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The Sikaflex & backer rod is the best way to go.
Home Despot has it, in with the bagged cement.
While your there, get one of the HD compound action caulk guns, makes it easier on your hands.
Ed
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Look at a product called slab gasket. Easy to install and would work well in your situation.
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(02-14-2017, 07:01 PM)AUswimKC Wrote: For the record those are contraction joints, not expansion
Are yours sawcut or formed? Sounds like formed.
You want a polyurethane sealant. I believe sikaflex is
Does the type of crack make a difference in choice of fillers? Mine are saw cut, though there is 2 slabs so I have one very long one that is formed.
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(02-15-2017, 06:49 AM)fredhargis Wrote: Does the type of crack make a difference in choice of fillers? Mine are saw cut, though there is 2 slabs so I have one very long one that is formed.
Yes. The thin cracks can be stuffed with backer rod and use the sealant above in a caulking tube. If it's big wide cracks you need the stuff that you mix and pour into the joint. It's kind of like a foam rubber when it sets up. The best is the stuff made for taxiways but it is very pricey course even the sikaflex gets quite expensive and often more tten buying a bucket of better stuff that works better anyway. You usually end up needing allot more than you think and go through allot of tubes.
BTDT and really wasn't happy with the result. One time I was dealing with big cracks and I just bought a bag of grout and used it. Not tile grout the grout in the concrete section. It actually worked very well and was cheap.
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02-15-2017, 11:34 AM
(This post was last modified: 02-15-2017, 11:34 AM by Mr_Mike.)
Grout, being incompressible, would be a poor choice unless you really know the crack is stable. Very minor movement can buckle or crack the salb somewhere else. It is best to use some type of elastomeric unless you really know the crack is stable or you have to fill a very large area so you can roll casters and such over it.
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Wow, $13 a tube.
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(02-15-2017, 12:35 PM)fredhargis Wrote: Wow, $13 a tube.
What size tube ? For the 29 ounce tube not so bad. Roly
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(02-15-2017, 06:49 AM)fredhargis Wrote: Does the type of crack make a difference in choice of fillers? Mine are saw cut, though there is 2 slabs so I have one very long one that is formed.
(02-15-2017, 12:35 PM)fredhargis Wrote: Wow, $13 a tube.
Yeah exactly. Grout may come loose over time but it's less than $10 a bag and will cover allot. Worst case is it pops loose over time and starts to break up. Just pop it out mix up more and pour it in the crack and it'll be ready to go by morning again. If you could come up with some fiberglass reinforcement to mix in it'd hold up much better. But it works best on larger cracks or big troweled joints.
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Fred, the type of crack makes a difference in the application of the product. It would be a bit hard to fill a formed 1/2-3/4" wide joint with a caulk gun. They sell sealants by the 5 gallon bucket for wide applications. And you want a product specifically for the width of the crack.
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(02-15-2017, 07:06 PM)AUswimKC Wrote: Fred, the type of crack makes a difference in the application of the product. It would be a bit hard to fill a formed 1/2-3/4" wide joint with a caulk gun. They sell sealants by the 5 gallon bucket for wide applications. And you want a product specifically for the width of the crack.
The Sikaflex is a self-leveling product, no issues to fill a wide crack.
One has to remember, it will flow down if there are thru cracks, it needs to be sealed first.
Ed
