Why do concrete joints need sealing in Utah?
Salt Lake City's average January day runs from a low near 24 degrees to a high near 39. Melt water in an open joint can freeze overnight and thaw again by afternoon. Ice is about 9 percent less dense than water, so it takes more room and pries at the joint edges. UDOT brines state roads before storms and salts them during, so entries and parking decks take road salt all winter.
Concrete joint repair starts with what each joint does. Isolation joints, also called expansion joints, keep a slab apart from walls, columns and footings. They move, so they take a flexible sealant instead of a hard filler. Joints in an industrial floor under heavy traffic need a filler that supports their edges, or the edges spall.
How does concrete joint sealing work?
Expansion joint sealing starts by cutting out the old sealant and debris, then cleaning the walls to dry, sound concrete. A closed-cell backer rod about an eighth of an inch wider than the joint gets rolled in without stretching. The rod sets the depth and keeps sealant off the joint bottom, so it bonds to the side walls only. The concrete joint sealant then goes in at the depth the manufacturer sets, about half the joint's width.
Indoor floor joints under hard forklift wheels get a semi-rigid filler instead, which supports the edges. In a saw-cut joint up to 2 inches deep, it fills the full depth with no foam rod. The filler goes in a little high and gets shaved flush once it sets. Before a warehouse or shop epoxy coating goes down, the joints get repaired along with the cracks and spalls.
What does concrete joint repair cost in Utah?
Concrete joint repair is priced by the job, starting with the length, width and depth of the joints. Condition is next, since old sealant has to come out and chipped edges need repair before anything goes in. Joint type matters too, since forklift aisles take a semi-rigid filler and moving joints take a flexible sealant. Phasing adds time when part of the building has to keep running.
Every bid starts with a free estimate at your property, where we measure the joints and check the old sealant. Then you get a written number for the system that fits each joint. Commercial work runs from Ogden south through Salt Lake County, out of our Centerville shop. Call (801) 347-4518 Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm, and the office will set a time.