They only work Monday through Friday. Just now getting all the weeds up and heading toward the phase of getting the dirt and old sealant (among other things) out of there. And its not perfect but if you live in an area that gets cooler you could wait until the temperature drops enough whereby the sealant becomes less watery. They were pretty cool to me . Wow this really great Jeff. The foam was hardened and very brittle. Im looking to complete this project on my driveway, but Id also like to use a densifier/waterproofer on it. Hope this helps. Call the technical service line. You should also remove any old foam backer rod that is beneath the sealant (Ill explain what this is in the next section). Or is it better just to seal the actual crack itself and leave the groove profile intact? Thank you for the information and videos. Very informative post and video for a dummy like me! Instead, I am going to use the largest diameter I can find and then an additional backer rod that will give me enough width to provide the additional 1/8 that I need to fill the joint. Youve got a buddy in me . This tape should be removed before the sealant has completely cured; i.e. No caverns and no weeds! But like I said to Tim, Id like to call Sika and ask them if it can be used for this specific purpose. Prep indeed stinks for expansion joints. Thanks Kat, I love DIY too. Hi thank you very much for the useful info. This supply list may sound intimidating because of the angle grinder. My expansion cracks have never been filled so I didnt have any caulk debris that needed to be removed. If youre as nerdy as me when it comes to remodeling you may have wondered what the heck that rubber stuff is between concrete pads or walkways. Also, I am a newbie doing this by myself. Do they have a choice for black or do you have any other product recommended with the black color? Hi Daryl, do you know if the builder used a product like SikaFlex? But they were left in the concrete in the garage of my south carolina home. Besides since my concrete is so old & beat up the cost for those items seems silly. Hope youre having a fantastic day . This posting is great reading but I skipped to the end to send this question. further than the other. Really pathetic. I just read your tutorial on repairing/sealing concrete expansion joints, which was very helpful. As an added note, advise the do it yourselfers to also invest in a comfortable pair of knee pads. As mentioned in the original article, keep the top of backer rod below the surface. He said it was probably nothing more than moisture getting in, freezing, and causing it to heave. He said he will be out this spring to resolve the issue with some sealant. Thank you so much!!!!! If your joint is wider than the backer rod you can twist two strands together like a rope. Tape will work as a dam on clean surfaces. They said the Sika Concrete Fix would be a good option since it isnt as elastic as SikaFlex Self-Leveling sealant and that it can be tooled with a plastic putty knife or spoon. Thanks. I like the Sika Flex, but it has a shiny kind of finish that stands out a bit. This in turn applies pressure to the expansion joints and thats what causes the Sika to pull away. What type of sika product would you use. Sikaflex is too thin and would probably run thru the un-stoppered (sand filled) cracks. Fingers crossed for the long term. Sondor Polycord closed-cell cross-linked expanded polyethylene foam. Thank you! Good question. Will the Sikaflex adhere to the backer board or should I remove the backer board? Thanks for your question. Sikaflex will be tack-free in 1 to 2 hours and fully cured in 3 to 5 days. FYI, acetone will go through nitrile gloves, so if using these to protect against the acetone, then youd want to consider butyl rubber gloves. Jeff, I have another question about sandmy expansion joint is about 5 inches deep. That way, if it didnt work and the SikaFlex ran through you wouldnt have to remove a ton of it. Hoping you can recommend someone. Let me know what you find if you get a solution first. I live in NH where it gets pretty cold in the winter. I havent done this project yet but what do you think about using the material? Its okay if youve never had this thought, this means youre normal and the rest of us DIYers are at risk of tripping over ourselves while pondering such questions. Will this stuff work, if not do you have any other suggestions? Hey Jeff! My solution was to buy black asphalt patch in pourable jug and pour that in my humungous expansion joint gaps which are in some places close to 2 inches wide and VERY deep. Apply to the sides of the joint with a soft bristle-brush. It does not wash off with water. There is a seam between the garage floor and the foundation as the garage floor is not part of the main footprint. Using a colored sealant looks terrible on an aggregate driveway. I havent found a local source skip this and you get sealant stuck to one side, and the bottom and NOT the other side. Let me know what you think Jeff! I bet theyve gotten this question and will be able to help you out. This may sound obvious but are your downspouts clogged? Then I figured that sand will not be compressed when the concrete gets hot and so the concrete will crack. The outlet nozzle should be 2 3mm smaller than the width of the joint. Ive also had good luck with calling Sika for advice. Just kidding. (I just pinned to my DIY Pinterest board). I would definitely endorse Jeffs big tip of ensuring that your backer rod is snug. this is a good DIY procedure! Do I just clean it well and then put the foam in the joint on top of the soil? Leave the backer rod in for a few days before pouring the sealant. can I apply sand over sikaflex so it blends with the existing driveway? Should I get a very deep and wide backer rod or some other filler to fill this crack before I apply the Sika SLS? For a while now, Ive had a small gap between my foundation and the driveway. Geneva, if you learn a new skill while replacing the wood please let me know!! Jeff, we did our driveway joints with the backer rods and the self leveling sealant as recommended. Jeff: Great information! Looking over my contract, all it basically says is that he will prep, form, and pour 4 thick concrete and 6 thick at the end of driveway w/ limestone mix, wire mesh, broom finish, cured, and cut. Hi Jeff, Wondering if you could or should put play sand in the joint before the backer rod. 4. Jeff, would it be better to leave the wood expansion joints in place of using the backer rods? I know we have to fix the joint to keep water from coming up. Any ideas on what we could