Filling Expansion Joints In Concrete Floor

I am finishing a basement.

Filling expansion joints in concrete floor. Filling is done the full depth of the joint with a material that has enough compressive strength to support the edges of the joint from stresses imposed by heavy hard wheeled traffic. The concrete expands into the floor joints which relieves the pressure. An expansion joint is basically a planned crack. Like i said in the intro these joints allow concrete pads to expand and contract during freeze thaw cycles.

Most people will consider filling these joints first before the epoxy or paint coat is applied for a smooth seamless finish with no dents and grooves. These joints are placed in the slab as an allowance space for concrete expansion. Filling contraction and expansion joints after epoxy coatings or sealers. The joint is purposely placed in the concrete to allow it to move.

The gaps in concrete are known as control joints or expansion and contraction joints and they are there for a substantial reason. Usually expansion joints are engineered in the floor at the time of construction but joints may be added at any time in the life of the floor. The tile instructions say a latex fortified portland cement product but if i use that the joints are no longer expansion joints. Removing old material from a concrete expansion joint concrete expansion joints are also known as isolation joints.

Without a concrete expansion joint your sidewalk or driveway would crack. This can create an eyesore for some people plus make it more difficult to clean them out. Temperature changes make concrete expand and contract. There are two different types of expansion joint engineered.

Joints are most effective when the aspect ratio of the slab is kept to 1 1 for example 5m x 5m if the slab is a narrower than it is long it is possible to increase this to a maximum aspect ratio of 1 5 for example 2m x 3m don t leave the placing of concrete expansion joints to chance and enlist the services of a structural engineer if several are required. Joints in slabs that will not be subjected to heavy hard wheeled traffic can safely be left unfilled or sealed with a flexible sealer. What is an expansion joint. Sometimes the contraction joints in a garage floor and the expansion joints around the perimeter of the floor can be very wide and collect a lot of dirt and debris.