Gaps between sidewalk sections are usually joints, which are planned breaks that let the concrete expand, shrink and crack in controlled places. Over time, these joints can open wider, lose their filler or fill with dirt and weeds, especially if the sections have shifted.
A small, even gap is often normal. A wide or growing gap, or one where the sections are no longer level, may point to movement worth looking into.
Why Sidewalks Have Joints
Concrete shrinks a little as it cures and moves with temperature changes. Without joints, it would crack in random places. Joints give that movement somewhere to go.
Some joints are tooled or cut into the surface. Others are full breaks between separate sections, sometimes with a flexible strip in between. Both can look like gaps as the sidewalk ages.
When a Gap Becomes a Problem
Gaps can grow for different reasons. Soil under the sidewalk may settle or wash away, letting one section drift. Roots can push sections apart. Water that gets into an open joint can soften the ground below. Repeated wetting and drying, plus the occasional freeze in a North Carolina winter, may add to the movement.
Signs a gap may need attention include:
- one section sitting higher or lower than the next,
- soil washing out of the joint after rain,
- a gap that seems wider each year, and
- broken corners along the joint.
A gap along the edge of the sidewalk, where it meets the lawn or a driveway, can have similar causes. Soil may have washed away or settled next to the concrete, leaving the edge with less support.
Weeds, Dirt and Water
Open joints collect dirt, which gives weeds a place to grow. Roots from weeds and grass can widen the space a little more. Pulling weeds and keeping the joint clean helps, but it won’t fix a gap caused by movement.
In some cases, a contractor may recommend cleaning and resealing joints with a flexible material. This can help keep water and debris out. It tends to help most when the sections are still stable and level.
Knowing What to Do Next
The right step depends on why the gap formed. If the sections are sound and only the filler is gone, joint work may be enough. If sections have shifted, settled or cracked, repairs to those sections or the support beneath them may be needed. Sometimes replacement of a section makes more sense than trying to repair it.
If the sidewalk runs along a street, check with your local government before starting any work.
Our concrete sidewalk repair service looks at the joints and the sections around them. Contact us if the gaps in your Burlington sidewalk seem to be growing.
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