That and taking several pictures. My garage control joints are about 5/8″ and are not very deep at all. Thanks. The results, some of the sealant cured in a bead above the surface of the driveway. OK, so I took the plunge and went with the backer rod/sealant method over wood. I used sealant you recommended about a year ago. Search for; Mertiso’s tips go viral. Sounds like you have an awesome outdoor setup. Ask them about your sand idea. I did my patio joint last fall in warm weather, and when down, it looked like I had squeezed a big tube of toothpaste – a continuous row of humps that never flattened. And if concrete, should I fill the expansion joints first or the cracks? That’s probably the quickest way. There are channels (maybe called sore joints, definitely not expansion joints) that have cracks in them (both directions, up/down and across). I have been working on the driveway of my boyfriend’s rental house since spring. Only wish I would have been informed by the contractor that this would happen and the possibilities that are out there to resolve this issue. If you have a huge concrete expansion joint to fill I highly recommend the 29 fl oz tube. Is there a way I can send you guys a photo of my drive way? I can’t afford $400 for foam rod & copious amount of tube sealant. Grab our free guide if you’re doing a DIY bathroom remodel – it shares how to remodel a bathroom in 10 days or less. Place the tube in your caulking gun and pretend you’re Dirty Harry. I was going to ask my neighbor about the idea of the control joints…he is the chief PA Dot bridge engineer for W. PA and he works with this sort of stuff on a big scale. A fast response would be appreciated since winter is right around the corner. What would you suggest for sealing inclined joints? Find a neighbor and share the costs. I have hairline cracks in those grooves between the concrete. I went to Sika’s website and see MANY self-leveling sealants…..which one should I get for the concrete joints? It is ideal for curtainwall and other shallow substrates where sealing or finishing of … Thanks, Lou. However, my driveway has a decent slope to it. You should call Sika’s technical service line and as them their thoughts. Thanks for writing back so quick. Now I’m in the same predicament as you! My husband and I were trying to pull one of the boards out because it had popped up on one end. Sincere thanks! This post shares how to accomplish this task. Oops, here’s a link with a picture of the product. I’d think that would work and you could always test it out on a small section of the control joint (like 12 inches). I really want to do something because I currently have grass/weeds growing in the expansion joint. (I have plenty of sand on hand if its OK to use. LOL. But you’re right, it’s not perfect. SO I’m trying the SL QuikCrete product and it seems like I will probably need and 18 wheeler load. Then apply Sikafkex according to the instructions. Here’s a tip, measure the width of the crack and find a concrete crack filler that can accommodate that dimension. It seems that we would actually want water to penetrate the joints of the driveway and sidewalks to encourage constant moisture levels and keep things level. You can actually see dirt. I will call Sikaflex on Monday. it seems water is getting under the concrete. Sika will definitely fill any gaps Chris. I read online that backer rod has gas in it which will release and weaken its integrity if cut so I did not trim the top of it as another poster did. What if a day after using sikafelx SL I realize I need to apply another layer for a better leveling? Can you put a second layer of sealant over the first layer? The driveway has old wooden expansion joints that need to be replaced. His ends were not secure and when he woke up the next morning it looked like the Loch Ness Monster was breaking the surface. I have been looking on the web for an easy to follow guide on properly fixing concrete joints. Part of the driveway is on a slight slope, causing more sealant to move down the joint toward the bottom of the slope before curing. I can already envision it looking a lot better 🙂. I have a basement which is below ground level 1 metre, my concrete slab and the masonry walls are waterproof but the water is coming up between expansion joint which is between masonry wall and concrete slab is there a product that can stop a tiny puddle of water surfacing on my concrete slab when I get heavy rains? Concrete expansion joints are important for your sidewalk or driveway. Wood too high &some concrete below wood, causing more heaving and damage to siding and garage wrap. 3/4 in. Here’s some things I learned as a first time Sikaflex SL user as they pertain to my project. Jeff, I need to re-do my driveway expansion joints. 