When a slab cracks, a wall spalls, or a foundation shows damage, the repair mortar must match the job. Ardex makes five different repair products, each engineered for a specific concrete failure mode. We diagnose the repair, select the right Ardex mortar, apply the bonded-primer system, and hand off a repair that holds. Free assessment and written quote.
A single repair mortar cannot handle every concrete failure. Cracks need flowable, flexible material that bonds to narrow edges. Spalls require high-strength patching that won't shrink or pop loose. Vertical wall repairs demand non-sag formulations that stay in place during cure. Deep structural repairs need mortars that develop strength without cracking under load. Using one generic product across all these situations is why repairs fail.
Ardex engineered a full range of repair mortars, each formulated for its specific job. We assess the repair type, select the matched Ardex product, prep the substrate to spec, apply the bonded primer, and place the mortar at the right thickness. The system works because the chemistry is matched to the situation, not because we're hoping a general-purpose product will work.
We examine the crack, spall, or structural damage, determine the repair category (horizontal, vertical, deep, structural, or wide-line), and identify the Ardex product engineered for that situation.
Prepare the slab
The repair area is cleaned to bare concrete, saw-cut to clean edges where needed, and prepped to the Ardex specification for that particular mortar product.
Apply bonded primer
The Ardex bonded primer is rolled or brushed onto the prepped substrate. This primer is what creates the permanent bond between the repair mortar and the existing concrete.
Place and finish
The repair mortar is mixed to manufacturer ratios, placed at the engineered thickness, finished to match the surrounding concrete texture, and allowed to cure per Ardex schedule.
Common failure patterns
Why Non-Ardex Repairs Fail
We regularly repair failed repairs where a contractor used a generic mortar or skipped the bonded primer. The patch pops loose, the crack reopens, or the vertical repair sags. These failures happen because the repair product wasn't matched to the situation or the bonding protocol wasn't followed. Ardex exists because one product cannot do every job.
The discipline is matching the mortar to the repair type and following the bonded-primer system. When both are done right, the repair lasts decades. When either is skipped or substituted, the repair fails. We've seen it enough times to know the difference.
Product matching, bonded primer, vertical repair and warranty.
Different repair situations have different load profiles, set time requirements, and substrate conditions. A horizontal patch product placed vertically will sag; a fast-set product placed in a deep section will crack. Matching product to situation is what makes Ardex repairs hold.
Yes. The Ardex bonded primer is what makes the repair material bond permanently to the existing concrete. Skipping or substituting voids the system warranty and risks delamination.
Yes, with the Ardex vertical-repair product that has non-sag rheology. Using a horizontal product on vertical work is one of the most common failure patterns we see in non-Ardex-spec repairs.
Properly matched and installed Ardex repairs last decades. The bond is engineered to outlast the surrounding concrete in most service environments.
Close, not exact. Ardex repair mortars come in standard colors that approximate concrete gray; exact match to old or stained concrete is not achievable. We are honest about the visible difference up front.
Three failed previous repairs popped loose. They used the right Ardex product for vertical work with proper bonded primer; the new repair has held two years. Product match was the difference.
Z. U5
Property Manager, Boston
★★★★★
Structural repair on a deep slab section. They specced the Ardex deep-section product, not the standard mortar another contractor had suggested. Repair holds load, no cracking.
Y. U5
Facility Director, Cambridge
★★★★★
Multiple repair situations across one project, each with the matched Ardex product. The discipline of product-per-situation showed in the result. All repairs holding.
Q. U5
Commercial GC, Somerville
★★★★★
They were honest about color match limitations on the repair. Set the expectation properly, then matched as close as possible. No surprises at handoff.
X. U5
Warehouse Operations, Quincy
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Describe the repair situation (crack, spall, vertical, structural) and the surrounding context, and we will spec the matched Ardex product and send a written quote.
