How to Fix a Concrete Walkway

LESLIE: Well, concrete is probably America’s most frequently-used building material inside and out of your home. It’s ideal for everything from foundations to walls but it’s most commonly used for driveways, walkways, patios, sidewalks, you name it. Well, when it’s in great condition, it can be absolutely gorgeous. But when it starts to deteriorate and crack up, it can actually be dangerous.
 
TOM: Absolutely. We’re going to get some tips now on how to deal with that issue from Kevin O’Connor and Roger Cook from TV’s This Old House.
 
And Kevin, it’s not just a cosmetic issue.
 
KEVIN: Concrete walks that crack or deteriorate are not only ugly but they can be dangerous, especially if the crack opens up and forms a lip above the sidewalk that you can trip on.
 
Roger, you probably see this all the time. Any tips on dealing with it?
 
ROGER: Kevin, sometimes you can get a concrete product that’s made to go into that spawling or cracks but I find they only have a very short lifetime. Usually, the best remedy is to jackhammer out that walkway, replace it with a brick paver walkway or a concrete paver walkway.
 
There is one other thing you can do if your patio walks are settled and that’s called mudjacking.
 
KEVIN: So how exactly does mudjacking work and is that something a homeowner can do themselves?
 
ROGER: It’s not a DIY thing, Kevin. It involves heavy machinery where they come in and they push liquid concrete under pressure under the walk so it actually makes that walk raise up.
 
KEVIN: Sounds good.
 
ROGER: In fact, we even have a video of that happening on ThisOldHouse.com and it’ll walk you through the whole process.
 
TOM: That sounds like a fun project.
 
Roger Cook, Kevin O’Connor, thanks for stopping by The Money Pit.
 
KEVIN: Our pleasure. We’ll talk to you next week.
 
LESLIE: Man, you guys and mud. I swear it’s something that you’re always talking about or at least interested in. And I bet mudjacking is something that you guys would actually have a lot of fun with.
 
TOM: Absolutely. (chuckles)
 
LESLIE: You know, there are actually some do-it-yourself projects on the market that can help with simpler fixes. In fact, QUIKRETE has a great line of products for many doable projects including concrete resurfacing; no mudjacking but, you know, resurfacing.
 
TOM: And probably just as much fun. (Leslie chuckles)
 
Well, for more tips on how to take care of your house, you can check out the videos at ThisOldHouse.com or watch Kevin and Roger on This Old House Television. This Old House is brought to you by The Home Depot. The Home Depot – more saving, more doing.