2nd guy used 2×4 treated wood as isolation joint where garage walls meet driveway. I have one joint that is wide, so my contractor twisted the backer rod as you explained, but there is one problem. I’m in the process of killing the grass. Thanks! I have an aggregate driveway and am having trouble finding a clear sealant to place over my backerrod. That said, you’d have to remove all the old filler to ensure the SikaFlex would stick to the joints. Also, they measured incorrectly and cut the first two horizontal expansion joints on angles so they’re not parallel to the garage. Thanks for your prompt response, Jeff. I just recently had a new concrete driveway poured in July of 2015. You can also get good tool deals on Craigslist!! the gap between my garage and driveway is about 1/2″ wide so and its deep. I’ve been wondering how to water seal the expansion joints in my concrete driveway. It’s okay if you’ve never had this thought, this means you’re normal and the rest of us DIYers are at risk of tripping over ourselves while pondering such questions. The Amazon link for this blade is incorrect; it takes you to the cutter itself. A curtainwall expansion joint, Seismic Colorseal-DS is a multi-faced, silicone-coated, precompressed, primary seal in structural, high-movement, joints in virtually any substrate. Am I supposed to fill the contraction joint after ? I’ll probably buy the smallest tube and give it a shot. Sweep or blow the excess sand into the yard after 24 hours. Thanks Thom, it looks like a really cool product. After the backer rod is in, I brushed a medium layer of sand over it to fill in any unseen air holes. A good strong leaf blower will blow the sand out. You might be tempted to cut the tube bigger but don’t. Thanks for the reply. Thanks for the tip…just want to get the best stuff!!! Overall, it will cost more but it will give me a more even look due to the self leveling compound as opposed to the wood which would have to be cut due to the variances in depth due to tree roots and muck that can not be removed from the joint cracks. Kind regards John. What do you recommend? Self Leveling sealant will ooze out of either end. We are buying a 50 year old home where the garage floor has settled several inches and is grading toward the foundation. I’m not sure about the cure time for Sika Cement Fix. Excellent step by step instructions. On some places I could not get the old material out of the gap in places and backer rod would simply not fill the gap so I stuffed different diameters of rope in as filler. Let me know how it goes. I’ve never heard of this option but that’s pretty cool. Can I use the grinder to create a joint and follow these directions. Has anyone else reported this? Isolation joints and control joints are a bit different in their makeup. Very informative! Thanks. You’ll need to click on Sikaflex Self-Leveling Sealant then the photo will be on the right after you click on Show Details. Hey Jeff! Should I be worried that mother nature will ruin my work? The angle grinder cutting wheel had to penetrate about 1/2 to 1 inch down through the sealant layers. thanks. Some meet the joints and just end at the side of the driveway. The builder has filled the cracks twice with a caulk type product. does the product become firm? It takes way longer than expected. Is on We are having a professional place polyurea with polyaspartica too coat. Just called them. Do I just pull it out and use this sealant? Like I said in our emails you have a TON of fantastic tips. Sikaflex works on slightly inclined surfaces like my typical suburban tract home driveway. Glad to help any time Wabi, thanks for coming by 🙂, Dear Sir, I am in middle of resealing the concrete slab pavement. Not off your concrete and not off your hands. If your joint is wider than the backer rod you can twist two stands together like rope. Good ol’ hindsight. Now I am looking at the “control joints” which of course have cracks in them. You’ve got a buddy in me 🙂. When can we safely drive on it? Thank you, Hello Jeff, Thanks for the very informative post. This supply list may sound intimidating because of the angle grinder. Use a cheap caulking to prefill the openings, wait a few minutes for the caulking to set. If you’re as nerdy as me when it comes to remodeling you may have wondered what the heck that rubber stuff is between concrete pads or walkways. What do you see as the pros and cons of wood versus sealant? I’ve also had good luck with calling Sika for advice. After the job was done, I noticed that there is no expansion joint between the slabs, there is only a crack line. Thanks in advance! I’m trying to find the cause, the removed a ton of moldy vinyl Plank laid over tile, then