This is a question with a dozen different answers. There are several types of superficial cracks, there are purposeful cracks (believe it or not), and there are structural cracks from age or settling. Depending on the type of cracks you’re seeing form in your garage’s floor, you may be fine just letting it be, or you might want to call us right away after reading this article.

Superficial and Intentional Cracks in the Garage Floor

Cement is similar to wood in the way that it is affected by humidity and temperature changes. Its appearance can also be compromised by how the slab was initially poured. If you’re seeing little hairline cracks in a web pattern that aren’t more than a couple millimeters deep, this is likely because the top of the concrete dried too fast when it was first poured. Not something you need to worry about. Or, you may have noticed you have a crack that is nearly a straight line running the length of your garage. This is called a control joint and is actually intentional – concrete pourers leave these joints in their initial pour to control how the slab cracks as the garage settles. Basically, it’s a way to accept the inevitable settling of the garage while also preventing the settling from compromising the garage’s structure.

Other Cracks in Your Garage Floor: The Bad Kinds

If you have several cracks in your concrete slab that are moving in such a way that parts of the floor are sinking and others are rising, your slab wasn’t constructed properly initially, and all this movement can affect the structure of your garage. Similarly, if a crack in the garage’s floor continues up one of the garage’s walls, this is also a foundational issue that will compromise the garage’s structure. These are issues that need immediately repaired (if possible) or could even require you to have contractors raise your garage to pour a new slab that is structurally sound. It’s not cheap and not fun, but it will ensure these issues don’t become worse and eventually affect the foundation of your house as well (if you have an attached garage).

So, if you’re noticing cracks in your garage floor that seem like they might be more than the typical settling cracks or control joints, you need to call a professional immediately to come to your home and tell you exactly what’s happening and what you need to do next.