You walk your canis familiaris on it, your children utilise it to walk to the school double-decker in the mornings and your neighbor jogs on it. Despite all that, you probably pay little to no attention to your sidewalk – until information technology starts crumbling. Only similar anything else, sidewalks tin can deteriorate over fourth dimension and need some maintenance every bit the years get by.

But what kind of maintenance will yours need? It depends on how bad the damage is.

Assessing the Damage to Your Sidewalk

The lifespan of an cobblestone sidewalk is about 20 years, while concrete can last up to 25 or thirty years. Simply even before these milestones, large-scale harm can build up.

Sidewalk damage can exist caused by harsh weather, heavy traffic or basis movement and information technology can exist dangerous to permit information technology become unrepaired for too long. There are some common signs it might exist fourth dimension to repair or replace your sidewalk:

  • Cracks: Cracks tin appear over fourth dimension in asphalt or concrete and can grow quickly due to substances like water, water ice or automotive grease getting within them.
  • Uneven or Lifted Slabs: Roots from nearby copse can crusade panels of your sidewalk to exist lifted or displaced. Damage in this case normally needs to be repaired quickly and it'southward imperative to have a plan in place to either remove the tree, or move or extend your sidewalk so it doesn't happen again.
  • Pooling H2o: Water alone won't crusade damage to your sidewalks, but sidewalks that already have prior damage can have water puddle in the cracks which will cause additional weakening and damage over time.

Florida Sidewalk Solutions Logo."It is a federal police force to repair or supercede uneven or broken sidewalks equally soon as possible to prevent costly trip and fall accidents. Normally sidewalks enhance or sink from water or tree roots causing a differential in the meridian of one or both sides of the slab."

Steve Sdankus | Florida Sidewalk Solutions

Repairing vs. Replacing Your Damaged Sidewalk

Assessing the damage to your sidewalk is a good place to start before making the determination to repair or replace. Without beingness a physical expert, you should be able to determine if the harm seems minor or major.

Repairing your sidewalk is a adept option for:

  • Normal wear and tear.
  • Small chips or cracks.
  • Damage to less than two inches of physical.

Replacing your sidewalk is advisable for:

  • Fully-broken slabs.
  • Deep cracks that may impact the sidewalk's subbase.

Who is Responsible for Sidewalk Replacement?

In almost cases, the homeowner is responsible for maintaining the sidewalk next to their property. In many cities, a allow and inspections are required when performing work on sidewalks. Make sure to bank check with your city's local Public Works section or your dwelling house owners' association and obtain a permit before starting work, if necessary.

Florida Sidewalk Solutions Logo."Some cities are fully responsible for the sidewalk repair and some will split the cost of the repair l-50 with the homeowner. In some gated communities, the property management company is responsible for using the community's funds to make the repairs."

Steve Sdankus | Florida Sidewalk Solutions

four Steps to DIY Sidewalk Repair

Y'all can follow these iv steps if your sidewalk slab has pocket-size holes, hairline breaks or surface cracks. If larger chunks are broken off or the slab is completely uneven, leap downward to learn how to supersede your sidewalk.

Sidewalk Repair Tools and Safety Equipment

  • Chisel
  • Sledgehammer
  • Wire or Cobweb Brush
  • Trowel
  • Paint Brush
  • Putty Pocketknife
  • Patching Mix
  • Bonding Agent
  • Safety Glasses
  • Work Gloves

Cost to Repair Physical Sidewalk

According to HomeAdvisor.com, repairing small holes or cracks in your sidewalk will cost you between $5-$100 to repair depending on the size of the damage.

If appearance is important to yous, you might consider replacing the whole slab vs. a repair since the patch volition be a different color than your old concrete.

1. Cut Out Damaged Areas

Place your chisel in the crack and angle it slightly outward. Using your sledgehammer, tap information technology to make the crack in the sidewalk wider at the bottom than the acme.

2. Make clean Out Debris

Any remaining loose physical will weaken your patch, and then brush it out using a wire or stiff cobweb brush. Once clean, moisten the area with a sponge just enough to dampen the one-time physical. This will help it bond with the new patch.

3. Fill With Patching Mix

In one case your patching mix is set up, smooth it within your crevice with a trowel.

