Why Toronto Concrete Breaks Down
Toronto concrete faces two enemies: de-icing salt and freeze-thaw. Salt draws water into the surface, and each freeze pops off a thin layer. That is scaling. Deeper down, water and chlorides reach the steel, causing rebar corrosion. Rust expands and breaks the concrete above it, which is spalling.
Concrete Repairs We Do
| Problem | Repair | Cause we fix first |
|---|---|---|
| Surface scaling | Grind, bond and resurface or patch with freeze-thaw rated mortar | De-icing salt and poor surface finishing |
| Spalled wall or slab edge | Cut back, treat rebar, form and place repair concrete | Rebar corrosion from water and chlorides |
| Random cracks | Rout and seal, or inject structural cracks | Shrinkage, settlement or missing joints |
| Heaved slabs and trip hazards | Grind, lift or replace sections | Frost heave, tree roots or a washed-out base |
| Missing control joints | Saw-cut joints to control future cracking | Joints left out or cut too shallow when poured |
Repair or Replace?
Our rule of thumb
If damage is shallow and covers less than about a third of a slab, repair is good value. If the slab is heaving, broken through or mostly failing, we will tell you replacement is the better spend.
For sound slabs that just look worn, concrete resurfacing renews the surface without tearing it out. For steps and landings, see concrete porch repair.
Concrete repair sits alongside brick, stone and chimney work at our Toronto masonry company, so one crew can handle a slab and the wall above it.
