Cracked Concrete and What to Do About It

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Cracked Concrete and What to Do About It
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• Signs of cracks appearing in any concrete
  structure can be alarming, but while they should
  never be ignored, some are inevitable and require
  less attention than others.
• Read on to help you decipher the type of cracks
  your concrete structure is suffering from, and
  what action if any you should take to fix
  them

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• Plastic shrinkage cracking
• Before concrete hardens, its known to be still
  in a plastic state. Full of water, when the
  liquid eventually goes, voids are left between
  the solid particles, that can weaken the concrete
  and make it more likely to crack. Because
  concrete is incapable of shrinking around a
  corner, the concrete will crack from that point,
  and likely extend throughout the thickness of the
  entire slab.
• A concrete mix thats too wet, or hot weather can
  cause plastic shrinkage cracks.
• To prevent plastic shrinkage cracking, control
  joints can be incorporated into the slab by a
  qualified masonry contractor.

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• Expansion cracks
• When concrete expands in the heat, it will push
  against brick walls or slabs that are in its way,
  and when the wall or the slabs cant flex, the
  force of expansion often causes cracks in the
  concrete.
• To help prevent such cracks, a masonry contractor
  will use expansion joints made from a
  compressible material such as asphalt or rubber,
  to act as a shock absorber that relieves the
  stress placed upon by concrete by expansion.

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• Heaving cracks
• Ground movement caused by the freezing and
  thawing cycle concrete often experiences during
  the winter months, can cause cracks to appear,
  and if the slab cannot move freely with the
  ground, cracks in the concrete are inevitable. In
  some instances, big tree roots can have the same
  affect.
• These cracks will need to be assessed by a local
  masonry contractor to determine the best course
  of reparatory action.

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• Settling cracks
• Usually occurring when a void is created in the
  ground below the surface of the concrete,
  settling cracks can be caused should a large tree
  be removed nearby and the roots begin to
  decompose, or when work is undertaken to dig up a
  trench for a pipeline, for example.
• A masonry contractor will examine the extent of
  the damage to help them decide what course of
  action to take.

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• Overloading cracks
• Concrete is exceptionally strong, but as with
  most materials, it has its limits. When placed
  under extreme pressure from a heavy weight,
  concrete slabs can crack, such as after heavy
  rain or snowmelt, or when a large vehicle like a
  dumpster is placed on a driveway.
• A badly cracked driveway may need to be replaced,
  while structural damage may need to be fortified
  by a stonemason.

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• Premature drying cracks
• If a concrete slab loses a lot of moisture too
  quickly, youll likely see crazing cracks
  appearing fine, surface cracks that look a bit
  like spider webs or broken glass. Fortunately,
  these dont present a threat to a concrete
  structure.
• Crusting cracks are also not structurally
  worrying, but arent aesthetically pleasing, and
  can happen during the concrete stamping process
  a way of adding texture or pattern to concrete
  surfaces.

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• Cracks in concrete can vary in severity, and some
  may require no further action. However, cracks
  are always easier to rectify if theyre examined
  and treated by a masonry contractor as soon as
  they occur, and in some cases, early intervention
  can prevent the problem from becoming any worse.

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• RZ Construction Group Inc is a fully inclusive
  general contractor and masonry contractor. From
  initial design to final clean up, our results
  speak for themselves. We are fully licensed,
  insured, and bonded to provide both commercial
  and residential construction services and kitchen
  renovation in Queens NY and the surrounding area.
  We also offer kitchen renovation in Astoria.
  Proud to serve New York State for 25 years. No
  job is too small nor too big. If you are looking
  for a concrete contractor in Queens NY or want to
  know more about our wide range of professional
  but affordable construction and repair services,
  reach out to us at [phone].