How hard is it to repair a badly cracked sidewalk yourself?

Answer 1

I figure Pretty well anybody can mix concrete. No different than flour and water. Wash down the sidewalk real good with water hose on intense stream and blast out the loose stuff. If it can be pulled out-it is not an anchor.
mix the cement on a sheet of plywood or flat surface of some sort that you can wash off with water....using a shovel. Make a 4" high pad of dry cement. Now make a depression in the middle of the dry cement (like a swimming pool) Add water in the "pool". Now, using the shovel, take the dry cement from the outside edges and fold it into the pool - making the cement wet and keeping the water in the center. After awhile the cement will have absorbed all the water. Make another depression like the first, and repeat the first step. Soon all the cement will be wetish. You can decide how wet to make it. Too wet and you can't coral it anymore....too dry and it won't go down the cracks. Once you get the consistency you like,(not too soupy) shovel it onto the sidewalk and pat it down with the shovel and smoothen it with the back of the shovel(if you dont have a trowel).
Then leave it and go find a stiff push broom or corn broom. After 20 minutes it will have semi set up. You can then draw the broom over the surface to give it that brushed look finish. Then leave it.

Answer 2

The most difficult part is to break up the old sidewalk. That is hard physical work. You might rent a power jackhammer or a gasoline saw to cut it up.
You need to prepare the surface underneath the sidewalk. There's a reason it is cracked--perhaps a tree root has invaded the space, or perhaps water washed away the soil underneath. Anyway, a layer of clean gravel is the best for placing a good sidewalk.
When you mix the fresh concrete, do not use too much water. In fact, when mixing, if you think that you did not use enough, you probably have just the right amount. Too much water will make a weak concrete mix and it will not last thru a winter cycle of freezing and thawing.
Replacing one sidewalk square should take about a half-day if you are prepared and are strong.

Answer 3

if it is a lot of sidewalk and badly cracked , tear it out. if you think the cracks look bad wait till you see what a patch job looks like. hire someone who knows what they are doing and it will last a long time...

Answer 4

If it is badly cracked, then you may want to just replace it. bust it up and remove it and pour a new one.