Concrete Repair in Gilbert, AZ

Concrete Repair is often the smartest first step for Gilbert homeowners. With a median year built of 2003 for Gilbert homes, according to a Point2Homes summary of Census data, and about a quarter of homes dating to the 1990s, there is a lot of 20- to 35-year-old flatwork in driveways, walks and patios. Much of it is structurally fine with a few problems on top. Fixing those problems costs a fraction of a full replacement.

What causes the damage

• Shrinkage cracks: concrete shrinks as it dries; without enough control joints, it cracks on its own
• Settlement: soil that was poorly compacted, washed out by irrigation, or softened by roof runoff lets panels drop
• Surface wear: sun, water, chemicals and traffic wear down the top layer, especially on slabs that were never sealed
• Root and edge damage: trees and planters push or undermine edges

Repairs only last if the cause is fixed. If a downspout is soaking the soil under your driveway, leveling the slab without redirecting the water just means doing it again in a few years.

Repair options

• Crack filling and sealing: for cracks that are not moving, to keep water and dirt out
• Slab leveling: lifting sunken panels by pumping material underneath, either a cement-based slurry (mudjacking) or polyurethane foam
• Resurfacing: a thin overlay on a sound slab to renew a worn, stained or rough surface
• Section replacement: cutting out and repouring the worst panels while keeping the rest
• Joint repair: cleaning and sealing joints, including the joint between a pool deck and coping

Repair, resurface or replace?

HomeGuide's resurfacing guide gives a useful rule: resurfacing suits minor flaking and cracks narrower than about a quarter inch. It recommends replacement for large cracks, crumbling, spalling or structural problems, or when an overlay would need to be more than 2 inches thick. The same guide notes that cracks wider than a quarter inch can point to a deeper problem, which is why we check whether a crack is still moving before we patch it.

Our rule of thumb: if most of the slab is sound and level, repair it. If most of it is broken or sunken, replacing it is usually the better long-term spend, and we will tell you so.

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Monsoon and irrigation damage

Much of the settling we look at in the East Valley traces back to water. The Phoenix-area monsoon season, which the National Weather Service sets from June 15 to September 30, brings short, heavy storms, and roof downspouts often dump all that water at the edge of a walk or driveway. Daily irrigation does the same thing more slowly. Part of every repair estimate is pointing out where water is coming from and what to change.

What to expect after a repair

• Filled cracks are less visible but rarely invisible
• Foam-lifted panels can be used almost right away (HomeGuide notes the foam cures in about 15 minutes); mudjacked panels need a short wait before traffic
• Resurfaced concrete can last about 8 to 15 years, per HomeGuide, with care
• Sealing after repairs helps everything last longer