removed the tile to get down to slab. Hi Jeff…I read your article & all comments. When you figure out the products you’ll be using give the technical support lines a call. Another tip: apply wide masking tape along either side of the crack or expansion joint, and at the ends of the work area. I’d fill the minor cracks with crack filler. And it’s far cheaper to do this weekend project than it is to hire a contractor to replace a severely damaged concrete driveway or sidewalk. Closed Cell Backer Rod Sika Backer Rod is used to partially fill Sika Backer Rod is used to partially fill deep expansion joints and cracks before application of your sealant. There is a crack between the step and slab. Please let me know how this project works out for you so that we can feature in on DIY Success Stories. When our concrete steps were poured a few years ago, the contractor did not put an expandable joint between the bottom step and the concrete sidewalk slab. Was in my local Ace hardware store and they had cut to whatever length you need rubber expansion joint tubing that you press down and tightly fit in the space. The previous sealant was absolutely gone, with not a trace left. I want to get it done this weekend so I guess I’ll take my chances 🙂. Do you have any guidance on Driveway which has sunken due to erosion of soil underneath, do you have any recommendation? It helps prevent the concrete from cracking. I’m sure this will save us all a ton of money by using less self leveling sealant. Who wants tires tracks of sealant on their driveway (not me and I certainly don’t want to explain this to my wife). My intent is to share and not sound preachy: Spend plenty of time prepping your project. Our tutorial on stone patio care is also super helpful – you’ll save a ton of time cleaning with our tips! Thanks! If you’re in the same predicament, using an angle grinder with a standard cutting wheel or diamond blade is the way to go. Is this normal? Get the right color. Do I just clean it well and then put the foam in the joint on top of the soil? Let me know if you feel like this isn’t a great answer. They’re normally very nice and helpful. It rained yesterday and the dirt is wet. As far as the dirt & weeds, you could spray the weeds with a weed killer or vinegar first. So my suggestion is to remove all the old material/new material and start over. Will let you know how it’s going. I have weeds growing out of the expansion joints in my driveway and was going to buy a tool for this but I thought they were too expensive. Your site gave me all the information I need to attempt this DIY project which I plan to do shortly. Dam up the ends if the joint is even slightly sloped. I’m also going to look for a good sealant/concrete repair material to try and stop the long linear cracks I see as well. Do you suggest I can seal it the way you have suggested to prevent water intrusions? Errors will be corrected where discovered, and Lowe's reserves the right to revoke any stated offer and to correct any errors, inaccuracies or omissions including after an order has been submitted. I am not sure what needs to be done, please advise. Hi Jeff! I’d have to do some research to see if black is offered in other brands. Will this stuff work, if not do you have any other suggestions? Kim. Water, wind, and sun activate it to clean over time (like 2-3 months). This would be a great indoor project. I am excited to check out some of the other info here as I have tons of projects to do. It goes along with my question. Every neighbor. Do your project during the day when people are at work. I took plenty of rags and paper towels but did not get the proper cleaning solvent. Hey Jeff, Instead of using Foam backer rods could you use sand to fill up the hole? I have a sort of dumb rookie question that I seem to not be able to find on the Sika PDFs about the product (so I will apologize ahead of time) but what exactly is the dry time for Sika Cement Fix? My daughter is an Architect and she specifies backer rod all the time but doesn’t ever recall 1/16. Any advice would be most appreciated! The edge or perimeter of garage has expansion joint around it with fiber board I assume ( it looks like a black felt) The end of your paragraph says Just remember that expansion joints should always be sealed and filled with flexible joint sealer and never be epoxies or coated over. I’m looking to complete this project on my driveway, but I’d also like to use a densifier/waterproofer on it. The slabs do not have anything between them and yet I don’t have any cracks- am I looking for trouble by filling them in? So, this looks to be a viable course of action. A penetrating sealer will be applied after 30 days of curing time.” (which was done). I