If you have a concrete walkway on your property that has cracks in it, you might be thinking of tearing out the concrete and putting in a new walkway. That could be expensive and disruptive, especially when you can have repairs done for a lower price. Talk to a residential concrete repair contractor to see if repairs are possible and how much they cost. Here are some ways they might consider repairing cracked concrete.

Inject Cracks With An Epoxy Filler

Some sort of epoxy crack filler could be appropriate for filling large and small cracks that are of even height. The epoxy is injected as deep as possible into the crack, and then the part that oozes out the top is leveled with a trowel.

Some products have a color that matches concrete so the repairs aren't too obvious after the filler dries. Once it's cured, the epoxy filler has some flexibility so it holds tight even when the concrete expands and contracts with the weather.

Cover The Damaged Area With New Cement

If the filled cracks leave tracks all over your sidewalk, you may prefer to hide them under new cement. The contractor might have ready mix delivered so some new cement can be poured on your sidewalk and spread around. However, since only a small amount of cement mix is needed, the contractor might mix it themselves from a bag of dry mix. They can mix a batch at a time and smooth it over the surface of your sidewalk with a squeegee or trowel.

Covering the repairs this way hides them from view. Plus, the new cement mix seals hairline cracks and holds the repairs in place. Your sidewalk will look new once it has a new surface, but you'll spend less than putting in a new walkway.

Raise A Sunken Part Of The Slab

If you have a big crack that's not even because part of the walkway has sunk, you may need to have the sunken area raised so the crack can be sealed. A crack that's uneven is a trip hazard, so you'll want to repair it to keep from getting sued if someone gets hurt on your property. A residential concrete contractor can drill a hole in your walkway and inject polyurethane foam underneath the slab.

As foam fills the underside of the walkway, the concrete lifts up and becomes even again. Then the crack can be filled as usual to eliminate the trip hazard and keep rain from seeping through the crack.

The exact nature of your concrete repair work depends on the type of damage the walkway has and what caused it. If tree roots are the cause of cracks, the repairs might be more involved than if the cracks are simply the result of the concrete settling.