Concrete coming-cant find my crack maker

justdon

There HAS to be another way of cutting concrete sidewalk cracks. My concrete is ordered for tommorrow morning early and I cant find my crack cutter. Is there another way to cut the cracks?? I have an edger, can I run that both ways to cut cracks or wont that look right?? Just cut with a trowel edge??

This sidewalk is 4'8" wide,,,would you cut it every 4' or 4-8 squares??

In same vein a neighbor did a sidewalk too and put caulking or poured something in the new cracks pretty soon afterward. Does this help anything?? It did look good!! THX--just don--

Big Bob

Your neighbor borrowed your "crack cutter" when he did his sidewalk and never returned it. while you try to borrow your "crack cutter" back ask the neighbor how he finished those cracks.

measure length of walk and divide into even sections. 4 foot ish should be fine.

justdon

Sorry to say I dont even know him,,,he doesnt live there. I did show him where he could dump his extra dirt he had,,,in MY backyard!!

IF there is no other GOOD way of crackmaking,,,I might have to spring fer another!! Dunt wanna, but gotta do what I gotta do!!

Maybe I will ask my BIL if he has one,,and if he is busy tommorrow!!

joasis

If you can't find a groover, then rent a concrete saw later and run a saw cut (using a 1X4 as a guide) where you want the control joints. You could use a 1X4 as a guide and use your edger, but that would be a real pita.

__________________

Big Bob

A "crack cutter" groover is one of those specialty tools that makes the project " look right" and not like a hack job... for many years people will say
" boy, that sidewalk looks good.. to bad the guy didn't have a groover."

If push comes to shove... can you make one out of an old grout float?

good luck with your pour.

justdon

Thanks for the replies. I asked my great brother - in - law and borrowed his groover,,,unfortunately he was headed OUT of town and was unable to help(wouldnt ya know,dont blame him )

My former step son lives in the house for basicly free(about 1/3 of going rent)(((A whooping $175 a month he has a hard time paying,,,or ON TIME))),,,and he stayed home from overtime work today to 'help' me,,,worked out great!! He is a great kid tho, I guess I can forgive his transgressions!!

NOW if the rain holds off long enough to get hard on top,should look good. I troweled it after pouring,,I am NOT a great troweler so after edging it I gave it a good stiff broom job and that 'seemed' to cover all the trowel marks pretty good and makes it not so slick,,,we are subject to ALOT of ice and snow.

Bad part of the job was this was a two part job at two different houses two blocks from one another. So always at wrong one right time thing. Stayed at last pour long enough to get that step all straightened out and finished the sidewalk square, leading up to it,,, similiar finished,,, and the wastage made into a down spout drainer.

Went back to straight sidewalk and troweled and finished it. Yesterday when I ordered cement no RAIN in forcast. Today woke to hear possible showers later this afternoon. BY 1PM their was sprinkles on the windsheild,,,now if you rain Gods can hold off your water faucet till its hard enough,,,I appreciate it tons!!! Possible light frost tonight too,,,hold off on THAT too please!! Thanks for replies I am posting a new siding question on remodeling page,,,can anybody 'help' me with THAT??? Tanks a BUNCH!!!--just don--

justdon

Thanks guys for doing the unrain dance for me yesterday,,it worked. Sun came out half hour later and stayed out all day!! Obviously you have GREAT connections!!mostly--just don--

In 'cool' conditions,like here,how long do you leave your forming on?? Some is aroud 8" thick IF that makes a difference!!

Big Bob

Proper removal time is temp and humidity sensitive (setting time) . The pros leave it on a week or so, until they need the form boards on another project, they have time in the schedule to pick them up, or if the HO is holding money until they are picked up and the site is cleaned: then a couple of hours .
(then they tell the HO don't walk on it for 2 weeks.

under most conditions 48 to 72 hours should be ok for a walk.

Glad the project went well for you.

Tscarborough

When I was doing commercial concrete, we stripped forms the next day, both to make it easier and because we needed the forms to set up the next pour. The longer you leave them, the harder it is to get them loose (wood forms).