Concrete Repair + Coating Austin TX
Crack stitching, divot fill, and resurface before coating — restoring degraded slabs in one mobilization. Built for the drought-cracked, clay-shifted, and pitted slabs we see across Austin.
Most floor coating crews in Austin will tell you a cracked slab needs to be poured over with new concrete before they’ll quote a coating. That’s expensive, slow, and usually unnecessary. Concrete repair plus coating is a single-mobilization process that combines structural crack stitching, divot fill, and surface resurfacing with the floor coating install itself — one crew, three to four days, no new pour. Austin Epoxy Floor Pros handles the slabs other crews walk away from: drought-split garages in East Austin and Pflugerville, settled slabs over Hill Country limestone in Bee Cave, pitted 1980s-1990s slabs in Cedar Park and Round Rock, and post-renovation slabs where someone tore out vinyl and left adhesive and divots behind. Call (737) 325-0985 for a free on-site visit and an itemized written quote that breaks out the repair scope.
What “Repair + Coating” Means in Austin
A slab in bad shape has three different problems and they don’t all get solved the same way. First, structural cracks: hairline cracks are cosmetic and easy to handle, but cracks wider than 1/16 inch (especially those that are open, raised on one side, or running the full width of the slab) are structural and need stitching with fiber reinforcement and structural epoxy paste. Second, divots, pits, and spalling: the surface itself has lost concrete to chemical contamination, freeze-thaw spalling, or impact damage; these get filled with a hardenable patching compound and ground flush. Third, deep surface contamination: old adhesive from pulled-up vinyl, motor oil that’s penetrated deep, or efflorescence from chronic moisture; these get diamond ground until clean concrete is exposed. The repair + coating workflow handles all three in a single mobilization, then coats over the repaired surface so you get a uniform, finished floor.
Project Details
| Install Timeline | 3 to 4 days on-site, depending on repair scope |
|---|---|
| Cure to Walk On | 4 to 6 hours after the topcoat |
| Cure to Drive On | 24 hours after the topcoat |
| Repair Scope | Crack stitching, divot fill, spall repair, surface resurfacing, adhesive removal — all in scope |
| Materials | Structural epoxy paste, polyurea joint filler, mineral-aggregate patching compound, MVE primer, epoxy base, polyaspartic topcoat |
| Warranty | 15 years topcoat, 5 years workmanship on the coating; 1 year on repair-only work where coating is not installed |
| Permit Required | None for owner-occupied residential garages in the city of Austin |
| Pricing | Quoted per job after free on-site inspection — every quote is itemized in writing. |
Our Process
On-Site Diagnosis
Free visit. We measure the slab, map every crack and divot with photographs, classify each crack as active or dormant, and pull moisture readings on multiple zones. Every repair scope item gets documented in the written estimate.
Diamond Grinding to Clean Concrete
Planetary grinder pulls the surface to clean concrete, removing old paint, adhesive, sealer, and chemical contamination. On drought-cracked slabs we grind to expose the full crack profile so we can stitch the entire fault line, not just the visible portion.
Crack Stitching and Joint Repair
Active cracks (those that move with temperature or moisture) get a flexible polyurea joint filler. Dormant cracks get chased open, fiber-reinforced, and filled with structural epoxy paste. Cracks wider than 1/4 inch get fiberglass mesh reinforcement bonded into the paste. The repair is ground flush after cure.
Divot Fill and Surface Resurfacing
Pits, divots, and spalled areas get filled with a hardenable mineral-aggregate patching compound rated to take a coating. Larger spalled zones get resurfaced with a microtopping that ties the new surface to the surrounding slab seamlessly. Cured surface is ground flush.
MVE Primer + Base Coat
Moisture-vapor-emission primer if moisture testing requires it. Then a 100%-solids epoxy base coat at full thickness — the repaired surface gets the same coating system as any garage we install. Optional decorative flake or color quartz broadcast.
Polyaspartic Topcoat + Walk-Through
UV-stable polyaspartic topcoat seals the coating system. Walk-through confirms the repair areas are invisible under the finished floor, warranty paperwork delivered.
