When you first start reading more about construction, there is a high chance that you may come across more than a few terms that can be confusing. “Concrete Hacking” is one such term. Since these terms are not commonly used, let’s look at concrete hacking and why hacking is important in construction.
To say plainly, hacking in construction is when you create rough textures on the surface of concrete. It is done to help other layers like plaster or paint to stick better to the concrete surface. The thing with concrete is that when you pour it, it hardens into a smooth surface. Usually, it’s a good thing, but it is not ideal when you want to pour something on top. This is where hacking comes in so that you can roughen up that surface. It’s like creating something for a tape to stick to on a smooth wall.
Just like we mentioned, hacking allows you to add another layer to the concrete. It is essential for more than one reason
Creating helps you improve the adhesion to concrete. Without this rough texture, the materials of the added layers may peel or crack over time
With this, you can increase the durability of the structure with less need for repairs
Skipping the hacking process can lead to issues like leaking water, cracks or even structural damage.
There are several tools that professionals use depending on the size and scope of your project. Here are some of the most common ones you may see
Hacking Hammer: It’s a hammer with a chisel-like head. You have to manually chip away at the concrete surface to create the necessary rough structure.
Bush Hammer: It looks like a meat tenderizer with multiple tips where you hit the surface. These tips break the concrete up to create a rough finish.
Needle Scaler: If your projects are of a larger scale, you can see workers using this tool. It is a power tool which has several needles to chip away at the surface. These tools usually give a more aggressive texture.
Angle Grinder: It is a multi-purpose tool which you can fit with different attachments according to your needs. They are usually used for cutting
Chisels: They are used to manually hack away at the concrete surface. You usually see them used in smaller areas that need detailed work. You can also see them being used in areas that are hard to reach with other tools. Also, Read more All You Need to Know About Concrete Mix Design
While the exact steps can vary, here is a general process Before beginning the exact process, they clean the surface to get rid of any debris, dust, or loose particles. The surface needs to be clean to make sure that the process effective. Then they carefully mark the area that you need to hack to make sure that they do not do any unnecessary damage.
Then they choose which they need to use according to the requirements of the product
Now the actual process begins. Hacking usually involves either chipping away at the surface or creating small indentations on it. The depth and spacing of the marks will depend on the requirements of the project.
After they complete the process of hacking, they clean it again to remove loose particles or debris that were created during the process.
Finally, they inspect the area thoroughly to make sure that it has the right level of roughness to implement the next stage of construction.
Just like any other process in construction, hacking also has its advantages and disadvantages. It is important to weigh them to consider if you need to do it and what type of hacking you should get done.
Just like we mentioned above, hacking increases adhesion
Increases Durability
Prevents Cracking and Peeling
Hacking is a time-consuming process, especially if your project is large. If you do not need to have an additional layer, it is an unnecessary step
It is a labour-intensive task that requires skilled workers if you want perfect results
If the process exceeds what they require, it can weaken the concrete and lead to structural issues.
