How to Fix a Foundation

Fixing foundation cracks early will prevent costly repairs later on.

The foundation of your home is one of its most important components. Not only does it give the structural integrity of your home some grounding, it also prevents your home from sinking. A foundation crack or a sinking bit of wall, if caught late, can require a lot of man-hours and money to fix. Catching the problem early means fixing small cracks and leaks instead. Any settling of the foundation, or sinking portions of wall, should be handled professionally.

Things You'll Need

• Masonry cement
• Sand
• Water
• Putty knife or a screwdriver
• Vacuum
• Trowel

Instructions

Repairing the Foundation

1. Clean any cracking or loose mortar out of the cracks in the foundation that need to be repaired. Clear out loose mortar with a putty knife or screwdriver, and use a vacuum to clear out excess dust and particles.

2. Mix two parts sand to one part of cement for your repairing "mud." Mix the cement and sand thoroughly, as loose sand in the mixture will cause the patch to fall out. Fold the cement over itself until it is a dark gray color.

3. Spray water into the crack that you are about to patch, so that the "mud" will stick to the crack once it is applied.

4. Take a portion of the cement mixture with the point of your trowel and push it into the crack. Run the ridge in the middle of the trowel along the crack to force the cement into the gap. Repeat this step until the crack is completely filled with cement.

5. Scrape off excess cement with the trowel. Allow the crack to dry for 24 hours and then check your work.

Tips & Warnings

• Spray water onto the trowel when cleaning the last bit of cement from the patch to give it a smooth look.

References

• Mother Earth News: Repair That Foundation
• Inspectapedia: Foundation Cracking

Resources

• Concrete Network: Methods for Repairing Foundations