"Self leveling" driveway crack caulk

[Aegwyn11]

Time for a little rant. We had a good bit of movement in one of the sections of our cement driveway, so we decided to seal it to try to prevent the issue from getting any worse. Tried to hire someone to do it, but no one wanted the job, oh well. So, went to my local construction products store and talked to them...they recommended SL1 "self leveling" caulk, along with "backer rods". The backer rods consist of little foam tubs you push into the cracks. Problem number 1...if your crack is 1/2", you do NOT use a 1/2" backer rod....go size +1!!

So, my lesson learned is that "self leveling" actually means "huge pain in the a**". If anyone needs to do this job and wants to mess with doing it themselves, I would recommend NOT using the self leveling stuff. Its basically like a thick soup coming out of the tube and seems to get thinner as it dries. VERY frustrating. Luckily my wife has more patience for this junk then I do....she's finishing the job as I type this. Well, not counting the parts that we have to caulk over again because the junk ran around the backer rod and left a void.

ARGH.

Rant finished.

 

[score0matic]

[big grin]  It is always a warning flag when "Tried to hire someone to do it, but no one wanted the job,"  They knew something you didn't.  the fact is that the selfleveling is the best stuff even with all the pain in the puduka  (it has a much more tenacious grab and is more flexable thus you have to mess with it 1/2 as often).

  At least you weren't filling on a slope.....It has been known to run down the crack and pool at the lowest spot [eek]

thanks for sharing your "fun" with us
Craig

 

[peter halle]

Been there, done that, cleaned up afterwards.  Be glad you used that backer rod.  That is what makes the joint last.  By the way I have a huge roll of backer rod that I would be willing to sell at a fabulous price.  Probably enough to last a contractor a lifetime.  I'm still working on the first roll and I am getting older by the day.

Peter

 

[Aegwyn11]

Okay anyone have any ideas about the best way to clean this crap up? I had a couple of spots that looked okay when I left the house to go back to work yesterday, but upon coming home it looked like it expanded and spilled out into a small puddle on the driveway. Next time I have someone do concrete work I'm going to make this part of the job...