Minor Sidewalk Repairs

New concrete does not stick well to old.

To anchor a patch make the crack wider at the bottom than at the top. Place a cold chisel in the crack, angle it slightly outward, and rap it with a 3-pound sledgehammer.

Clean out debris thoroughly with a stiff fiber or wire brush.

Crumbs and pebbles weaken a concrete patch.

Fill the crack with a patching mix - also known as vinyl concrete—made from vinyl, portland cement, and sand. It covers cracks up to 1⁄2 inch wide. Dampen the area around the crack, then trowel on the mix. Smooth the surface with either a trowel or a small float.

Pop-outs are small conical shape chunks of concrete that have popped out and left a hole behind. Using a cold chisel and a 3-pound sledgehammer, undercut the hole by making the pop-out wider at the bottom than at the top. Clean the hole with a stiff fiber or wire brush.

Wet the surface and apply a concrete bonding agent inside the hole with a paintbrush. Wait about 10 to 15 minutes or until it gets sticky.