felt I did my homework on the contractor that I hired (I had 3 other estimates from others), and based on recommendations from individuals and visually inspecting his work, I based my decision on those factors. Yep, I’ve done this. I’m also wondering about the control joints located between pads (those grooves that “encourage” cracks to occur there vs. in the pad themselves). However, if it’s not this would be wonderful to let people know about since sometimes you only need a few feet. Will the Sika sealant fill in the gaps around it? Where we live it gets snowy in the winter and all that moisture ends up falling off our cars onto the garage floor… Thanks for your advice! Always feel free to ask any question or add your own tips!! Great video Jeff! it is now lifting out of the joint along with sand. One month after each application of caulk, the caulk cracks then allows sand to escape again. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Hope this helps. They should uphold their workmanship but sometimes that’s not a given! Greatly appreciated and many thanks! It helps prevent 3-sided adhesion while allowing you to control the depth of the sealant. I’ll be trying it. Will definitely subscribe 🙂. The best option would be to use a crack filler to seal the crack. This might give you a good idea of how the water will travel before you fill the joint with the sealant. So did bits of grass, dust, sand, dirt. I understand about the purpose of control joints…to crack where you want it to! Any thoughts? ago and it was too expensive for me to do my old 75yr old driveway…so I know it would cost even more now. The hardware stores carry the narrow widths. Hi! Thank You. Certainly there is a time element because the old sealant or felt needs to be removed if worn out. I believe when i lived in N Y this wood was always removed from the cement when the job was done. Our local stores do not honor online pricing. Grass is growing. I’m going to Epoxy my garage floor with Armorseal 1000 before I seal the expansion joints. I just did my expansion joints with backer road and Sikaflex. I don’t see my problem addressed anywhere. Geneva, the wood acts as an expansion and contraction joint. Is this a viable solution or will it deteriorate over time? Thanks for your help, Jeff! Colorseal®/Seismic Colorseal Watertight primary seal in wall expansion joints. Our joints are over an inch as well. Glad the post helped you out. Hope this helps. I don’t know if we need to fill the gap or take out part of the slab and re-pour it and tie the slabs together with rebar? A Self Leveling sealant with an accelerated curing capacity for sealing horizontal expansion joints in concrete. I love your easy, interesting and thorough writing style that includes everything you need to know for each step. Jeff, Thanks a lot. Also I’m sure most people know this but going to Home Depot and renting tools is also a good way to keep the cost down if you are only going to use the tool once. Should I get a very deep and wide backer rod or some other “filler” to fill this crack before I apply the Sika SLS? I’ll give it a try when it warms up (I live in MN). One thing’s for sure, I wouldn’t backfill them with backer rod. Jeff: Do you answer directly? They’ve always been great at answering my questions. Select Right sealant as per application and Price | Mumbai& India, These Amazon affiliate links help support HRT…thank you for using them. I believe the contractor hired by our builder was a little lazy. You need initial traffic boost only. Angie. Great question Ed. I don’t have much to spend so any cheap ideas will help. I like the Sika Flex, but it has a shiny kind of finish that stands out a bit. I’ve never tried this so it might be worth it to call Sika and get their opinion. I’m reluctant to drive my truck into my garage for fear that it may crack. They’re rotted and a trip hazard. Fingers crossed for the long term. You have so many good tips. I believe you can get 3/4 inch wide backer rod. You can always call the maker of the sealant and ask them for advice. Or, email me the blade model number? Is that enough time? After feeling the joint with silka do a smooth over it with a Joint knife? As I read the post, I could visualize similar projects I have done and recall what I did, or similarly, what I afterwards realized I should have done as you capture in your details. I have used the Sika product and backer products on my driveway and while it looks and seems to take care of the problem, it doesn’t seem to be a long term solution. They spread concrete right up to garage floor and even slopped it onto sides of garage door trim. I can put a rod about 1.5 feet down into the hole. This can lead to “3 point bonding” & a failed