Basement Slab Cracking Valerie and her husband are building a new home in Grand Rapids, MI. She went to the site and discovered cracking in the basement slab. Here's her report: "We are in the process of having our home built, using a local builder. The basement has a hairline crack on the floor of the Read More »
Concrete Epoxy Repair Tim Carter demonstrates how to use epoxy to repair concrete cracks and holes. He shares a secret tip on how to disguise the epoxy patch. Watch the video. You can also read a very cool column on how to use the same epoxy to fill driveway holes - shallow ones. CLICK HERE Read More »
Ken Morris has lots of water puddles on his stamped concrete patio in Phoenix, AZ. He thought of an idea on how to solve it, but I believe I have a much better solution. Here's what he sent to me: "My patio was poorly designed. You can see from the picture I get standing water and Read More »
Concrete is simply artificial rock. If it's mixed, placed, finished and cured correctly it can last 100 or more years. If your concrete steps, walkways, patios, etc. are crumbling, you may be able to repair them with traditional products and methods or you can choose from some modern materials. Often concrete deterioration is just a Read More »
DEAR TIM: I'm renovating a basement bath during the winter while I'm slow at work. When I removed the old shower insert, I discovered a large area of crumbling and missing concrete. There's standing water in the ground because of the high ground water table this time of year. I've discovered conflicting information online as Read More »
DEAR TIM: What type of stone would be best for filling this cavity that is a planned two-car garage addition? It is approximately 7 feet deep. The local concrete supplier sells recycled concrete for a really good price. It is very similar to crusher run. Due to the design, compacting will be next to impossible. Read More »
Ronald A. Carleton has trouble with paint peeling on his patio in Port Clinton,Ohio. Perhaps paint is not practical. How's that for alliteration? Here's what Ron wrote to me: "What's the best product to apply to pre-painted cement on a outdoor patio? The pre-painted area in the sun area flakes off while the shaded area stays Read More »
Quick Column Summary: What causes concrete discoloration Were all slabs poured on same day What additives were used in the concrete Possible solutions for overall concrete color Paula Butterworth, who had some concrete work done at her home in Kennewick, WA, is not happy with the color of the finished slab. Her story appeared in Read More »
Quick Concrete Overlay Summary: Stamped concrete overlay on the patio Big differences in two estimates Both overlays will work if done correctly Bruce Laybourne, who probably eats lots of Skyline Chili and Aglamesis Mocha Chip ice cream because he lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, is scratching his head over two bids for putting a stamped concrete Read More »
How to Repair a Crumbling Foundation Part 3 Tim demonstrates in this video, the magical cement paint and how to mix up strong and sticky stucco repair mix. It's all magic. This is the last video in the series. [Lynn asks] "How do you get the new stucco to stick to the crumbling stuff?" Okay Read More »
Subscribe to the FREE Ask the Builder newsletter to receive professional advice for your home. Complete the form below and each week you'll get:
Unsubscribe at any time. We respect your email privacy.