Materials We Use
| Crack Stitching (Active) | Sika Sikaflex polyurea joint filler — flexible enough to move with the crack, hard enough to take traffic |
|---|---|
| Crack Stitching (Dormant) | Roadware 10 Minute Concrete Mender + fiberglass mesh reinforcement for cracks wider than 1/4 inch |
| Divot Fill | Sika SikaQuick 1000 or similar fast-set mineral patching compound — coatable after 4-hour cure |
| Surface Resurfacing | Polymer-modified microtopping rated for coating overlay |
| MVE Primer | Penntek or Citadel MVE primer rated to 25 lb/1000sf MVER |
| Coating System | 100%-solids epoxy base + aliphatic polyaspartic topcoat (Penntek, PolyTek, or Wolverine ArmorClad) |
Common Scenarios We See in Austin
Drought-Cracked Slab in East Austin or Pflugerville
Houston Black clay soil east of I-35 swells and shrinks 6 to 8 inches between wet and dry. The 2011 and 2022 droughts cracked many 1990s and 2000s slabs diagonally. We stitch with fiber reinforcement and structural paste, then coat.
Settled or Pitted Slab over Limestone
West-of-MoPac Hill Country homes sit on Edwards limestone subgrade with occasional voids and uneven bedding. Slabs settle in spots, leaving low areas or pitted surface texture. We level with microtopping and coat.
Old Adhesive from Pulled-Up Vinyl
Homeowner pulled up vinyl tile in a 1970s-1980s ranch and is left with brown asphalt adhesive bonded to the slab. We grind it off (testing for asbestos first if the original tile is suspect), expose clean concrete, then coat.
Spalled Slab from Freeze-Thaw or Salt
Garage doorway threshold spalled from the winter de-icing salt that comes off the cars after a Hill Country ice storm. We resurface the spalled area, blend to the surrounding slab, and coat the whole floor.
Post-Renovation Bare Slab
Homeowner finished out a previously unfinished bonus room or basement and is left with a rough, contractor-grade slab. We grind clean, fill any divots, and coat to living-space finish.
Oil-Saturated Garage Floor
Decades of motor oil drips left a black oil-saturated zone where the car parked. We diamond grind to clean concrete (oil migrates from below if heavily contaminated) and may use a primer specified for oil-contaminated substrates. Honest assessment at the estimate.
How We Diagnose Whether the Slab Is Repairable
Not every slab can be saved with a repair-plus-coat workflow. Some slabs are too far gone — deep heaving, broken into multiple pieces, or sinking from a void underneath that won’t get filled by surface patching. We’re honest at the estimate about what’s a candidate and what isn’t. Three diagnostic questions: First, is the slab still in plane (a level laid across it shows it’s flat to within roughly 1/4 inch over 10 feet)? Second, are the cracks active (moving with seasonal moisture) or dormant (stable for years)? Third, is the underlying subgrade still supporting the slab uniformly? If any of those answers is bad, we tell you and recommend the alternative — usually slab replacement by a concrete contractor, with us coming back to coat the new slab after 28 days of cure.
Warranty in Detail
What’s covered
15-year product warranty on the polyaspartic topcoat: hot-tire lift, blistering, peeling, delamination, UV chalking, fade. 5-year workmanship warranty on the coating install. 1-year warranty on crack-stitching and repair work when coated — the stitch holds and stays bonded.
What’s NOT covered
New cracks that develop after repair from continued slab movement (the repair stabilizes existing cracks but doesn’t stop new movement; if your slab is actively moving from clay swell, new cracks may appear elsewhere). Catastrophic slab failure from underlying subgrade voiding or foundation issues. Repairs without coating are warrantied for one year only because the surface protection is part of the system.
Transferable
Free transfer at sale. Coating warranty + repair warranty both update to the next owner’s name on request.
How We Quote a Repair Job
Repair scope is the variable. We itemize: number of cracks stitched, linear footage of joint detail, square footage of divot or spall repair, square footage of microtopping resurfacing, diamond grinding labor (heavier than a standard install), and the coating system itself. You can see exactly what the repair is adding to the job versus a standard coating. If the slab is borderline and you want to think about whether to repair or replace, we’ll lay out both options at the estimate — we don’t push repair when replacement is the better answer.
