If you've noticed a crack in your driveway, patio, sidewalk, garage floor, or other concrete surface, you're probably wondering: Is it normal for concrete to crack?
The short answer is yes, concrete can crack.
Even properly installed concrete can develop cracks over time. Concrete is an extremely strong and durable building material, but it isn't completely immune to shrinkage, ground movement, temperature changes, moisture, and the harsh freeze-thaw cycles we experience in Northern Illinois.
The important question isn't simply whether concrete has cracked. It's why the concrete cracked, how severe the crack is, and whether the underlying problem needs to be corrected.
Solid Concrete Services LLC provides concrete installation, repair, and replacement throughout the Fox Valley and Chicago suburbs. Here's what homeowners should know about concrete cracking and how it should be addressed.
Why Does Concrete Crack?
There isn't one single reason concrete cracks. Several factors can contribute to cracking, and sometimes multiple issues are involved.
1. Concrete Shrinks as It Cures
Concrete contains water when it is placed. As the concrete cures and excess moisture leaves the slab, the concrete naturally shrinks.
This is known as drying shrinkage.
Because concrete is rigid, shrinkage can create internal stress. If that stress becomes greater than the concrete can withstand, a crack can develop.
This is one reason properly planned control joints are so important.
2. Freeze-Thaw Cycles
Northern Illinois weather can be tough on exterior concrete.
Water can enter small openings and pores in concrete. When temperatures fall below freezing, that water can freeze and expand. Repeated freezing and thawing can contribute to deterioration over time.
Driveways, sidewalks, patios, steps, and other exterior concrete are especially exposed to these conditions.
3. Poor Base Preparation
What is underneath your concrete is extremely important.
A concrete slab needs a properly prepared and compacted base. If the material underneath the slab settles, washes away, or was never compacted correctly, portions of the concrete can lose support.
The unsupported slab may eventually settle or crack.
This is why proper preparation shouldn't be skipped just because homeowners won't see it after the concrete is poured.
4. Soil Settlement & Ground Movement
The soil beneath concrete can change over time.
Settlement, erosion, moisture changes, poor drainage, and other ground conditions can cause movement underneath a slab.
When one portion of a driveway, patio, or sidewalk moves differently from another, stress can develop in the concrete and lead to cracking.
5. Improper or Missing Control Joints
Control joints are intentionally placed in concrete to help manage where shrinkage cracking occurs.
Think of them as planned weak points.
Instead of allowing a large slab to randomly crack wherever internal stress develops, properly spaced control joints encourage cracking to occur along predetermined lines.
Control joints don't guarantee that you'll never see another crack, but proper joint placement is an important part of quality concrete installation.
6. Excess Water in the Concrete Mix
Adding too much water can make concrete easier to place, but it can also negatively affect the finished concrete.
As excess water evaporates, additional shrinkage can occur. Too much water can also reduce concrete strength and contribute to surface problems.
A quality installation isn't simply about making the concrete easy to pour. The concrete mix, placement, finishing, and curing all matter.
7. Heavy Loads
Concrete driveways and slabs need to be designed for their intended use.
Passenger vehicles are different from heavy commercial trucks, dumpsters, machinery, or other concentrated loads.
When a slab isn't designed for the weight placed on it, cracking and structural damage can occur.
8. Tree Roots
Tree roots can cause problems with sidewalks, walkways, patios, and sometimes driveways.
As roots grow underneath the concrete, they can lift portions of the slab. This creates uneven sections and places stress on the concrete.
Eventually, the slab may crack or become a trip hazard.
9. Poor Drainage
Water is one of the biggest enemies of exterior concrete.
If water repeatedly collects alongside or underneath a slab, it can contribute to soil erosion and movement beneath the concrete.
During winter, trapped moisture can also contribute to freeze-thaw damage.
Proper grading and drainage around concrete are therefore important parts of protecting the finished project.
Does All Cracked Concrete Need to Be Replaced?
No.
A crack doesn't automatically mean your driveway, patio, or sidewalk needs to be torn out.
The correct solution depends on factors such as:
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Width of the crack
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Depth of the crack
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Whether the crack continues growing
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Whether the slabs have moved
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Overall condition of the concrete
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Age of the concrete
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Condition of the base
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Whether water is getting underneath the slab
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Whether the crack creates a trip hazard
A small, stable crack is very different from a slab that has cracked and dropped several inches because the ground underneath it settled.
Hairline Cracks in Concrete
Small hairline cracks can occur as concrete cures and shrinks.
If the concrete remains level and the crack isn't expanding, the issue may primarily be cosmetic.
However, it's still worth monitoring the crack.
A crack that becomes wider, begins separating, or develops vertical movement can indicate a more significant problem.
When Should a Concrete Crack Be Repaired?
Repair may make sense when the concrete remains structurally sound and the damage is limited.
Depending on the application and condition of the slab, crack-repair materials can help seal certain cracks and reduce water penetration.
However, simply filling a crack doesn't necessarily correct the reason the concrete cracked.
If the base underneath the slab is failing, the concrete is moving, or drainage is causing erosion, filling the visible crack addresses the symptom rather than the underlying problem.
