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ClimberKev
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# Posted: 3 Mar 2014 05:56pm
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Due to the incredible depth of the frost this year here in Wisconsin I had some damage to a new (reinforced) concrete floor in my pole shed. Is it better to leave it alone or get it fixed? If I have the cracked section removed will they have to cut all the reinforcements around that area? I'm hoping when the frost settles the crack simply closes and that's that.
Anyone suffering similar issues?
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Oilerfan
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# Posted: 3 Mar 2014 06:26pm
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My advice is to seal the cracking and leave it be. Replacing the cracked section won't do much as it will likely happen again down the road then you will really be mad!! Keep the area well drained to ensure water doesn't get under the slab. Water + cold temps = frost heaving. Take the water out of the equation and you eliminate the heaving. Of course completely eliminating all moisture/water may prove an impossible task.
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OwenChristensen
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# Posted: 3 Mar 2014 06:31pm
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Good question. You must have some moisture under your slab. Unless our slabs are heated and/or very dry under, they will crack with frost. Heck sometimes they crack anyway. Your crack won't come back together when the ground thaws, but hopefully the two parts will be at the same level. Then just with acrylic concrete patch.
I do have a concrete patio that has a crack. I guess what happens for me is water comes from under my house and as it gets under the cold patio it freezes. When I made it, I put several feet of gravel under, but if water gets there it will swell.
Good luck.
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 3 Mar 2014 07:04pm
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Slabs are basically designed to crack. The reinforcement in the slab hopefully keeps the two sections at the same level with each other. I agree with the above posters- seal it as best you can and live with it. It's not a structural issue that threatens the building, but it is a certain disappointment to put in a nice new slab ($$$$) and then see it crack
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old243
Member
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# Posted: 3 Mar 2014 10:45pm
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Usually in a large slab it is best to saw the slab part way through. but don't cut the reinforcing steel. It will then crack at the saw cut. not randomly. My shop floor has cracked over the years , hasn't got any worse. old243.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 3 Mar 2014 11:23pm
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All concrete can and will crack, especially a large flat area unless you pour it so thick.
The guy that did my slab in my garage at home said he "guaranteed it to":
Crack, get hard and that no one would steal it"
So far, he has been dead on.
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wirivercabin
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# Posted: 5 Mar 2014 09:34am
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The guy I had pour my garage slab 12 years ago, gave 2 guarantees on his concrete.
It will crack.
Nobody will steal it.
He was right
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TheCabinCalls
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# Posted: 5 Mar 2014 10:45am
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I agree, I wouldn't tear out and repour. It won't match and it will be a pain to do. If the crack becomes unsafe then you might have to jack or repour. You can always fill the crack and paint the floor and no one will know.
BTW - I always hated it when the concrete guys say this - it will crack. A levy will break too unless you give it a proper place to spill over and reinforced.
Concrete cracks can be controlled and minimized. It should not be an excuse to skimp on work and say I told ya so.
Concrete is only as good as the foundation. If it moves, settles or heaves so will the concrete on top. If the slab is big without sawcuts and part of the base on one of the ends settles the concrete will crack some place in the middle so it can drop with the base.
I had a property with a concrete driveway that is 25 years old and no cracks outside of the sawcuts. We had a property with a driveway that was three years old and it had cracks and chips. So there is a right and wrong way to do it.
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ClimberKev
Member
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# Posted: 5 Mar 2014 10:55am
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Death, taxes, and cracked concrete.
Thanks for the feedback everyone!
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bldginsp
Member
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# Posted: 5 Mar 2014 11:33am
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Death, taxes, cracked concrete AND dirty dishes.
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toyota_mdt_tech
Member
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# Posted: 7 Mar 2014 07:57pm
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Quoting: TheCabinCalls Concrete cracks can be controlled and minimized. It should not be an excuse to skimp on work and say I told ya so
There is no way to prevent concrete cracks unless you pour it stupid thick. I wouldn want sawcuts in my garage slab. I do have stress risers in my driveway, all cracks were limited to inside the stress risers only as designed. The builder who did my garage used fiber reinforced concrete, and after about 7 years, it did crack, but the crack is held tight together from the fiber and barely noticeable. At the time, I think it was an extra $10 a yard this way.
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