Concrete Repair Company
Get a QuoteConcrete can deteriorate through impact, reinforcement corrosion, water ingress, chemical exposure, movement and general use.
The visible damage is only part of the problem. Before selecting a repair method, it is important to understand what has caused the concrete to deteriorate and how far the damage extends.
We carry out concrete repairs across the UK for commercial buildings, industrial facilities and other concrete structures and surfaces.
Concrete Damage Requires the Right Repair
A crack, spalled edge and exposed reinforcement are different defects and should not automatically receive the same treatment.
The repair starts with the condition of the concrete.
Defect → cause → extent → preparation → repair method
This approach helps determine what needs removing, what can remain and which repair material is appropriate for the affected area.
Cracked Concrete
Cracks can develop through shrinkage, movement, loading and other changes within the concrete or surrounding structure.
The appearance of a crack alone does not establish its significance.
Useful information includes its location, direction, width and whether movement is continuing.
A stable non-structural crack may require a very different treatment from cracking associated with structural movement.
Where the cause or significance is uncertain, further assessment may be required before repair work is specified.
Concrete Spalling Repairs
Spalling occurs when sections of concrete break away from the surrounding surface.
Damage can range from relatively shallow deterioration to deeper areas where reinforcement becomes visible.
A repair can involve removing unsound concrete until an appropriate substrate is reached before rebuilding the affected section with a suitable repair material.
Where reinforcement is exposed, its condition becomes part of the repair rather than simply covering the steel with new mortar.
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Exposed and Corroding Reinforcement
Steel reinforcement is normally protected by the surrounding concrete.
When that protection is compromised, corrosion can develop.
Corrosion products occupy a greater volume than the original steel and can contribute to cracking and disruption of the concrete around the reinforcement.
The repair therefore needs to consider both materials:
Reinforcement → corrosion
Corrosion → expansion
Expansion → cracking and spalling
Damaged concrete → breakout
Exposed steel → preparation and treatment
Repair area → reinstatement
The extent of reinforcement deterioration should be established before the repair is completed.
Concrete Patch Repairs
Patch repair is appropriate where deterioration is concentrated within individual sections of concrete.
Rather than resurfacing an entire area, the defective material is locally removed and reinstated.
Patch repairs can be used on suitable:
Concrete walls
Columns
Beams
Slabs
Floors
Edges
Steps
External concrete surfaces
The geometry and depth of the repair influence the preparation and material required.
Breaking Out Damaged Concrete
A successful repair needs a suitable boundary between the existing concrete and replacement material.
Loose or unsound concrete may therefore need to be broken out.
This exposes the actual extent of the affected area and, where present, reinforcement beneath it.
Breaking out structural concrete needs additional consideration because removing material can temporarily alter the capacity of the member.
Where this is relevant, the structural implications need to be assessed before work proceeds.
Reinstating Concrete With Repair Mortar
Once the repair area has been appropriately prepared, lost concrete can be reinstated.
Cementitious, polymer-modified and resin-based repair materials are available for different applications.
Selection can depend on factors such as:
Repair depth
Orientation
Existing concrete
Exposure
Required strength
Application method
Size of repair
Return-to-service requirements
A repair material should be selected for the actual defect and substrate rather than simply choosing the strongest available product.
Concrete Crack Injection
Some cracks can be treated using injection techniques.
Resin or other injection materials can be introduced into appropriate cracks or voids depending on what the repair is intended to achieve.
Before injection, the crack needs to be understood.
The method may be inappropriate where significant movement is continuing or where the underlying cause has not been addressed.
Crack injection should therefore form part of a repair strategy rather than being treated as a universal solution for cracked concrete.
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Damaged Concrete Floors
Concrete floors can deteriorate differently from vertical structural elements.
Forklifts, pallet trucks, machinery, impact and repeated traffic can concentrate wear within operational areas.
Common defects include:
Cracks
Surface deterioration
Joint damage
Spalled edges
Localised impact damage
Potholes
Worn sections
Industrial floor repairs need to consider how traffic will interact with the repaired area once it returns to use.
Concrete Joint Repairs
Joints allow concrete slabs and other elements to accommodate movement.
The edges of floor joints can deteriorate under repeated vehicle traffic, particularly where wheels repeatedly cross the same locations.
Repairing the damaged concrete around a joint is different from simply filling the joint.
The repair should address deteriorated edges while retaining the intended function of joints that are designed to accommodate movement.