After the Install
Walk-through at end of install with warranty paperwork, manufacturer data sheets on every repair material, a documented map of the repaired areas (so any future contractor knows where the stitching is), and a cleaning instruction sheet. At 30 days we email a check-in. At 12 months we’ll come back for a no-charge inspection of the repair zones — the first year is when any repair issue would show.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big a crack can you stitch?
Up to about 1/2 inch wide with fiber reinforcement and structural epoxy paste. Above that, the crack is usually a sign of underlying slab failure and we’d recommend a concrete contractor look at it first. Vertical displacement (one side of the crack higher than the other by more than 1/8 inch) is also a flag — it suggests the subgrade is moving differently on each side.
Will the crack come back through the coating?
If the slab keeps moving from clay swell or other forces, eventually yes — the surface protection telegraphs the underlying movement. The stitch keeps the crack from opening further at the surface, but it cannot stop the slab from moving. We disclose this honestly at the estimate.
Can you repair a sunken slab?
If the sinking is mild (less than 1/2 inch over 10 feet), we can resurface with microtopping to level. If the sinking is more severe, it’s a foundation or subgrade issue — mudjacking or polyurethane foam injection from a foundation contractor would be the first step, then we coat after that’s complete.
What about old asbestos vinyl?
If your home is pre-1985 and had vinyl tile that’s now been removed, we recommend an asbestos test on any remaining adhesive before grinding. Asbestos removal is handled by a licensed abatement contractor; we coat after abatement is complete.
Can you fix oil stains?
Surface oil stains, yes — diamond grinding removes the contaminated top layer. Deep oil saturation (oil that’s migrated into the slab pore structure) is harder; we sometimes use an oil-contaminant primer specified for that situation, but extensive saturation may require slab replacement. Honest assessment at the estimate.
Is repair plus coating cheaper than tearing out and re-pouring?
Almost always, yes — by a large margin. Tearing out a slab requires demolition, debris hauling, new concrete, 28-day cure, and only then a coating install. Repair plus coating gets you to a finished floor in 3 to 4 days without slab replacement. The exceptions are slabs that are beyond saving — severe sinking, multiple-piece failure, or active subgrade movement — where replacement is the right answer.
Will the repair show through the finished coating?
Stitched cracks and patched divots can sometimes be faintly visible under a clear-topcoat-only finish. We recommend a flake or quartz broadcast over repaired floors because the broadcast hides any minor surface variation. With broadcast, the repaired areas are invisible.
Can you do repair only, without coating?
Yes — we’ll come out for repair-only work like a single cracked garage threshold or a patio spall repair. The warranty on repair-only is 1 year because the surface is unprotected. Most homeowners decide to coat the whole floor once they’re already doing the prep work; it’s a small incremental cost for full surface protection.
How long does the whole job take?
3 to 4 days on-site depending on repair scope. A single-bay garage with 3 to 5 cracks and minor divots is 3 days. A two-bay garage with extensive crack stitching and microtopping resurfacing is 4 days.
What does concrete repair plus coating cost in Austin?
Repair scope is the variable. We itemize every repair line so you see exactly what’s being added to a standard coating quote. Call (737) 325-0985 for a free on-site visit and an itemized written estimate.
Serving Greater Austin
Free Repair + Coating Estimate
We tackle the slabs other crews walk away from. Itemized repair scope. Written, transparent quotes.
What You Get in Our Quote vs. the Lowball Bid
We don’t compete on the lowest sticker price — we compete on the quote that gets the job actually done. Here is what is included in every quote we write, and the cut-corners that show up in cheaper bids.
Included in our written quote
- Concrete moisture + porosity testing
- Crack and pitting repair before coating
- Full diamond-grind surface prep
- Written quote with flake/coat specs
- Cure-time schedule you can plan around
- 5-year warranty against delamination
Cut corners in the lowball bid
- Coating over uncured or wet slab
- Roller-only prep (no diamond grind)
- Lowball quotes without crack repair
- Subbed-out installation
- No moisture testing before coat
- Warranties full of fine print