If you’re looking for high-quality concrete construction services in the Milwaukee area, the professionals at JBS Construction are ready to repair any broken or cracked concrete problems you may be experiencing. With more than 30 years of experience, JBS Construction is southeast Wisconsin’s premier source for residential concrete and commercial concrete construction services. JBS Construction offers a full range of concrete design, concrete driveway installations, concrete patios, and concrete sidewalk services.
What Causes Concrete to Crack?
Why does concrete crack? Various choices, most of them avoidable, can cause concrete slabs to develop cracks. Read below for some of the top causes of broken concrete. Then, contact us at JBS Construction to help create a solution to any concrete issues you may have.
Too Much Water in Cement Mix
Too much water in a cement mixture raises the chances of a completed concrete slab developing cracks. Concrete does not require much water to achieve maximum strength. Unfortunately, much of the concrete used in residential work has too much water added to the concrete on the job site.
- This water is added to make the concrete easier to install.
- This excess water also greatly reduces the strength of the concrete.
- Evaporation of extra water from the concrete mix shrinks the drying solution, causing fissures or cracks in concrete floors.
JBS Construction ensures the proper amount of water is in the mix because we never take shortcuts.
Too Little Water in Cement Mix
Concrete is available in many different strengths. Verify what strength the concrete you are pouring should be poured at. The bottom line is a low water to cement ratio is the number one issue effecting concrete quality- and excess water reduces this ratio.
- Shrinkage is the main cause of cracking.
- As concrete hardens and dries it shrinks. This is due to the evaporation of excess mixing water.
- The wetter or soupier the concrete mix, the greater the shrinkage will be.
- This shrinkage causes forces in the concrete that literally pull the slab apart. Cracks are the end result of these forces.
JBS Construction ensures the proper amount of water is in the mix. Take a peek at some of our best work.
Concrete Drys Too Fast
Rapid drying of concrete will cause cracks in floor slabs. Concrete curing is a process that allows water elimination in a controlled manner. If curing is improperly done, the water evaporation will leave hairline cracks in the concrete slab.
- Drying takes days and weeks after you pour the concrete.
- Shrinkage is another common reason for cracking.
- As concrete hardens and dries it shrinks due to the evaporation of excess mixing water. The wetter or soupier the concrete mix, the greater the shrinkage will be.
JBS Construction ensures that the necessary water is available for this reaction by adequately curing the slab.
Issues with the Soil and Surface
Before laying a concrete foundation, the soil surface or sub-grade is primed. It is vital that an even surface is achieved before pouring a foundation slab. An uneven or undulating surface increases the probability that the finished slab will buckle and break up as it dries.
- Poorly compacted soil: Over time, this can cause voids to form and slabs to settle.
- Dry soil: During dry conditions, the soil under your concrete will dry out and shrink, creating voids. The concrete above eventually cracks and sinks into these empty spaces; especially if any weight is placed on it.
- Flooding: Wet soil is just too weak to support the concrete above it, leaving behind large voids that cannot support the weight of the concrete above.
- Frozen Ground: Never pour concrete on the frozen ground.
30 Years of Serving Milwaukee’s Concrete Needs
JBS Construction is a family-owned concrete construction company that started more than 30 years ago with the goal of providing concrete construction services at competitive prices. Three decades later, we’re known all over southeastern Wisconsin for providing high-quality services at affordable rates. When you choose JBS Construction, you can count on getting a job done right and on time. By being a concrete construction company, we’re experts in exterior concrete, and concrete driveway installations, you can count on us to provide the high-quality, on-time work you want for your property, and at a price that’s just right for you. We’re eager to work with and for you, so we’ll take the time and effort needed to find a solution that fits your needs.
