Concrete WILL Crack Guaranteed! Concrete swimming pools on the Outer Banks and Currituck are NO exception!
While there are very few absolutes in life, one thing is true – concrete WILL crack! We are asked over and over again if the concrete pool deck will crack – and the answer is yes!
So why is this an absolute – well here’s a quick look at why and what can be done to minimize cracking!
What types of cracks occur in concrete? Shrinkage cracks, structural cracks, freeze cracks and cracks from a “bad mix” of concrete (product failure) are the most common. Shrinkage cracks are simply unavoidable and NO contractor can guarantee their concrete will not shrink – because it will. Shrinkage is a naturally occurring property of concrete. Water is consumed as concrete hardens and cures, which results in a loss of volume. Hence, it will … crack. Generally, you will see these cracks within a few days to a few months after pouring the concrete. Control joints are the answer to minimizing these types of crack. The keyword here is CONTROL – not prevent – these types of cracks. Concrete contractors score the concrete in strategic places to encourage cracking within that line. However, sometimes cracks will occur despite every effort to prevent or minimize them! It’s just the nature of concrete! Joint placement, the depth of the control joints, and the amount of water in the concrete mix all play a part when it comes to shrinkage cracks.
