Improving The Look Of Concrete

Cracked concrete outside, such as your patio, is an indication that there may be problems underneath. This may mean that you should get those cracks sealed and the problems solved as soon as possible. But if you've got an interior floor made of concrete that is now cracking, you need to figure out what's going on quickly.

Structural, Not Soil-Related

Here's the problem. Outside, most of the cracks in concrete are going to be due to a couple of straightforward issues. One is pressure -- something hard dropped onto the concrete, for example -- and the other is a moisture issue, either in the soil (frost heave) or through seeping moisture that freezes and expands within the concrete itself. Those are annoying, but fixing them is something most concrete companies can take care of rather quickly.

Interior cracks are another matter. There's no soil to blame. Maybe someone dropped something on the concrete, but it could also be an indication of a structural problem in the building that has warped the floor to a breaking point. That will take a lot more investigation, so get it done now before the crack worsens.

More of a Trip Hazard

An interior crack is also more of a trip hazard. If you've got a crack in your concrete patio, you can avoid your patio -- and there won't be too many people out there to begin with. But inside a factory, for example? You could have many people walking over the crack each day, several times, which means there is an increased risk of someone tripping if the crack is rather prominent.

Mold and Debris Problems

If the crack is rather wide (at least in crack terms -- it doesn't have to be a crevasse to have this problem), moisture can drip in and then not evaporate quickly, depending on the inside environment. That promotes mold growth. Dust and debris can be swept into the crack, creating a mess. That simply looks bad. While that can happen outside, too, it looks worse inside because it makes the room seem unkempt and uncared for. Plus, it makes repairing the crack take a lot longer.

If you do notice a crack in your facility's concrete floor, call a concrete floor service for an initial investigation. You may have to have the building's foundation checked as well. Once the cause has been identified, you can have it repaired and have the crack patched up.