Tailored repair system for extensive car park concrete cracking Blacktown, New South Wales

An efficient solution for widespread concrete cracking

In September 2025, residents were still settling into their new homes at a recently completed Blacktown apartment development when an unexpected issue demanded attention. Movement cracking was appearing across the floors of the two-level concrete car park. Some cracks were barely more than hairline; others were wider and required a more substantial repair approach.

New residents were coming and going, moving into storage cages and making full use of the car park. More than 850 linear metres of cracking needed to be rectified – and quickly – without bringing everyday activity to a standstill.

The strata managers called Fosroc ANZ Account Manager, Daniel Hartland, for advice and a timely solution. Daniel brought Firmstone Flooring Specialists on board and worked with Director Luciano Reale to determine the best way forward. Luciano brought extensive concrete remediation experience to the job, but was new to the Fosroc ANZ repair range. That made responsive technical guidance, careful product selection and practical support on site an important part of getting this substantial repair program underway quickly.

Daniel attended the site with Fosroc ANZ Training Manager, Craig Simmons, to inspect the cracking and discuss the proposed application process with the Firmstone team.

"Luciano is very experienced in concrete repair and already had a good idea of the products he wanted to use," Daniel said. "Craig and I attended site to review the cracking, discuss the application method and confirm that the proposed Fosroc products were suitable for the repairs."

Matching the product to the repair

Craig Simmons specified both Nitofill® LV and Conbextra® EP10, giving the applicator options for addressing different crack widths and repair requirements.

Nitofill LV is a high-strength, low-viscosity epoxy resin injection system developed for cracks in concrete and masonry. Its low viscosity allows the resin to penetrate even very fine cracks, making it particularly suitable for structural crack repairs.

The injected resin helps consolidate the concrete and exclude water and air from contact with reinforcement. It is also non-shrink and provides excellent adhesion, helping create a strong and durable bond within the repaired concrete.

Conbextra EP10 is a low-viscosity epoxy grout suitable for filling hairline cracks in concrete and small gaps of less than 10mm. It develops high compressive, tensile and flexural strengths, while its non-shrink formulation helps achieve complete surface contact and bond.

Its resistance to repetitive dynamic loading is particularly beneficial in trafficked environments such as car parks. Low creep characteristics provide performance under sustained loading, while early strength gain supports efficient installation and return to service.

For Luciano, who had previously worked with other epoxy crack repair systems, the practical handling characteristics of the Fosroc products were a key advantage. Straightforward mixing and proportioning made preparation easier for the applicators, while the products were easy to apply and could be efficiently ground back after curing to achieve the required finish.

"I hadn't used Fosroc products before. I'd been using other basic epoxy crack injectors on the market, but the Fosroc range is different and better. The handling is easier and the mix ratio is simpler too – you’re working in litres rather than having to weigh everything out in kilos,” Luciano said.

Product performance was backed by another important advantage: local supply and support. Fosroc ANZ’s Australian manufacturing and readily available stock helped Firmstone keep the project moving, while direct access to the local technical and sales teams meant advice was available quickly throughout the works.

Balancing repairs with ongoing access

Firmstone prepared each crack according to its width and condition. Some areas were opened further where required to allow sufficient repair material to penetrate before being injected or filled.

The repairs could be slightly overfilled and the excess material ground back once cured. Luciano found the Fosroc products easy to grind, helping the team efficiently achieve the required finish.

Keeping the residential car park operational added another challenge. Rather than closing the facility, Firmstone staged the work and barricaded individual sections as repairs progressed.

"The challenge was getting the area cleared of vehicles. We barricaded sections, but we still had cars in place, so we had to work around them," Luciano said.

Despite the access constraints, the repair program was completed on schedule with minimal disruption to residents and ongoing vehicle traffic.

Support throughout the project

Fosroc's involvement extended beyond supplying the products. Both Craig and Daniel provided guidance as the project progressed.

"Daniel came past every second day to have a look at the job," Luciano said. "He showed us how to chase the cracks out, fill them and make sure everything was right."

Fosroc ANZ NSW State Sales Manager, Noel Andrew, also conducted a follow-up site visit to review progress and confirm sufficient product was available to complete the works.

Reliable product availability was another important advantage for Firmstone. With stock readily available from Fosroc's Wetherill Park Construction Centre, supply could easily keep pace with the project’s tight repair schedule.

Daniel said the project also provided an opportunity to build Firmstone's familiarity with the broader Fosroc repair range.

"Luciano attended our hands-on one-day concrete repair training course at Padstow, which combines theory with practical, hands-on product application. He came away with greater product knowledge and more confidence using the Fosroc repair range," Daniel said.

A strong result on site and beyond

This was a substantial repair program, with a tight timeframe and the added challenge of working around a car park that needed to remain largely operational. Close coordination between Fosroc and Firmstone kept the project moving, with the four-person team completing the works in just four days while keeping disruption to new residents to a minimum.

The result was more than a fast, successful repair. For Firmstone, the project built confidence in Fosroc’s concrete repair range and showed the value of having responsive technical expertise and reliable local supply behind the products.