What Do You Do for a Cracked Walkway?

Concrete Walkway Repair

• When concrete develops a crack, a patch is the best way to repair the damage. Use a chisel to create a backward angle cut along the damage and clean the loose material out using a brush. A bonding adhesive should always be applied to the crack, followed by vinyl-reinforced crack patch compound that should be smoothed out to be level with the surrounding concrete. Check with your local hardware store for a variety of colored patches to find the color that matches your walkway.

Asphalt Walkway Repair

• Asphalt requires very little preparation prior to patching with an asphalt patching compound. Clean the area of the crack with a broom and remove any large pieces of debris from inside the crack. Apply a pre-mixed asphalt patch to the crack and allow it to sit for 10 minutes. Scrape off the top layer until the patch is level with the surrounding asphalt. Some patching compounds also include a sand material to sprinkle on top of the patch to give the surface a uniform look.

Brick Walkway Repair

• Brick walkways can develop cracks in one or more bricks due to heavy traffic, weather exposure or damage from falling items. Rather than repair bricks with a patching compound, it's best to simply pull out the damaged bricks and replace them with new ones. Use a hammer to break out the damaged pieces and set new bricks of the same color and pattern into the holes. Fill the area around the pieces with a fine-grit sand to seal them in.

Concrete Overlay

• Concrete walkways with extensive damage can be covered using an overlaying technique. Concrete resurfacing requires the use of a thin overlay that is poured over the old concrete. The new surface can be stamped or textured into any pattern, giving the entire surface a facelift. Concrete overlays can also be used on walkways that are in good condition but need an updated look. Most overlay treatments should be applied by a licensed contractor.