Crack in Concrete/Engineered floor

Steph885 · 04-14-2008, 02:17 PM

We are installing engineered hardwoods over a concrete slab on our main floor. However, there is a crack in the concrete approximately 1/16-2/16 in wide. It appears that the floor settled on one side of the crack and it now slopes towards the outside wall. This causes a drop of about 3/16-1/4 in drop over 6 feet. (The concrete on the other side of the crack is perfectly level.) According to the instructions on our hardwood floors, this is too large of a drop...so this has to be fixed somehow. My husband wants to get a concrete sander, and attempt to sand away at the crack, but that sounds like a ridiculous amount of work. Couldn't we just fill in crack and gradually slope it towards the outside wall?

Bud Cline · 04-14-2008, 06:45 PM

How old is this slab?

Steph885 · 04-14-2008, 07:04 PM

It's 12 years old.

mike costello · 04-14-2008, 07:44 PM

It can be done for sure.

You may want to hire this one out to a pro though

Steph885 · 04-14-2008, 08:17 PM

Do you mean you can "do it for sure" by sanding it or just sealing it?

mike costello · 04-15-2008, 06:40 AM

No sanding it is unhealthy and a bad idea. Besides its more of a grind than a sand.

Feathering it out or using self levelling patch is the way to go

Steph885 · 04-15-2008, 08:25 AM

What would be the best product to use?

Flooring_Man1000 · 04-15-2008, 02:42 PM

I would use a Portland cement based "Self-Leveling" compound

Flooring_Man1000 · 04-15-2008, 02:44 PM

all u do is mix it up with a latex/water mixture and use a small trowl to spread it out alittle then it will level it self. (Follow instructions closely)

Krichton · 04-15-2008, 08:11 PM

I agree. How long is the crack?

Bud Cline · 04-15-2008, 08:32 PM

Is this a living crack or is it dormant?

Steph885 · 04-15-2008, 10:23 PM

My guess is that it is old. I would say the crack is approximately 8-10' long.

Bud Cline · 04-15-2008, 10:58 PM

Quote:

My guess is that it is old.

Yow maybe! But does it move with the seasons is the question?

Steph885 · 04-15-2008, 11:09 PM

There is no way to know for sure. We bought the house 2 weeks ago, and the previous owner had the original carpet.

Steph885 · 04-15-2008, 11:12 PM

Since the house is on a 3' deep slab, we aren't worried about any structural issues from a 1/16" crack. We have decided to just seal it up and put down the new flooring...which is what the house inspector told us to do with other tiny cracks.