LESLIE: George in Texas is on the line with a question about big cracks in concrete driveway. What can we do for you today?
GEORGE: Well, I was wondering about some – found big cracks in my concrete driveway. There anything to do with that?
TOM: So, are these big cracks in concrete driveway new, George? Or have they been there for a while?
GEORGE: Yeah, they’ve been there for a while. The concrete’s probably 40 years old.
TOM: OK. And how wide are the cracks? How far open are they?
GEORGE: Maybe a ½-inch.
TOM: Two things. Number one, you can repair these big cracks in concrete driveway. And QUIKRETE makes a number of products that can help. But one thing that you want to do is, because the cracks are so wide, is you’re going to have to insert what’s called a “backer rod” in there first, which is like a very small foam tube. And you press that down until it’s about a ½-inch below the surface or maybe 3/8-inch below the surface. And then you can use a flowable urethane caulk on top of that. And the reason you’re putting the backer rod in there is so that you don’t lose a lot of the joint-sealing material down all the way down to the ground.
And once you do this and if you do it right, then that seal will expand and contract and it won’t crack again, OK? So you stuff the crack with the backer rod and then you repair it with a urethane sealant.
GEORGE: OK. What is it I’m putting first in the crack?
TOM: It’s called a “backer rod.” It’s like a foam tube.
GEORGE: Oh, OK.
TOM: It’s like a Styrofoam tube. It comes in different diameters.
LESLIE: To fill the gap.
TOM: It’s just to fill the gap.
GEORGE: I see. OK. And then all those smaller ones just don’t do that? Put the second item in there?
TOM: And then you apply the flowable urethane, OK? And that ought to do it.
GEORGE: OK. Thank you so much.
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