Imagine a divine-looking, damage-free concrete patio. Is it hard to imagine one right now as you look on your damaged patio? Before you phone a local contractor to do some major concrete re-pour, consider easy concrete repair Los Angeles solutions first. Not only will you save time and money, you also help the environment out by preventing additional carbon footprint caused by cement production. Here are three easy ways to repair minor physical damage to a concrete patio in Los Angeles:
1. Resurfacing with an Overlay
Is your once smooth concrete patio looking like a rough terrain now? That is probably a scaling issue. This is often caused by a freeze-thaw cycle. As moisture in the concrete slab freezes and melts alternately, the surface begins to weaken. This is characterized by shallow holes and breaking pieces of surface concrete. The best way to repair this type of damage is to resurface the concrete patio. This process starts out by cleaning and grinding the surface to create a clean, blank canvas. A thin overlay is then poured and applied on the surface. This can either be stamped or stained to make it more beautiful and functional.
2. Decorative Concrete Staining
Having ugly stains and concrete discoloration on a concrete patio floor is like wearing a white dress with stains of chocolate, tomato sauce, and red wine on it. Bet you wouldn’t wanna get caught in one. If the concrete surface is free from any surface damage like cracks or holes, a layer of concrete stain is an ideal solution. It effectively disguises, if not cover, the stain. Concrete stains come in a variety of colors and effects.
3. Adding score lines or Expansion Joints
These are efficient solutions to cracking issues on a concrete patio. First, it is important to determine what type of crack the patio has: working or non-working? While a non-working crack can be resolved with a tough filler, the working type will need a more complex fix. Working cracks recur, meaning it is caused by something that happens regularly. A recommended fix is to cut or saw score line or expansion joints along the crack. This way, each separate section of the slab has enough room to move without causing new cracks. Some decorative concrete contractors actually incorporate the cuts into designs that replicate natural stone pavers, swirly designs, and more.
