Not every damaged slab needs to come out. A front step with crumbling corners, a garage floor with a few cracks, or a patio whose surface has started to flake can often be repaired for a fraction of the cost of replacement. Part of our job at Lansing Concrete Co is telling you honestly which situation you're in.
Common problems we fix
- Cracks: cleaned out and filled with flexible sealant, or with a structural repair product where the crack is wider
- Spalling and scaling: the top layer flaking off, usually from de-icing salt and freeze-thaw, addressed with a bonded resurfacing coat
- Broken step edges and corners: rebuilt with formed patching so the step has a crisp, safe edge again
- Damaged sections: cut out and replaced, such as a single sidewalk square or a corner of a driveway
- Gaps along the house: where a slab meets the foundation, sealed so water doesn't run toward the basement
Repair or replace?
Repair makes sense when the slab is still solid and level and the damage is mostly on the surface or in a few places. Replacement is usually the better value when the concrete has sunk or heaved, when cracks run across much of the slab, or when the base underneath has washed out. Patching a slab that's still moving just covers the problem for a season. We'll look at it with you and give you a straight recommendation.
Why concrete fails in Lansing
Most of the damage we see comes from the same few causes: water getting under a slab with poor drainage, freeze-thaw cycles working on concrete that wasn't air-entrained, rock salt used on young concrete, and base material that was never properly compacted. When we repair something, we look for the cause too, so the fix lasts.
Small jobs welcome
Repairs are often small jobs, such as one step, a few cracks or a single broken square. We're happy to take them. A crumbling front step is a safety problem, and it's worth fixing before someone gets hurt.
Concrete Repair: common questions
Can you fix a sunken slab without replacing it?
Some sunken slabs can be lifted. Others are better replaced, especially if they're badly cracked. We'll tell you which applies to yours.
Will a repaired area match the old concrete?
Patching material won't match weathered concrete perfectly. Resurfacing an entire step or section gives a more even appearance than spot patching.
How long do crack repairs last?
Flexible crack fillers and sealants should be checked every year or two and touched up as needed, especially after a hard winter.
