Foundation Corner Crack Repair
Robyn has a house in my hometown of Cincinnati, OH.
The corners of her concrete foundation are cracking off and she wants to know how to repair them. Here's her testimony:
"The corners of my foundation are slowly falling off. I know I have foundation problems, but I want to put this big chunk back on instead of rebuilding it.
Is there some type of adhesive or bonding agent I can use for this large chunk?"
This chunk of concrete came off because the brick and mortar and poured concrete expand and contract at different rates. Photo credit: Robyn
I've got great news for Robyn!
You bet there's a compound you can use.
What would you say if I told you there was a miracle concrete epoxy that fit into a standard caulk gun?
Would you be amazed if I told you this repair could be done in about ten minutes by you?
CLICK HERE to watch a video I recently shot showing how to use this wonderful material. Inside the video are links that take you to a page where you can have this epoxy delivered right to your doorstep! How handy is that?
CLICK HERE to purchase the special easy-to-use epoxy I'd use if I were doing the repair job for you.
When you go to use it, I want you to cut a piece of an old pliable CD or DVD case and put it between the top of the chunk and the brick mortar. Do NOT put any epoxy on the top of the chunk!
The thin plastic will act like a lubricant so the brick mortar doesn't rip off your repaired chunk in the future. You want the brick mortar to slide back and forth with little friction above the foundation.
The brick and mortar are moving at different rates than the concrete and I need you to provide a surface where they can slide easily and not get interlocked. This is why the concrete cracked and broke off.
Do not coat the entire contact area of the chunk with the epoxy. You'll probably apply too much and the chunk will not fit tightly. Just put about six quarter-sized dabs around the chuck or on the foundation and spread it out with a disposable cheap brush.
You need to figure out how to hold the chunk in position without moving for an hour or two as the epoxy hardens. This is mission critical to your success.
One way I use to hold pieces to the concrete wall is with common load straps. Drill a 1/4 " hole on each side ,approx. 2-3 feet from the corner, insert an anchor and an eye hook large enough to hold the strap hook.
Use a couple pieces of 1x3 or 4 to bridge the crack on both sides. Tighten the strap moderately. This will hold the corner piece in place until set up. Remove the strap, remove the hooks and anchors and fill the anchor holes and you are done. Simple, Quick and Easy!
Are either of these products flammable?
I have to repair some concrete in a basement store room, with limited ventilation, in close proximity to gas furnace and water heater.
Wow, that is a pretty good sized chunk of foundation to just pop off. It's crazy that just because they are settling at two different speeds it will cause cracking that intense. I have been thinking about buying an old house for the past few months. The foundation actually looks great right now, but if it hasn't broken yet it's surely on it's way. Is there anyone that does foundation repair? I don't want to mess up something like that.
Yes, Chase there are foundation repair companies. You sometimes can find trolls who put up self-serving comments on websites. These companies are trying to get some SEO juice to get their businesses in front of you. Fortunately some websites like http://www.AsktheBuilder.com have a comment-approval process and these troll links are destroyed to protect consumers. I'm sure you'll be able to find a decent company should you need one.
Thanks for answering Robyn's question. I've also noticed that large chunks of concrete are easily coming off from my foundation. It's good to know that there's a compound that I can use. Is it possible to make this special concrete epoxy that I can use in a standard caulk gun? That seems like something I would like to make at home so that I can make it and use the epoxy on my concrete any time I need it.
Yes Deanna. You can invest tens of thousands of dollars and start up your own chemistry lab and manufacturing facility in your basement to make your own epoxy. Or, you can CLICK the link above in the column to BUY the special epoxy I recommend to do the repair.
I am purchasing a home where three of the four corners have chunks missing like this, but the broken off chunks are not there to epoxy back. Is there a way to fix the corners without the chunks? Maybe create a form and fill back with concrete or epoxy?