4. Apply Bonding Agent

Using a paintbrush, apply bonding amanuensis to the crack and wait x to fifteen minutes until it gets tacky. With your trowel or a putty knife, pack anchoring cement into the crack. Make sure to keep the patch moist until it is fully cured past covering it with plastic to help retain dampness.

Homeowner Replacing a Concrete Sidewalk Slab.

How to Replace a Concrete Sidewalk Yourself

If your sidewalk is beyond a unproblematic cleft repair, replacing the unabridged slab might be the safest choice. Afterwards you take talked to your city and obtained any necessary permits, yous'll demand to set bated a total day to consummate this projection. Make sure the weather is articulate and the temperature is mild.

Sidewalk Replacement Tools and Safety Equipment

  • Sledgehammer
  • Jackhammer
  • Circular Saw
  • Mallet
  • Chisel
  • Trowel
  • Edging Tool
  • Steel Rake
  • Shovel
  • Measuring Tape
  • Physical Mix
  • Admixture
  • Mixing Tub
  • Pressure-Treated 2-by-Fours
  • 12-inch Wood Stakes
  • Screws
  • Safety Cones
  • Yellow Caution Tape
  • Condom Glasses
  • Ear Protection
  • Piece of work Gloves

Cost to Remove and Supersede Concrete Sidewalk

HomeAdvisor.com notes that it can cost an boilerplate of $1,320 to replace a sidewalk slab. If you are DIY-savvy, you could salvage on labor costs by tackling the projection yourself.

Depending on your city or HOA, they might split the replacement price or cover half of it, so make sure to exercise your research before starting the project.

1. Set upward a Rubber Barrier Around Work Area

To ensure the safety of others in your neighborhood, set up a safety bulwark to let them know the sidewalk area will be off-limits for a few days. Utilise your traffic cones and yellowish caution tape to mark off the pieces of physical yous'll be working on.

ii. Remove Damaged Concrete Segment

Break apart the broken slab with your jackhammer into manageable pieces you can easily remove yourself and toss into your rented dumpster or trash receptacle. If you lot aren't comfy renting or using a jackhammer, you can likewise use a hammer and chisel to break upward the concrete.

iii. Make clean and Prepare Hole Where Concrete Was Removed

Once all the physical debris is removed from the department you are replacing, rake over the dirt to create a flat surface. Measure the size of the hole and cut your ii-by-fours with your circular saw to lucifer each side. The edges of the 2-by-fours should friction match the pinnacle of the existing sidewalk. Use your wooden stakes to concur the ii-past-fours in and secure with screws. If your stakes aren't flush with the 2-by-fours and sidewalk, trim the tops with your round saw.

Pro Tip: Spray your secured two-by-fours with WD-40 for easy removal once your new physical slab has cured.

4. Mix and Shovel Wet Physical

In your mixing tub, combine 1 gallon of water from your hose with the correct proportion of concrete mix and admixture that is directed past your urban center, if applicable. Use a shovel to stir the mixture to a medium consistency. Shovel your mixed concrete info your formed department and make full to the elevation.

5. Smooth Surface

Slowly drag an extra two-by-four across the pinnacle of your new slab to shine and even it out. Employ your shovel to remove any backlog concrete. Let your new slab fix for at least 20 minutes and so use your edging tool to round the edges. Use a trowel to smooth the surface of your new slab, but only apply medium pressure to avoid any deformation. You can too use a broom to carefully drag across to create a non-stick surface.

vi. Cure Your New Replacement Sidewalk Slab

Give your new concrete slab at least 24 hours to cure – or dry – then remove your wooden stakes and two-by-fours. They should slide off easily if you used the WD-40 fox.

How to Dispose of Your Broken Concrete

Now that your sidewalk is dorsum to looking brand new, you demand to find a way to go rid of your cleaved concrete. It isn't just as simple as leaving it at the curb for your weekly garbage pickup. Our consummate guide to concrete disposal tin help yous find the right removal solution for your project.

If you lot have leftover moisture concrete, note that you cannot dump it into your trash bin or rented dumpster until it is solid. Make certain to add a slurry solidifier in order to be able to properly dispose of it. Be sure to purchase a slurry solidifier brand that condenses heavy metals and keeps it from emulsifying at the landfill.