A cracked basement wall could reduce the value of your home.
Concrete shrinks as it dries, so minor cracks often appear in basement walls. This kind of crack requires a simple cosmetic repair and does not lead to structural damage or water leakage. On the other hand, ground settling or moving can widen cracks, causing structural weakening and serious leaks. This type of crack will erode the value of the home. In such cases, homeowners should allow enough time for the surrounding soil to settle before undertaking repairs. If the wall is patched too early the crack may reappear, leading to additional repairs and extra costs. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Chisel out the crack, using a cold chisel and hammer. This will enlarge the cavity and increase the bonding area. Undercut the cavity with the chisel by angling the cut away from the surface to form a reverse dovetail. This will effectively anchor the plug used to fill the crack. Remove all loose aggregate with either a hand-held wire brush or a power drill fitted with a rotary wire brush.
2. Work in small sections at a time, from the bottom up. Prepare a small quantity of hydraulic cement admixture, by mixing the powder in a plastic bucket with clean potable water to the consistency of putty. This is a quick-drying product that expands during the drying process, so only mix the amount you can pack into the crack in 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Saturate the area with a sponge and clean water. Wear latex gloves, and pack the material into the cavity by hand, stopping just below the wall's surface. Continue mixing, wetting and packing until the crack is filled.
4. Mix up another batch, this one to the consistency of mashed potatoes mixed with butter. Start at the bottom and wet the area down once more. Fill the rest of the repair by troweling the hydraulic cement onto the depression and smoothing down with a float trowel. Continue finishing the repair one section at a time. Allow 12 hours for the repair to dry thoroughly.
5. Sand the repaired surface flush with the wall, with 200-grit sandpaper wrapped around a sanding block. Paint the wall, using a short-nap roller and the paint of your choice.
Tags: hydraulic cement, This will, wire brush
