How to Tell It’s Time for Concrete Cutting and Removal

concrete cutting and removal

Concrete is made mostly of cement paste and aggregate. Cement paste is made of water and calcium or silica-containing ingredients such as clay or limestone. Cement aggregate is made of fine or coarse material such as crushed stone or sand.

Humans use concrete for many construction applications. You are probably most familiar with concrete sidewalks and floors. What you probably do not know, however, is how to tell when it is necessary to replace these features.

Read on to learn which concrete problems call for concrete cutting and removal.

Cracks

Cracked concrete occurs for several reasons. To start with, concrete naturally stretches and contracts at different temperatures. This causes it to break apart.

The roots of a nearby tree can also grow under the concrete and push the concrete apart. Also, the soil beneath your business’ concrete can shift. This can cause concrete to rise and/or fall.

In most cases, you can repair broken concrete through concrete patching. This will only work for so long, however. Eventually, minor fissures will grow into deep and pervasive cracks that may be hard to repair.

Getting new concrete will save you the unnecessarily high cost and effort of attempting this repair work.

Potholes

The stretching and contracting of your concrete can also cause potholes. Another cause for these unsightly features is the wear of the concrete caused by vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Without proper soil stabilization, concrete can collapse as well.

Like with cracks, it is possible to use concrete repair techniques on potholes. However, also like cracks, potholes can become larger and more numerous over time. These do not just become unsightly, but also dangerous.

People can trip over potholes and injure themselves. If your vehicle drives over potholes, the action can strain its suspension systems. Therefore, if you notice a lot of potholes in your concrete, it may be best to replace your concrete.

Pools of Water

When you get new concrete, the contractors should have installed it in a way where it drains easily. However, this drainage system will become less effective over time. Concrete and the soil below it can shift to form depressions and/or slopes.

Eventually, this can lead to disastrous flooding that can damage your commercial building. Pooling water also makes cracks and potholes worse. These two issues together can eventually lead to extreme levels of damage.

There are ways to fix these issues. Your contractor may, for instance, suggest injecting foam under any depressions. If this does not work, though, a full replacement may be the most economical solution.

We Provide Concrete Cutting and Removal

It can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking that concrete replacement costs more than concrete repair. However, if you add up all the future costs, the former solution is cheaper. New concrete will also be much safer than old concrete.

When you are ready for concrete cutting and removal services, consider our services. We have provided full-service commercial asphalt work for Southern California clients for over 35 years. To learn more about what we can offer, contact us by filling out the form on this page.

Posted Under: Uncategorized