The Concrete Network
Concrete Contractors, Photos, and Ideas
Find a Contractor:
search  in  your  local  area
FIND CONCRETE PRODUCTS & SUPPLIES

Preventing Concrete Cracks

Construction tips for ensuring durable, high-strength, crack-resistant concrete

Find a Local Concrete Contractor

Learn Why Concrete Cracks

Why concrete cracks: Top 4 reasons

Start with a Sound Subgrade

Make sure the subgrade is compacted

Subgrades and subbases for concrete slabs: Why having good support is critical to success

Modify the Concrete Mix

Use a low water-to-cement ratio

Concrete admixtures that control cracking

Install Joints

Be active in deciding where control joints will be placed

Joints in concrete slabs: Types and where to locate

Properly Cure the Concrete

Properly curing concrete slabs: Why and how to cure

Allow time to water cure

Troubleshooting Tips from ASCC

Who owns sidewalk cracks?

Allowable crack widths

Avoid unjointed elongated slabs to control cracking

Causes of craze cracking

Circular cracking pattern in floor

Early random cracking in floors

Filling random cracks in a floor

Finding new cracks in concrete

How to control cracking in racquetball court

Monitoring wall cracks

Plastic cracking in slabs placed on vapor barriers

Preventing cracks in a warehouse slab

Staggered joints in a concrete parking lot

Tolerable crack widths (for elevated concrete slabs)

What cracks to repair

Related Information:

How to build high-quality slabs on grade

Other Resources

Concrete Contractors: Find A Concrete Product Supplier or Distributor

Find a Local Concrete Contractor

Capitol Concrete Solutions
Capitol Concrete Solutions

We have compiled a group of construction tips to help towards preventing cracks, and tips regarding cracking from the Troubleshooting Newsletters printed by the American Society of Concrete Contractors, which since 1986 has printed these bulletins from hotline questions asked by their members. From this section you should get ideas to discuss with your slab designer and concrete contractor to achieve a slab that meets the requirements of your job.

Other Resources
Find Crack Repair Products