DIY: Crack Repair

Crack Repair

Before we start the instructional part of this step I would like to take a moment to add a word of caution to your expectations about crack repair. While the crack repair products we sell are among the finest in the industry, they will not prevent cracks from re-occurring. Crack repair done in moderate, tropical climates will have the best chance of long-term success. Excessive moisture, expansive soils, and freezing temperatures will almost guarantee the return of the cracks repaired. In most cases the cracks will begin to re-open slowly and will progress until they are as large as they were before you patched them within 2 to 4 years. The only long-term solution is to correct the cause of the cracking which is usually found well beneath the surface.

1. Clean the crack to its full depth if possible. If you can’t determine the depth, make sure you clean the crack to a depth of at least 1" (1/2" if crack is less than one-quarter inch wide). If the crack is not at least 1/8” wide, widen it by dragging the edge of a putty knife or a floor scraper through it until you have cleaned out a groove wide enough to force some of the crack filler into the crack.

2. For cracks wider than 1" use our TruPatch latex cement patching compound. Any cracks 1" or less can be patched with our CrackLastic flexible crack filler. Smaller cracks are much less likely to return as quickly when patched with CrackLastic.

1. Mix TruPatch according to instructions on the pail.Place the bucket of TruPatch at one end of the crack to be repaired.
2. Using a one-gallon bucket or a large stiff cup with a handle, dip into the patch mix and pour a small bead of material along the crack.
3. After placing the bucket back into the patch mix, place your trowel or crack-filling squeegee at the start of the crack. Press down until the blade is firmly against the court surface. Push the trowel or squeegee along the crack, forcing the patch material into it. Keep pushing the trowel or squeegee back and forth along the crack until it is completely full of patch mix.
4. Using a garden hose with a nozzle, spray a fine, light, mist over the patch and make one more pass with your trowel or squeegee. This will help feather the edges of your patch so that they blend with the surrounding court surface.

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