Whether you’ve decided to purchase an older home to live in or to use as an investment property, it will come with its own list of maintenance repairs. One of the biggest problems that homeowners face when it comes to aging homes is concrete problems. Here are a few different options you have for addressing these issues with your older home.
Over time, the concrete in your home will see a lot of use. This holds especially true when it’s on the exterior of your home where it’s exposed to the elements all year round. When it comes to restoring the look of worn-down concrete, you have a couple of options. You can opt to use a polymer-based cement resurfacer. This resurfacer will work to repair those small cracks in your concrete and make the surface look like it was just freshly poured. While this method is often used to restore the look of a concrete driveway, it can be used for other purposes like stairs and walls.
It’s not unusual for a home to get cracks in the foundation as the house continues to settle over the years. As long as these are hairline cracks, you can typically handle them on your own. You’ll want to assess your concrete foundation and clearly mark the areas that will need to be remedied. We suggest using a bright-colored marker or spray paint around the area to ensure you can easily identify the cracks when you’re ready to repair them. Next, utilize a concrete patch repair compound. You can find these at your local hardware store. You’ll want to clean out the crack with a brush first to remove all loose debris. Add some water to the area so the concrete patch compound sticks. Then, apply the compound with a trowel and let it dry.
If you’ve noticed that the sidewalk at your older home is just beyond traditional patch repair, then it may be time to have it redone. You can easily do this on your own with a few tools that you can rent from your local hardware store. You’ll need to utilize a jackhammer to bust up the existing sidewalk into manageable chunks for removal. Then, build wooden boxes to create a mold for your new sidewalk. Mix up the cement and get it poured.
If you have a concrete patio, you will eventually notice that the edges will wear away, and the surface may become pitted. If your patio is quite old, the banisters or columns that are bolted down might even cause cracks where chunks will eventually crumble away. Be sure to do maintenance before it gets bad enough to cause accidents for visitors to your home!
Whether we are talking about your patio, your sidewalk, your driveway, or even interior floors, did you know that all that concrete can be stamped and stained? If the medium gray of most concrete mixes doesn’t complement your home, you could switch it up. There are many patterns out there as well as shades coming in everything from deep browns and slate gray to reds and tans. It’s just a matter of shopping around and checking the websites or calling local concrete specialists in your area.
As you can see, there are many options for repairing issues you may have with the concrete in your older home. It really comes down to assessing what the degree of the problem is and how you want to handle it. In some cases, a simple resurfacing will provide a refreshed look. In other cases, you may need to replace the existing concrete.