What Are Concrete Pops and What Causes Them?

If you’ve noticed small craters, chips, or broken areas on the surface of your driveway, walkway, or patio, you might be dealing with concrete pops. These seemingly minor blemishes are more than cosmetic—they’re early warning signs of deeper surface vulnerability.

Concrete pops, pitting, and scaling are often discussed together because they stem from similar surface failure mechanisms, though they differ slightly in appearance and progression.

Understanding the “Pop”

A concrete pop, also referred to as a ping or small blowout, occurs when a small area of the surface breaks away, leaving behind a crater-like hole. These pops can vary in size but are often shallow and circular, resembling a pockmark.