Concrete countertop crack repair for DIY: A blog about repairing concrete countertops.

It is almost impossible to make 100% crack free concrete countertops. Concrete is a material that will always crack and it is imperative that the concrete fabricator fully understands the process of how to design and build concrete countertops so that they are both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

In this blog I will be covering some of the basics of how to design and construct concrete countertops, but my main focus will be on how to repair cracks in concrete countertops.

There are three basic types of cracks in concrete countertops:

Concrete countertops are a beautiful and durable option for kitchen and bathroom surfaces. However, both the installation and everyday usage can result in small chips and cracks. Up until now, fixing these blemishes has been a complicated process that usually requires an expert. With our new concrete countertop crack repair kit, you can quickly fix your own countertops.

The crack repair kit consists of two parts: a bottle of acrylic cement and an applicator bottle with needle tip. The applicator is simple to use; just fill it with the acrylic cement from the bottle and inject it into the crack. When it comes out of the other side, cover the hole with adhesive tape so the acrylic cement won’t leak out. After five minutes, remove the tape and smooth out any bumps with a damp sponge. It’s that easy!

Our professional concrete contractors love this new product because it saves them time on their jobs. The acrylic cement starts setting within five minutes and cures completely in 24 hours so they don’t have to wait around for it to dry before finishing their work. If you have concrete countertops or plan to install them, ask your contractor about our crack repair kit.

The first step to repairing a crack in your concrete countertop is to clean out the crack. This is accomplished by drilling or cutting out the crack. If you have a drill and a 1/2″ masonry bit, that’s all you need. Just drill into the edge of the crack and continue down the length of the crack until you have removed any loose concrete and have exposed solid material on both sides of the crack.

If you don’t have access to a drill, then you can use a reciprocating saw with a metal-cutting blade, or even a hacksaw if you are patient. Cut just to one side of the crack along it’s entire length. Then cut along the other side of the crack by using your first cut as a guide for where to start your second cut. Use a screw driver and hammer to pry out all loose concrete between the two cuts. You should now have exposed solid concrete on both sides of your crack.

A lot of our customers have an interest in repairing their concrete countertops themselves. We sympathize with you and want to provide you with the best information available so that you can give it your best shot.

If you are doing a concrete repair or patch work around your house, there are several different products that can be used. The first thing to consider is what type of repair do you need to make? Are you repairing a crack in your driveway, basement floor, garage floor, or patio?

The supplies I am going to cover will cover most jobs like these. I will go over the different types of products used for patching concrete walls, floors and other areas around the house.

I will mention some products that are specific for use on concrete countertops later on in this post.

I get many questions about concrete countertop sealers. Many people are concerned about sealing their concrete countertops properly and for good reason. If a concrete countertop is not sealed properly it can ruin the look of the concrete countertop and even worse, allow stains to penetrate into the concrete.

When the proper sealer is used, it will help protect against stains, enhance the color of the concrete and make it easier to maintain.

The first thing you should know is that there are two types of products that can be used as a sealer: film-forming sealers and penetrating sealers.

Film-Forming Sealers

A film-forming sealer forms a layer of protection on top of the surface that protects the surface from water, oils, etc. Film forming sealers come in two varieties: water based and solvent based. A water based product is normally clear in color and has very low odor, while a solvent based product is normally amber in color and has a strong solvent odor. Both product types have their advantages and disadvantages but they both work well on concrete countertops.

One advantage of using a film forming sealer is that they can be reapplied without removing the previous coat of sealer so long as you use the same type (water

Hello, and welcome to the Concrete Countertop Institute. For those of you who don’t know us, we’re a small concrete countertop education and product supply company. We’re located in scenic Mooresville, NC, about a half hour north of Charlotte.

We’re a small operation by design. We have four employees (two full-time, two part-time), two of whom are family members. All our products are developed in-house from bits and pieces of ideas found in the real world. Everything we sell is either created or assembled by us personally. We have no salesmen or distributors.

We used to be a larger company, having once grown to twenty employees with four locations and several million dollars in revenue per year (this was before the economy tanked). But as you may have noticed, things have changed quite a bit over the last few years.

Concrete is a blend of Portland cement, sand, aggregate stone and water. As the water in the slurry evaporates, the remaining ingredients cure and harden into the solid mass commonly thought of as concrete. Concrete is an extremely durable building material that resists compression and abrasion. Concrete is also very porous; in fact, some experts consider concrete to be a naturally porous material. As concrete cures and dries out, it shrinks slightly and this can result in hairline cracks. These cracks are often so small they cannot be seen with the naked eye. However, if left untreated these small fissures can expand over time and lead to structural issues.

What Causes Cracks?

There are a number of factors that can cause cracking:

• Over-saturation during curing process

• Shrinkage during curing process

• Improperly mixed concrete countertop slurry

• Incorrect placement of rebar or other reinforcement materials

• Improper sub-base preparation

• Poor placement of control joints