Concrete Repair in Travis Ranch, Texas

Why newer concrete cracks

The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) puts it plainly: all concrete tends to crack, and completely crack-free concrete isn't possible. Most random cracks that appear early are unsightly but rarely affect the structure or service life of the slab. One caution for young concrete: cracking within a few years of installation may point to an installation error, such as too much water in the mix or too few control joints.

Reading a crack by its width

Width decides the fix. Epoxy fills cracks of ⅛ inch or less, while cracks ½ inch or wider get a foam backer rod pushed in before filling. Uneven cracks wider than one inch could point to a structural problem underneath. Where the crack is still expected to move a little, the Texas Department of Transportation's repair manual routs a V-shaped groove about ⅜ inch deep along it and seals it to keep water out.

Spalled surfaces and broken sections

The American Concrete Pavement Association keeps partial-depth repair for spalls in the upper one-third to one-half of the slab that don't expose steel. Deeper damage, or a crack that runs through the full thickness, calls for a full-depth repair of that section. A lightly or moderately scaled surface can take a thin bonded resurfacing over sound, cleaned concrete instead, though NRMCA warns the repair won't match the original color.

Drainage, the lake and North Texas weather

The community was built out with municipal utility districts, local districts that build and pay for water, sewer and drainage in a new development. The sections inside Kaufman County MUD No. 5 were developed with water distribution, sanitary sewer, storm drainage and road facilities, and Scarborough Lane Development, the original developer's representative, lists MUDs No. 5, 6 and 7 as serving the community. The HOA describes the community as master-planned, with views of Lake Ray Hubbard and the Dallas skyline.

Water under a slab is behind many repairs. A driveway sinking in spots usually has a poorly compacted subgrade or soil erosion under it, and hidden causes such as roots or a leaking pipe eroding the base may mean replacement is the only option.

Freezes and summer heat

DFW Airport averages 29 freeze days a winter (1991-2020), and the National Weather Service says urbanization has cut freezes there compared with the suburban and rural parts of the Metroplex. NRMCA says fresh concrete freezes below about 25°F and should be protected until it reaches 500 psi, about two days after placement, which matters for any patch or new section poured in winter. In summer, it lists wind over 5 mph, low humidity and high temperatures as the conditions behind plastic shrinkage cracks.

Other concrete work around Travis Ranch

Nearly every home here is a single-family detached house (2,903 of 2,947 in the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 estimates), and about 87% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners. Building is still going on: as of January 1, 2024, the MUD No. 5 sections had 524 completed homes, 17 under construction and 5 vacant developed lots, with D.R. Horton the active builder in Travis Ranch South and the Governor Lots.

Besides repair, we handle leveling for sections that have settled, resurfacing and sealing for worn surfaces, driveway replacement when a slab is past saving, and new patios, walks and pads. North across the Heath city line, Garland Elite Concrete builds concrete pool decks in Heath, and closer to Mesquite it pours driveway aprons in Sunnyvale.

Questions about repairs in the community