Concrete seems permanent, but this material has nothing to withstand the ravages of time. Concrete walls in the garden, in particular, which are regularly exposed to the weather and other external stress, develop signs of fatigue at some point. And they usually show up in the form of unsightly cracks. A tragedy? Maybe! But not one whose script cannot be rewritten. In these instructions, we explain how easy it is to repair cracks in concrete!
The crack has to go
After we have already shown how cracks in the facade can be repaired when the surface is plastered, we now turn to the unplastered concrete surfaces. In the specific case, it is about the concrete base of a fence wall, on which some signs of deterioration are already evident.
But that doesn’t mean that a replacement is required. Most of this damage can be repaired again with little effort. To prove it, we explain step-by-step how to repair cracks in concrete and save time.
Tools and materials
If you want to repair cracks in concrete, choosing the right material is crucial for rapid success. There are two main steps to consider: cleaning the crack and closing it. We use saltpeter cleaner to clean the concrete surfaces. With this, stubborn dirt, as well as efflorescence on the concrete, can be easily removed. To close the crack, we use Molto filler for external repairs. We hope that this will result in faster work progress.
Besides, a hammer and chisel, a round brush and a spatula are also needed. A bucket of water should also be available.
Prepare crack
Before you can repair cracks in concrete, the damaged areas must first be cleaned thoroughly. Otherwise, the repair measures will not lead to the desired success. Also, the crack must be widened so that it can be filled with the repair filler.
Unlike with plastered walls, a cutter is not enough here. So we grab a hammer and chisel and tap the crack open a little. Then the crack is traced with the chisel to find and remove loose parts. Finally, the crack is carefully cleaned of dust and fragments with the brush.
Clean crack
Now the deep cleansing with the saltpeter remover is announced. Since the concrete surfaces are heavily soiled, they are applied undiluted. With the help of the round brush, the cleaner is worked thoroughly into the crack. The bristles also extend into deeper areas.
The cleaner should then act for 5-10 minutes, depending on the weather. In doing so, however, it must never dry out! Therefore, the agent is rinsed off with enough water in a good time. The brush also helps with this.
Attention: only carry out these work steps with gloves! Besides, protective goggles must be worn so that no splashes get into the eyes.
Close the crack
The third step is the actual task: mending the cracks in the concrete. For this purpose, the Molto repair filler is prepared. Knead the tube a little before use to mix the components well together. Then the crack is filled directly from the tube.
A single layer of the repair compound should not be thicker than 10 mm. If the crack is deeper, as in our case, an initial filling is carried out first, and the compound is worked well into the crack with a spatula. This layer then has to dry out before you can continue.
As soon as the first layer has dried, work can continue. Again the crack is filled with the repair compound. In our case, that’s enough to close the crack completely. To achieve a successful finish, the surfaces must then be peeled off.
For this step, we use the spatula again. The repair compound is peeled off, and excess material is removed. The spatula should always be held at a slight angle to the crack so that the mixture is not squeezed out again. Correspondingly, other cracks in the concrete can also be repaired.
The result
Once the last crack has been filled and the mass has been removed cleanly, the repaired areas can dry in peace. The subsequent result can convince. The previously damaged areas are filled in and covered. Now all that’s missing is a new coat of paint to make the old wall shine again in the best possible light.
Would you have thought how easy it is to repair cracks in concrete? In any case, we are happy that we have finally started this work.
