Concrete is the most widely used construction material in the world, so you probably don’t have to go very far to find some that is damaged. Despite its reputation for strength and durability, cracking, pitting, spalling, and chipping are all extremely common problems with concrete. A simple stroll around the block and you’ll find a spot or two that could use a bit of a touch-up.
The responsibility of city sidewalk maintenance can vary based on the community you live in, but if you own a home or business, you probably have some concrete to maintain in some capacity. We took to the city sidewalk to demonstrate how Abocrete™ can be used to address the common problems listed above.
Abocrete is a two-part liquid epoxy compound that is mixed and then blended with fine sand to create an extremely durable, self-leveling concrete patching product. It bonds extremely well to old concrete and is versatile in its applications since you control the thickness of the product based on the amount of sand you add to the mixture. It can be used to repair everything from narrow cracks to entire missing chunks of concrete.
With any concrete repair, thorough surface preparation is vital. Any loose debris, sand or dirt should be thoroughly swept away, ensuring a clean, dry substrate. If you’re working in a garage or on a driveway, be sure to clean any grease or oil spots. Once the surface is clean and dry, mix the Abocrete to the desired consistency and fill the void.
Depending on how much sand was added, Abocrete will seek its own level and flow into low spots or cracks in the concrete. If bubbles form in the epoxy, sprinkle a bit more sand onto those areas to pop the bubbles as the product sets up.
In this application, after the primary pour of Abocrete began to harden we mixed a second batch of Abocrete, which was thicker than the first, in order to taper the patch to the edge of the damaged area. While this final coat was still wet, we spread on a thick coating of colored sand in order to try to match the repair to the color of the concrete.
Be sure to rope off the repaired area while the epoxy cures to avoid any footprints or bike tire marks. After a few hours, sweep or vacuum the excess sand and then pat yourself on the back for improving the safety of the sidewalk.
