What this covers
- Cracked and broken sections
- Flaking and scaling surfaces
- Dusty, chalky surfaces
- Section replacement
Name the problem first
Scaling is flaking or peeling of the finished surface. NRMCA ties most scaling to freezing and thawing, but notes it also happens without freezing, often from early steel troweling, over-finishing, or finishing while bleed water is on the surface. NRMCA says minor scaling is cosmetic, light to moderate scaling can be resurfaced, and the repair will not match the color of the original.
Dusting is a soft, powdery surface that scratches with a nail. NRMCA traces it to finishing with bleed water on the surface, sprinkling water or dry cement during finishing, and poor curing.
Crazing is a web of fine surface cracks, rarely more than an eighth of an inch deep. NRMCA says crazing does not affect structural integrity.
Repair or replace
NRMCA’s scaling guide says a repaired surface “will only be as strong as the base surface to which it is bonded.” If the slab under the damage is sound, a repair can work. If it is cracked through, sunk or heaved, replacing the section is usually the honest answer.
Recent repair work
Where Tim pours repair
Questions people ask
Can flaking concrete be fixed?
NRMCA says light to moderate scaling can be repaired with a thin bonded resurfacing, the surface has to be sound, and the repair will not match the original color.
Are the fine cracks on my patio a problem?
A web of fine shallow cracks is crazing. NRMCA says it does not affect structural integrity.
How do I get a repair estimate?
Text Tim a photo of the damage and your address at (559) 793-6062. Estimates are free.