks. Does this stuff have a chalky feel to it if you smudge it?
No this stuff dries hard and sticks to everything like glue. You need acetone to get it off of any area you didn’t want it to go. Or a knife to cut it because it is rigid foam.
Thanks for confirming an idea I had and improving on it. Saved me a lot of money.
Skip the foam and just use the self leveling caulk. If yo need to fill a deeper crack - fill with sand and caulk on top.
when the caulk fails, which it will someday, the sand will be gone. The foam is a second line of waterproofing.
What's the name of the caulk and what store is it available in. I'm looking to buy exact products.
@@sirishaparsi4434 Many brands are very similar, don't stress on Sika. If you must have that brand call our hardware, 586-776-9532
Sikaflex self leveling crack repar home depot
S H. If the crack is deep and it just goes down the hole then what, foam expands with rage weather and with self leveling it is great I did the whole drive way. Damn it looks clean and smart thanks hardware
The big problem with this is that as the caulk becomes brittle the water and UV sunlight will break down the foam. Also the foam will not remain flexible like a backer rod. The worst part is that since the caulk is not entirely in the crack and somewhat bonding to the top surface and edges when you have to repeat this process in about 2 years you have a mess of caulk that has to be grinder off as it is too brittle to function and to playable for a wire wheel or brush. If you apply over the top of old caulk it immediately begins to look terrible. I know from experience. I even ladies down a tape mask and “ported” in the spray foam and covered with a rod and board to try to force a groove, but you need a shear edge like you get with a backer rod to have a good surface bond. I will say I used a cheap crack fill, the jug type. What was a quick fix at a new house before winter has turned into a regrettable mess.
Only use poly caulk. The caulk in the repair still looks fine, a little light but no cracks, no melting of the foam, and still water tight.
I'm gonna do this. Maybe mix a soupy Portland/sand mix instead of the caulk tho. And for everyone complaining about the look, a coat of concrete paint over top would fix that. A slab replacement cost thousands of dollars. This is a good cheap fix. Thx
Get a better color caulk than I did. Something flexible because if the slab shifts even a little the portland will crack.
What Kind of Foam do I ask for
Minimal expanding foam first, any expanding foam second, as many retailers don’t stock both
Perfect ... Thanks
Nail polish remover?? lol I used a wire brush lightly as I could. It worked but skin was reddened for a day. I'll never make that mistake again.
Geez what a mess.
Powerwash everything first.
Mask off above the edges of the gap.
Use backer rod first.
Apply something like Sika, DAP or quikcrete poly sealant.
Spray a little 409 on the sealant - this allows you to tool the surface to smooth it out.
Pull up the tape and you've got clean edges.
Here in FL we just fill with sand (what we lovingly call "soil") and top it off with:
www.homedepot.com/p/Quikrete-1-Qt-Concrete-Crack-Sealant-864000/100318507
I've used the caulk gun products, and they all suffer from OOZING due to trigger pressure, this product does none of that, levels perfectly, and at quart size, is cheaper...
Get pads to save your knees.
what a mess
Good video.
Will try it at next time need to fix patio crack. Cheap easy fix.
Why cant you use resin?
You can, only it isn’t flexible and when the concrete moves again, and it will, it will crack.
I have weeds that constantly grow through the crack of my patio , how do I fix that.
I'm using Noxall Vegetation Killer, 10 lb Bag, it is pricey but for $36 it covers 1,000 sq ft. I sprinkle it on the pavers, sweep it in and water it down.
@@MrHardware1 Thank you sir
I clean the crack with a steak knife, removing all the dirt. I pour salt into the crack and pour vinegar (don't dilute it) on it. The sun cooks those weeds well, to the roots. It's been 6 months and nothing has grown in between.
sell the house.
What foam did you use?
Any foam will do, minimal expanding is easier to control rather than triple expanding. The black landscape foam is uv safe and does not require a coat of caulk to protect it from the sun. They all flex a little and are waterproof which is why I use foam.
This must be a Chicago accent, no?
Canadian/ Detroit
@@MrHardware1 No way! 👍
Thx 😊
Price Sir
The new white foam is waterproof and Don't break down.