job. Thanks!! Squeeze the Sikaflex sealant into the concrete expansion joint and allow it to flow & self-level itself. Whew, your driveway is a big boy!! Can they recut the expansion joints and seal the angled cuts? The ideal temperature is in the middle of this range because the joint will be less likely to be fully contracted or expanded. Thanks Ryan for the reminder about renting tools. The same way you would repair a driveway joint; with backer rod and self leveling sealant? Almost 3 inches wide and pretty deep. You and I are in the same boat (caring for an older home) and sometimes it springs a leak or two or three!! Thank you for the information and videos. Thanks as always for reading, watching, and being part of our awesome community. That seemed to be fine, but he also suggested a black neoprene sealant that I believe was designed for asphalt. I don’t know the answer to the pooling issue. My email address is [email protected]. We just had a new 18×60 ft. concrete driveway installed. The sheetrock by the joint is wet and moldy. If you do decide to take them up on their offer to “do theirs next”, bid it out per hour, not per job. Awesome post/tutorial. Good questions, you may want to look into Sika’s Sikaflex Concrete Fix since you can use it with materials that have different coefficients of expansion. i think it’s coming from this wood thats stuck in the cement thats all around the the edging of concrete. Sikaflex is too thin and would probably run thru the un-stoppered (sand filled) cracks. Also, any advice for directing the water away from the garage? If you do this step, make sure the Acetone flash dries (Sika said to wait about 1 hour). Seismic Colorseal ensures watertightness in vertical-plane structural, seismic, and abutment joints in virtually any substrate. Perhaps, I might cut both and have the flat ends butted against the sides of the joint. You know the look. Can I use sika concrete sealer at the base of my concrete foundation wall meets concrete sidewalk. It’s been about 28 hours now and I read somewhere that it needs 72 if we are planning to paint (we are not). Darn workmanship, it can be good or bad. Great article. Also after installing the sealant how long before I can sprinkle sand on top to give a finished look? Can i remove the current material with a utility knife and do I need to use a backer rod for this? Thanks. If this has been mentioned already, sorry, but would also have a bucket if fine sand and spread it over the caulking as you go, makes it look a ton nicer when finished. How to get it? You’ll find shower systems, tiling tools, and more. My old one would heave as the temps became frigid in the winter. I just got my driveway repaired, I have 4 new concrete slabs. I’d wait until the caulking is tacky so that the sand will stay on the surface. Thank you so much!!!!! I can’t use Self Leveling sealant because the joint has a slight incline. Self leveling sealant is a great way to go Krithika because it allows your patio to expand and contract. This in turn applies pressure to the expansion joints and that’s what causes the Sika to pull away. make sure rain isn’t in the forecast for 24 hours. I bought the jugs when they were on sale….if it works the whole double drive will have cost me about $25 tops to repair the joints! Do I need to do anything with the sealant that cure in the joint with a bead above the driveway surface, or will the seal remain in tack with cars tires rolling over it? With excellent adhesion, dirt resistance, paintability and the ability to be immersed in water after curing without affecting its properties, Sikaflex remains unmatched. Here’s the link to the site. I have a weed problem as well and have been removing them from the cracks which leaves a little gap. Looking over my contract, all it basically says is that he will “prep, form, and pour 4″ thick concrete and 6″ thick at the end of driveway w/ limestone mix, wire mesh, broom finish, cured, and cut. Hope this helps. Athens, Ga. Hi Jeanne, you could hire a mason, contractor with concrete experience or do it yourself 🙂. I really like your concrete joint sealer DIY and how it contains both written and video instructions. Driveways and sidewalks can be super expensive to repair. Then I figured that sand will not be compressed when the concrete gets hot and so the concrete will crack. I love discovering new ideas and adding to my tool box of knowledge 🙂. It’s really not that hard to do. Hi. With the backer rod in place you can cut the Sikaflex tube so that it will make a 1/4 inch bead. Prices and availability of products and services are subject to change without notice. You want the foam to be pretty tight against the sides of the expansion joint so that the SikaFlex won’t ooze