Shrinkage During Cure
Concrete shrinks slightly as it loses moisture. Control joints are cut into slabs to steer that shrinkage into planned, straight lines.
Settlement
When the base under a slab compresses, erodes or shifts, the slab loses support. Diagonal cracks and vertical displacement typically point to settlement.
Temperature Cycles
Concrete expands and contracts with temperature. Expansion joints allow that movement. Without them, the slab may crack at its weakest point.
Drainage Problems
Water that pools on or under a slab, then freezes and thaws, widens existing cracks and undermines the base.
Applied Loads
Regularly parking or storing something heavier than the slab was designed for is a common cause of cracking on residential surfaces.
Which Cracks Matter
Narrow hairline cracks are usually cosmetic. Cracks that widen, shift vertically or grow are worth an evaluation. Request an evaluation.