3 Causes of Concrete Cracking in San Diego

If you ask any contractor if they can promise that the patio they pour won’t break, they will always respond in the same way: they can’t. This is because concrete will break regardless of what anyone does; this fact cannot be ignored. 

Engineers and scientists that specialize in concrete have dedicated their entire careers to preventing concrete failure. And they are still unable to comprehend. As a company that has been pouring concrete for many years, we cannot do anything to stop concrete from cracking. Determining the best solutions to fix concrete cracks and the reasons why they occur is important to us. Therefore we take care to explain both to our customers. 

• Shrunk And Cracked

There are many reasons why concrete can fracture, but shrinkage cracking is by far the most common. When your concrete patio or driveway is poured, it is liquid because this is how it must be for it to be properly molded. As the concrete begins to dry, the water inside it evaporates, causing the concrete to contract. The surface area of a concrete slab will decrease by around 1/4 inch for every 100 square feet. Concrete may begin to break many hours after it has been poured due to drying and shrinkage. 

• Discrepant Fractures

Any crack on your patio or driveway that is 1/8 of an inch wide or less is considered to be normal. A few hairline fractures could appear and then disappear within a month or two. 

• Small Breaks

Because cracking is normal, the majority of cracks won’t affect your patio or driveway. For your patio and driveway, concrete remains one of the most durable building materials available. Small cracks in your concrete project are just ornamental and won’t affect its toughness or durability. 

FAQs

What Are The Reasons Why Concrete Cracks?

• Too much water in the mixture. 
• Concrete dries very quickly. 
• On-site concrete was poured at the incorrect strength. 
• Uncontrollable joints (in the concrete slab). 

What Is The Most Typical Reason For Concrete Cracking?

Cracking is frequently caused by shrinkage. Concrete shrinks as it dries and hardens. This is a result of extra mixing water evaporating. The shrinkage will be larger the wetter or soupier the concrete mix is. 

What Prevents Cracking In Concrete?

Concrete can be cured by spraying it with water (a “wet cure”). For the first seven days, hosing down the surface of the slab with water at least five times each day keeps it moist while the rest of the concrete cures. This promotes uniform curing across the entire slab.

What Causes Concrete To Crack Early?

Plastic settlement and plastic shrinkage are the two main causes of early cracking. The early phases of casting concrete exhibit both types of cracking. It happens before the concrete fully hardens or sets, typically between the first 30 minutes to 6 hours after placement and compaction.

Conclusion

If you are unsure about pushing forward with your concrete project, it is a good idea to first speak with San Diego Concrete at (619) 383-2500.

Give our professionals at San Diego Concrete a call at (619) 383-2500 right away to know more about our concrete services in San Diego, CA.