Concrete Edge and Arris Repairs
Edges are vulnerable because impact can concentrate force into relatively small sections of concrete.
Damage can occur around slab edges, loading areas, steps, openings and joints.
Broken or spalled sections can be removed and rebuilt where the surrounding concrete provides a suitable basis for repair.
The new repair needs to integrate with the remaining substrate and withstand the conditions expected at that location.
Concrete Repairs in Warehouses and Factories
Industrial buildings can place repeated mechanical demands on concrete.
A warehouse might concentrate damage along forklift routes and loading areas.
A factory may have additional demands around machinery, production equipment and material-handling routes.
Repair priorities can therefore be established around how the building operates.
For example:
Forklift route → repeated wheel loading → joint and surface damage
Machinery area → localised loading → concrete deterioration
Loading area → vehicle and impact activity → edge damage
Understanding this relationship helps avoid treating every damaged section as an identical repair.
Concrete Repairs in Car Parks
Concrete car parks contain slabs, ramps, joints, edges and other areas exposed to vehicle movements and external conditions.
Deterioration can affect isolated sections or become distributed across a larger area.
The repair strategy should distinguish between local defects and wider deterioration.
Where reinforcement corrosion or more extensive structural deterioration is suspected, additional assessment may be needed before deciding the scope of repair.
External Concrete Repairs
External concrete is exposed to weather as well as the conditions created by its intended use.
Water penetration, temperature changes, contaminants and physical damage can contribute to deterioration.
External repairs can include local reinstatement of damaged concrete and treatment of associated defects.
Where water ingress is contributing to deterioration, simply reinstating the visible surface without considering the source can leave the underlying mechanism unchanged.
Concrete Repairs Following Impact
Vehicles, equipment and machinery can cause sudden physical damage.
Impact can break corners, damage edges or remove larger sections of concrete.
The affected area should be assessed to establish whether the damage is confined to the surface or extends further into the member.
Local repair can then be considered where appropriate.
More significant damage may require structural assessment before reinstatement.
Repairing Previous Concrete Repairs
Old repairs can eventually deteriorate or separate from the surrounding concrete.
Failure may occur within the repair material, along its interface with the original concrete or because the original cause of deterioration remains active.
Installing another repair directly over a failed patch does not necessarily address the problem.
The defective material can instead be removed so the condition underneath can be assessed and a new repair developed from a suitable substrate.
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When Does Concrete Need Structural Assessment?
Not every damaged concrete surface indicates a structural problem.
Equally, structural significance should not be ruled out purely because the visible defect appears small.
Further assessment can be appropriate where damage affects structural elements or where there are concerns such as substantial cracking, extensive reinforcement corrosion, fire damage, movement or significant loss of concrete.
A competent structural assessment can establish the significance of the deterioration and whether strengthening or a specifically designed structural repair is required.
Repairing Concrete Is Different From Strengthening It
Concrete repair and structural strengthening are related but different activities.
A repair can reinstate concrete that has deteriorated or been damaged.
Strengthening is intended to increase or restore structural capacity where this is required.
A project may involve one or both.
Where strengthening is necessary, the solution needs to be designed around the structure rather than treating the work as a standard patch repair.
Surface Preparation for Concrete Repairs
New repair material ultimately relies on the condition of the surface it connects to.
Preparation can therefore include removing defective concrete, cleaning the substrate and treating exposed reinforcement where required.
The objective is not simply to create a visually clean hole.
It is to establish an appropriate repair area so that the selected material can be installed according to its specification.
Choosing a Concrete Repair Method
There is no single repair method for damaged concrete.
The decision should consider:
What is damaged?
Crack, surface, joint, edge, reinforcement or larger concrete section.
Why has it happened?
Movement, corrosion, impact, exposure, wear or another mechanism.
How extensive is it?
Local deterioration may require a different intervention from widespread damage.
What does the concrete do?
A warehouse floor and structural column have different requirements.
What happens after repair?
Traffic, weather, chemicals, loading and movement can influence material selection.
Once these factors are understood, an appropriate repair method can be considered.
Concrete Repair Contractors UK
We carry out concrete repair projects across the UK for commercial and industrial properties and other concrete structures.
Work can include crack repair, concrete reinstatement, spalling repairs, joint and edge repairs, repairs around exposed reinforcement and refurbishment of damaged concrete surfaces.
If you have damaged concrete, send us photographs of the affected area together with information about the structure and approximate extent of the deterioration.
The defect can then be considered before the appropriate repair approach is established.