use to fix them? It takes way longer than expected. Heres a BIG TIP: the diameter of the backer rod should be 1/8 inch larger than the width of your concrete expansion joint. Sweep or blow the excess sand into the yard after 24 hours. Jeff, this is nice of you sharing your experience with others. But the application of the new sealant is as easy as caulking. If so, Id give Wet & Forget a try. Made me project so fast and easy. I feel backer rod/sealant would sag overtime if I didnt put something in to take up the empty space. I thought it was odd, but thought perhaps the product was just black. http://usa.sika.com/en/solutions_products/02/02a024/02a024sa008.html. Is that determined by the width of the joint? The product is ideally suited for movement joints in building and civil engineering structures such as reservoirs, taxi-ways, concrete floors, pipelines, canals, swimming pools and other water retaining structures, basements and high rise buildings. Will placing backer rod in between joints before adding Sikaflex Self-leveling sealant stop this wobbling? The depth seems very deep between the slabs on my driveway, I can can put my finger all the way down to the dirt. Its July 10, 2017. Now Im in the same predicament as you! I dont see my problem addressed anywhere. I can put a rod about 1.5 feet down into the hole. You could remove the wood and replace it with a similar type if wood or use foam backer rod along with Sikaflex. Was in my local Ace hardware store and they had cut to whatever length you need rubber expansion joint tubing that you press down and tightly fit in the space. What do you see as the pros and cons of wood versus sealant? Athens, Ga. Hi Jeanne, you could hire a mason, contractor with concrete experience or do it yourself . He insists they do not need to be sealed, that cutting down the backer rod will compromise it and cause problems and the Sika sealant will need replacement in a year. Should thicker joints be applied in layers, allowing one layer to cure before the stacking on a second layer? So how do I take up this space?? I used whatever fit the area. Is it possible to add a sand / grit on top of the Sika Flex to give a more blended finish? It helps prevent the backer rod from floating up, making unsightly humps. Youd have to call Sika and explain your situation to them. The width of the backing strip should be equal to the width of the joints, and the thickness of the strip should approximately equal the width. As you know, these forms dont always fully contain the concrete as some inevitably oozes under the boards before it hardens. Gather all your old socks and a few worn-out T-shirts. Wow this is really great Jeff. Thanks Ryan for the reminder about renting tools. how do i know if my separations are expansion joints or concrete control joints? I bought 100 rolls up to 1 1/4 on eBay. Always feel free to ask any question or add your own tips!! Hi Jeff, Otherwise, the new sealant will not adhere correctly. Old sealant and worn-out felt need to be removed. Jeff, Ive read about the width between the slabs, but Im wondering about the depth? The problem is that the space is huge! LOL. i think its coming from this wood thats stuck in the cement thats all around the the edging of concrete. You need to dam up the ends of the joint to contain the sealant. dirt and debris stuck in buff/off-white wet caulking. Thanks, I have weeds growing out of the expansion joints in my driveway and was going to buy a tool for this but I thought they were too expensive. The hardware stores carry the narrow widths. The large tube is 29 fluid ounces and the small tube is 10 fluid ounces. thanks. A situation I ran into is where the joint was wider than the largest diameter backer rod. Make sure to read the label on the product that you decide to use. A closed cell polyethylene foam-backing strip is to be used in all joints. Id fill the minor cracks with crack filler. Hope this helps a bit. Hey Noah, thats a great question and Im not sure. I dont know the answer and would hate to steer you in the wrong direction. Is there any harm in removing the old caulk ahead of time (a few days) and adding the caulk and backer rod later on? Hi JeffI read your article & all comments. Im in the process of killing the grass. I need some work done on my balcony concrete. One last question- what is the best material to dam the ends of the joints with? Maybe is a local thing. This is upsetting me very much. I attached product info for this product in the P.S. I have one long center joint with the Sikaflex and two lateral ones (one at the garage and one on the pads (10). Thanks for the replies gents. They poured directly on sand, is that okay? 2nd guy used 24 treated wood as isolation joint where garage walls meet driveway. Just make sure the wood is below the concrete. Was I supposed to use some kind of tool, like a putty knife, to level it? Do I use the same material to seal the joints between these two different materials? Thanks for the tipjust want to get the best stuff!!! They are suppose to be this way He suggests I paint the foam if I dont like the look of the exposed black backer rod! Thanks Brian, thats a great tip. When our concrete steps were poured a few years ago, the contractor did not put an expandable joint between the bottom step and the concrete sidewalk slab. You might be tempted to cut the tube bigger but dont. Ive never done this before so keep me posted . This step is perhaps the most important one. Thanks for the reply. This post shares how to accomplish this task. Dam up the ends if the joint is even slightly sloped. The slab has pulled away from the foundation leaving a gap of about an inch. Well, I went back today and realized that it is not the self leveling caulk I had requested. Almost 3 inches wide and pretty deep. Like I said in our emails you have a TON of fantastic tips. First of all, I would like to thank you for posting this valuable resource. The previous sealant was absolutely gone, with not a trace left. This might be a good option for your problems and I think you can buy it at either Lowes or Home Depot. I am in the middle of doing this job on my driveway and can add a couple of things based on hard experience: 1. the best reason for installing backer rod is so the self leveling sealant doesnt ooze through the void. They spread concrete right up to garage floor and even slopped it onto sides of garage door trim. It pops up and you have to constantly push it back down. Jeff I have har line crakes in my Pattio do I need to use a grinder to apple sikaflex leveling sealant, Do you anyone that does this kind of work.