Hi,
My next door neighbor asked me if I knew any concrete contractors who could break up his old concrete driveway/sidewalk and make a new one. I gave him the names of two and made calls to them and arrainged appointments for them. Their prices were similar and I reccomended the guy that I have used before on jobs of my own.
The job looked good on completion. He used wire mesh, 3500 psi concrete, 4″ thick minimum. After one year there is a 8′ long (hairline) crack in a large section of the driveway. Also a similar crack across a 3’x3′ section of sidewalk.
My neighbor is upset and wants this contractor to redo the job. I have been looking at concrete jobs everywhere I go lately and it is fairly common in jobs that seem to be (good quality) to see these cracks.
The contractor says he did everything right and that there is no garantee that the concrete won’t crack.
Question is: What can/should be done? Can the cracks be fixed without breaking everything up? Could this have been avoided?
I want to see the right thing happen for all concerned. If there are any concrete guys out there I would appreciate your input.
Thank You
Replies
If someone asked me
to pour a concrete driveway and guarantee there wouldn't be hairline cracks, I'd run away screaming.
FWIW, I don't use mesh, I do use low water mixes, and I do keep slabs damp for as long as possible after pouring, but there is still no guarantee. Is your neighbor alleging poor workmanship or materials? Exactly what does he think should have been done differently?
There are only two kinds of concrete driveways. Those with cracks and those that haven't cracked yet.
u win ,this is the only real answer.
The cracks could (probably) have been avoided (so soon) by paying the contractor about twice as much for heavy rebar, thicker concrete, deeper bed preparation, more care in sawing expansion joints, etc. But in 10-20 years there likely would still be cracks.
This falls under the heading of "No good deed goes unpunished"
Like the song says "God is great. Beer is good. People are crazy"
concrete drive
There is concrete and then there are CONCRETE. There are cracks and then there are CRACKS.
30 day ago, I poured a +/-1400 sf drive with turn-a-round. Min. 6" compacted granular base, 4" thk., 3000# mix, (pumped),#3 rebar 18" o.c. B/W, sawed control joints max. 12' o.c., 1-1/4 deep, cut every other rebar at control joints before pouring, smooth dowel & expansion joints where abutted/joined existing structure, kept wet/covered 5 days in 104* temp.
No cracks yet. At least not where they are not suppose to be. Time will tell.
To most folks/customers, concrete is concrete. It is sometime hard to get them to pay to get it done right. Even then I tell them that there could be some cracking. Always CYA.
Like I said, pay twice as much and maybe it won't crack quite as soon.
(Bumped the darn radio switch on my laptop.)
How did you come up with
#3 @ 18" OCEW? If what I've been told is correct, you need approximately twice that much to replace WWF.
Try and find a slab that does not have hairlines cracks.
Only 2 hairline cracks after a year, you should be thanking the guy for doing such a good job. I gurareente two things when I pour concrete: it will get hard & it will crack. Seriously, it's the nature of the beast. The only mistake the contractor made was not telling the cilent up front he should expect a few hairline cracks.
I guarantee more
It will get hard, it will crack, it won't burn...