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There is a crack on the sidewalk and front of my garage. I want to repair or cover the crack so that everything looks even and uniform.

Any ideas on how to approach this problem? Thanks in advance.

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JACK
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jay roy
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    Is your issue structural or cosmetic? – Chris Cudmore Apr 29 '21 at 14:21
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    You could do this yourself I use urethane crack sealer, you can pay to have it fixed, keeping water out so more damage in the form of ice and erosion is all you can do to extend the life of the slab. I would use a garden hose and clean out the crack of the derbies if it is wide enough press a backer rod down in the crack then fill it to MFG instructions. I don’t have the conditions you do so the locktite PL concrete sealer I use may not work as well back East so leaving as a comment (prices are off topic as they change often and we are a diy site). Check out your local big box/hardware store. – Ed Beal Apr 29 '21 at 14:36
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    While it's fairly normal for concrete to crack a bit, a crack like that is likely caused by settling, because the base wasn't properly installed/compacted, etc. While I hate to say it, it will probably get worse so any filler, patch, coating you apply will be a temporary solution. If you really want to "fix it", I have to agree with @isherwood 's 2nd option, replace the slab, make sure you have a good base and add rebar to the new slab. – George Anderson Apr 29 '21 at 14:46
  • What is your climate like? If you have cold winters with deep ground freeze, a concrete driveway is pretty much a non-starter. It will always be cleared in winter and the frost will go much deeper there than the areas adjacent which will be insulate with snow. This causes ground heaving and it can be very difficult to mitigate in some types of soil. This could be due to a poorly prepared foundation, but if you have very cold winters it may never be a suitable surface for the driveway. – J... Apr 30 '21 at 13:06
  • The next time you see a hillbilly truck driving by, wave them down and ask if they do driveway patching. – John Canon May 01 '21 at 02:42

3 Answers3

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There are really only two solutions from a aesthetic standpoint:

  • Coat the entire slab with a surfacing product (which may or may not conceal the crack for the long term--depends on seasonal/traffic movement)
  • Replace the slab

You can't visually "fix" cracks like that in concrete. The color and texture will never match well, making the situation much more conspicuous than it is now.

isherwood
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Don't try to make it look "even and uniform". Instead, have some intentional decorative feature that camouflages or hides the difference.

For example, rather than repainting the entire driveway after patching the crack, you could paint some fantasy vines on the driveway, where a vine matches the position of the crack.

This is a general idea of a patch or repair includes a visual feature, such as an intentional contrasting stripe, instead of blending exactly. I thought of vines because that's an organic shape; it could be anything.

JDługosz
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    There's even services that will add a coating on top that looks like pavers. Even if it cracks again, the pattern of the "pavers" might be enough to hide the crack from notice. – JS. Apr 29 '21 at 22:57
  • This is a cool idea! – jay roy May 19 '21 at 14:47
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I have a similar crack in my driveway. The other replies are correct, you're never going to cover it up, but you can make it look better.

My problem was always the weeds would grow in the crack, and make it look much worse. Pulling the weeds out was a chore, and they came back quickly. The solution that worked was a specific (fairly expensive) product called SilkaFlex Self Leveling Sealant.

It's a product that goes in largely as a liquid so it will flow all the way into the crack. After it hardens it remains flexible so it can take the expansion/contraction of concrete, and won't crack again like concrete would. It's also resilient enough that it's lasted for 12+ years of freezing cold, snow, ice, and hot summers. It is NOT cheap, but it's done an excellent job of keeping anything from growing in the crack, and it hides it to some degree. I likely put more than $100 of this stuff into my driveway.

Be advised, you're not going to completely hide the crack, but you can make it less visible, ugly, and stop the weeds from growing in it.