below it. This will stop water or ice from penetrating the concrete. I can’t find a such a product? I would like to first use Styrofoam material to fill in the gaps kind of like backer rod material but Styrofoam. I have already scraped everything out, and have found my joint is at least 4 inches DEEP! I’m not sure exactly what a cutting wheel is. For a while now, I’ve had a small gap between my foundation and the driveway. The EJ’s were replaced with PVC and looked great at first but after a couple of years started to fail by sinking and holding dirt. As far as the driveway, the expansion joints are one thing, but there are also cracks of varying depth and width. Once the sealant starts flowing it can be hard to stop and a bigger bead means you’ll have to work faster. Can you use sand in place of backer rod? Thanks for posting. Use an angle grinder to cut out the old material and mineral spirits to clean off the concrete. You could give this utility knife technique a try. Does this method apply for expansion joints on walls of 2 storey building? Even stone colored sealant draws attention to the expansion joints. If you look at the expansion joints between your concrete you might see black felt or old sealant. I am going to experiment with two methods. I don’t see why you couldn’t Steve. I need 1/16 backer rod (LOL) so maybe I could use wet spaghetti! Start at the top and work your way down, using slightly less sealant as you get near the bottom. Sika makes a product called Concrete Fix that doesn’t have the same sagging issues as their SikaFlex Self-Leveling product. Great info! I know we have to fix the joint to keep water from coming up. please advise or post video. I’m glad that happened instead of it moving around with wet the sealant on it trying to set. The large tube is 29 fluid ounces and the small tube is 10 fluid ounces. The brand you can find at the local store here in the states is called Sikaflex Self-Leveling Sealant. this is a good DIY procedure! The problem is that the joint width is about 3 1/4″!! Sealant Engineering Co. offers an adhesive backer rod (“Seafoam”) in various widths and thicknesses that works well in shallow joints. Like I said in the intro these joints allow concrete pads to expand and contract during freeze-thaw cycles. It’s definitely the most time-consuming. Just leave them the way they are. Do I use the same material to seal the joints between these two different materials? Hope this helps. It is located on the sidewalk in front of my house. 1. Sure, neighbors might think you’re a bit crazy. Thank you! I just bought a house that has a 5,500 sq ft concrete driveway. Available in 3/4 in., 20 ft. length. How do we break the concrete loose from the board so we can remove the board and replace it with a foam backer rod and self-leveling sealant? Great tutorial, big fan of DIY and just starting to get into house stuff and you are very thorough! Any advice? Hi Pam, you could try to do that but it’s a lot of work. Without a concrete expansion joint your sidewalk or driveway would crack. Then apply the new self-leveling sealant. Jeff, you are so helpful. It fors not make sense to me Is there any way to chat with you? Wow this is really great Jeff. I have some old 1/2″ backer rod and it fits but sticks out on top causing the issue that you had and there is no room for any sealant. Hi Jeff. The joint in my driveway varies and is over an inch. I will use your guide to do mine. But the product details on their site say the Concrete Fix is meant for this kind of project. Dam the ends. 2. Thanks Amanda and congrats to you helping with the DIY, always good to learn new stuff. Does the sand fill in the small cracks within the control joint? Sealant Eng also has 1/4″ triangular, adhesive backed backer rod for use at the driveway / foundation junction. I think if you apply it at the top of a sloped driveway you will have a puddle at the bottom in no time. It’s next to all the concrete supplies. Very informative post and video for a dummy like me! and it’s a P.I.T.A. Protecting and repairing a concrete expansion joint is super easy. Ever here of this, will it work possibly? Learn how your comment data is processed. It’s a surfactant that you spray onto outdoor surfaces. I did mine in the fall and leaves galore found the wet sealant. Believe it or not, we had a warm spell for awhile and it is now back to level with the existing garage floor! Also the patio meets concrete steps going to the basement which were experiencing the same problem. They are AWESOME and won’t steer you wrong. I’m going to follow your guide and replace the wood. You’ll likely have to wait for the rain to stop before applying any product.

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