Will a repaired garage floor crack come back?

It can. A filler or sealer closes the gap, but it does not stop whatever opened the crack in the first place. If the slab is still moving because of soil movement, settling or drainage problems, the crack often reopens along the patch or right next to it. A stable crack from normal concrete shrinkage is much more likely to stay closed once it is properly repaired. We do not repair concrete, but here is what to look at.

Why repaired cracks reopen

• Ongoing settling or ground movement: the slab keeps shifting, and a rigid patch cracks with it.
• The wrong product: some fillers suit a stable crack but not one that moves with temperature or loads.
• Poor preparation: dust, loose concrete or moisture in the crack keep the product from bonding.
• Water: runoff entering at the garage door or through the slab can wash out soil and keep the crack active.

Signs it needs a concrete professional

Cracks wider than about a quarter inch, cracks that keep coming back, ones running across the whole slab, raised or uneven edges, moisture coming up through the crack, or movement in nearby walls point to a structural cause. A concrete contractor can diagnose it before anything is filled.

How a moving slab affects the garage door

When the floor at the door opening settles, the closed door may leave a gap at one end, the bottom seal may stop sealing, and water can run in. In a detached garage, settling can also shift the opening enough that the door sticks or rubs. Those are worth noting when deciding whether the floor is still moving. If your door started sticking after the slab shifted, see whether a settled garage door can be fixed, and for gaps at the floor line, see whether a cracked bottom seal is worth fixing.

Read more

• Garage floor crack repair
• Garage door bottom seal guide

Related questions

• Can I use my garage while a floor crack is being repaired?
• How do I maintain a garage ceiling fan?
• Can I install a garage ceiling fan myself?

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