Ripping up old concrete can be a huge frustration. It may be tempting to just pour new concrete over the old, but is that a good idea? There are times when this can work well, but only in certain situations.
When to Avoid Pouring Concrete Over Concrete
When looking to pour new concrete over existing concrete, you must consider if there are any unresolved issues with your old concrete. If it’s cracked because of roots those problems will quickly repeat in the new concrete. Before you can consider pouring new concrete, you will need to remove the roots that are causing the issue.
The minimum amount of concrete you can pour at a time is 5 centimetres. This could cause issues if there is a doorway or a similar obstacle that will be affected by the height. Another thing to consider is pouring concrete over old concrete will result in a shorter lifespan than if you were to tear it up and redo the slab completely.
How to Attach Concrete to Old Concrete
Sometimes the old concrete doesn’t have issues or you just need to raise it a little. Or perhaps ripping up the old concrete isn’t an option for you. When that is the case, you will want to ensure that the old concrete and new concrete bond.
One of the best ways to do this is to drill holes into the old concrete. Keep the drilled holes at least 15 centimetres away from the edge of the concrete to prevent cracking. Flush the holes with water to get the debris out and then add epoxy to the holes. Twist rebars into the holes so that the epoxy solidifies around them. Finally, pour the new concrete and the rebar will hold the old and the new concrete together.
When pouring new concrete over the old, it could be helpful to call in a professional. They know all of the best tricks to ensure that the new slab fits well over the old and that it adheres well. They can make short work of getting you set up with a new concrete slab. Forth Valley Concrete can provide you with ready mix concrete for pouring, whether it is a new slab or an old one.