How to Redo Cracked Cement on My Front Porch

Cement that is exposed to the outdoors, like on a front porch, is susceptible to cracking. In colder climates especially, water can enter the cement, freeze and expand to cause wide cracks. With a straightforward project, however, you can repair the cracked surface with a concrete patch. Once you have properly prepared the cracks, applying the patch will be simple, effective and appear professionally done.

Cold chisel
Rubber mallet
Wire brush
Concrete bonding liquid
Buckets
Paintbrush
Ready-mix concrete powder
Water
Pointed trowel

Instructions

- 1
  Remove all furniture from the porch and sweep up loose debris.
- 2
  Place the tip of a cold chisel into the top of the crack on the cement and angle it at 45 degrees. Strike the chisel with a rubber mallet to chip off the cement so that the crack is uniformly 1/4 inch wide along its length.
- 3
  Brush out the chipped cement from the crack in the porch with a wire brush.
- 4
  Pour some concrete bonding liquid into a small plastic bucket.
- 5
  Brush the bonding liquid along the inside edges of the the crack. Be sure to coat the crack evenly with the bonding liquid to ensure a strong bond to the new concrete patch.
- 6
  Pour concrete powder and water in the recommended ratio into a plastic bucket and stir thoroughly until the material is consistent.
- 7
  Lift the wet concrete out of the bucket with a pointed trowel and push it down into the crack on the porch with the tip of the trowel. Pack the concrete firmly until it is even with the existing porch surface.
- 8
  Turn the trowel so that the flat side is parallel to the porch's surface and slide it over the concrete patch to smooth the material and blend it well with the existing cement. Do not use the porch until the patch has dried for 48 hours.

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