How Do You Fix Cracked Concrete Correctly?
The first step is identifying why it cracked.
For example, if a patio cracked because water is washing away the soil underneath it, filling the crack without correcting the drainage problem may not provide a lasting solution.
Likewise, if a sidewalk has cracked because a section has significantly settled, putting patch material into the crack won't make the sidewalk level again.
A proper evaluation should consider the concrete itself as well as what's happening underneath and around it.
Concrete Crack Filling
For smaller, stable cracks where the surrounding concrete remains in good condition, crack filling or sealing may be appropriate.
The crack should be properly cleaned and prepared before a compatible concrete repair material is installed.
Different products and repair methods are appropriate for different types of cracks.
Simply covering a crack with regular concrete isn't necessarily a permanent repair.
Removing & Replacing Damaged Concrete Sections
When concrete is severely cracked, sunken, raised, or deteriorated, removing and replacing the affected section may provide a better solution.
This is common with:
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Sidewalk squares
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Walkway sections
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Portions of patios
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Severely damaged driveway sections
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Concrete around steps and entrances
The failed concrete is removed so the underlying area can be inspected and properly prepared before new concrete is installed.
When Should You Replace the Entire Concrete Slab?
Sometimes continuing to repair an old slab doesn't make financial sense.
Complete replacement may be worth considering when:
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Cracks exist throughout most of the concrete
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Numerous sections have settled
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The concrete is badly deteriorated
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Large portions are spalling or crumbling
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Drainage needs to be corrected
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The original base appears inadequate
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The slab has extensive structural damage
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Multiple previous repairs have failed
Replacing the concrete allows the contractor to start over and address preparation, grading, base conditions, reinforcement, concrete placement, finishing, and joint layout.
Can You Prevent Concrete From Ever Cracking?
No concrete contractor can honestly guarantee that exterior concrete will never develop a crack.
Concrete is a rigid material exposed to movement, weather, moisture, temperature changes, and loads.
However, proper installation can significantly reduce the likelihood of uncontrolled cracking and other premature problems.
Important parts of a quality concrete installation include:
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Proper excavation
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Proper base preparation
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Compaction
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Correct concrete thickness
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Appropriate reinforcement
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Quality concrete mix
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Proper placement
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Professional finishing
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Proper control-joint placement
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Appropriate curing practices
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Proper grading and drainage
The parts of a concrete project you can't see after completion can be just as important as the finished surface.
Why Concrete Cracks in Illinois
Concrete in Illinois experiences conditions that homeowners in warmer climates don't face to the same degree.
Our concrete goes through hot summers, cold winters, snow, ice, moisture, and repeated freezing and thawing.
That's why exterior concrete should be installed with local conditions in mind.
Solid Concrete Services works throughout the Fox Valley, DuPage County, Kane County, and the greater Chicago suburbs, where freeze-thaw cycles and changing soil conditions are an important consideration for exterior concrete.
Cracked Concrete Driveways
Driveways can develop cracks from settlement, shrinkage, inadequate support, heavy loads, weather exposure, and other factors.
One isolated crack doesn't necessarily require replacing an entire driveway.
However, widespread cracking, significant settlement, broken sections, or severe surface deterioration can indicate that driveway replacement should be considered.
Cracked Concrete Patios
Patios can crack because of shrinkage, settlement, poor drainage, base movement, or seasonal temperature changes.
If only one portion is damaged, sectional replacement may be possible.
If an older patio has widespread cracking and settlement, replacing it can also provide an opportunity to improve the layout, size, drainage, or upgrade to decorative stamped concrete.
Cracked & Uneven Concrete Sidewalks
Sidewalk cracking becomes particularly important when slabs begin moving vertically.
A raised or sunken sidewalk section can create a trip hazard.
Depending on the condition of the concrete, individual sidewalk squares may be removed and replaced without replacing the entire walkway.
Concrete Crack Repair vs. Replacement: Get a Professional Opinion
There's no single repair method that's right for every concrete crack.
Some cracks are cosmetic. Others can indicate settlement, movement, drainage problems, or deterioration that should be addressed.
The key is determining what caused the crack before deciding how to fix it.
Concrete Repair Contractor Serving Chicago's Western Suburbs
Solid Concrete Services LLC is an owner-operated, second-generation concrete company serving homeowners and businesses throughout the Fox Valley and Chicago suburbs.
Our services include concrete driveways, patios, stamped concrete, sidewalks, walkways, steps and stoops, garage floors, concrete repair and replacement, commercial concrete, and new construction flatwork.
We proudly serve communities including Elburn, St. Charles, Geneva, Batavia, Aurora, Naperville, Elgin, Wheaton, Lombard, Huntley, Hampshire, Oswego, Bloomingdale, Carpentersville, Campton Hills, and surrounding Chicago suburbs.
Have Cracked Concrete? Contact Solid Concrete Services
If you're unsure whether your cracked driveway, patio, sidewalk, or other concrete should be repaired or replaced, Solid Concrete Services can evaluate the existing concrete and help you understand your options.
Contact Solid Concrete Services LLC today for a free concrete repair or replacement estimate in the Fox Valley and Chicago suburbs.