If you are having issues with your driveway, walkway, or parking areas separating from the wooden joints used to pour and support them, you may be wondering what can be done to repair them. When these separations happen, it not only causes unappealing cracks that collect dirt and can grow weeds, it also compromises the strength and durability of your cement structures. To improve these – and make your walkways and more last much longer – follow these tips for repairing your joints:
Clean the Cracks
The areas where dirt and debris have collected over time often ends up as a haven for weeds to grow. You can spray these crevices with weed killer to get a head start on destroying that growth, but this is not recommended unless your weed killer is marked as safe for the surrounding areas and waterways. Traditional weed killers endanger grass, wildlife, and end up in watershed where they can do further damage. Some have even been linked to cancer in humans!
A better approach to clearing these cracks of the debris collected inside is to do so manually. Yes, this isn’t much fun, but consider this – if you fill the joint gaps properly in the next step, this may be the last time you need to do this kind of cleaning!
Fill Them Properly
There are many ways to fill the gaps left behind when you clear out the rotten, deteriorated wooden joints. While some homeowners prefer to replace the joints with new wooden supports, this only leads to the cycle of deterioration starting over. Likewise, caulking can crack and deteriorate quickly as well. If you want a resilient, weather-proof, and attractive solution to filling those separations for good, choose rubberized, specialty driveway gap filler rolls.
You can trim these rolls to fit your exact needs – and they are easy to install and virtually maintenance-free. Ask your local retailer today if they carry gap fillers and improve the structure and look of your driveway this season!
