The average compact car weighs 2,979 pounds (1,354 kilograms) while an SUV weighs 3,470 pounds (1,577 kilograms). If you own a car within the above range, then that is the amount of weight exerted on your driveway. If you take into account extreme temperatures, this can result in crumbling, cracking and shifting of the garage floor.
What steps should you take when you spot cracking or crumbling on your floor? While the first option may be to repair the garage floor, you might want to consider a replacement. There are signs you can look for that will help you make a clear decision about garage flooring replacement.
In this post, we highlight the 5 signs you need a garage floor replacement.
1. Age
Are you able to estimate the age of your garage floor? If the home was newly built, you just have to count the number of years you have lived in it. In case you bought a period home, well you might need the help of an expert.
Typically, garage floor surfaces last 20 to 25 years. If yours is older than 25 years, you might want to consider a garage floor replacement.
2. Poor Installation
You might discover that your garage floor is poorly installed. Well, what you need to know is that there are builders who cut corners. As such, they may have skipped vital steps during the installation of your garage floor.
For instance, they did not use the proper concrete mix or they did not use high-quality cement. You may also discover that the builders did not dig the garage floor to the correct depth or place expansion joints in the correct locations.
If your garage floor is poorly installed, have it replaced.
3. Poor Drainage
Have you noticed any pool water collecting on your garage floor? If you have, start by determining the source of the water and why it’s pooling. There are several reasons why this may be happening.
For starters, you have poorly placed drainage pipes close to the garage. Another issue is improper garage floor grading. You might also want to check the garage door weather stripping or retainer.
If the issue is poorly placed drainage pipes or improper garage floor, then you need to replace the floor.
Learn more about racedeck garage flooring, the different styles, colors, and custom options.
4. Pitting
Pitting is where small holes form on your garage floor surface. Like any other surface imperfection, it’s brought about by sand granules, fine dirt and dried salt deposits acting as an abrasive on your floor.
This is common on floors where sealant was not applied.
5. Settlement Cracks
When the soil beneath your garage floor shifts, settlement cracks occur. These are large cracks and are more serious compared to shrinkage cracks. Settlement cracks are common on a poorly installed floor base.
In the case of salt and water infiltration in the cracks, more problems will appear.
Getting the Right Garage Floor Replacement
Replacing your garage floor might be expensive but in the long run, it is affordable. Also, it improves your curb appeal and the value of your home. In case you opt to sell, you can recover the cost of garage flooring replacement from the sale.
To ensure home buyers overpay for your home, we recommend you hire a professional home stager.
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