Concrete Repair Options
Are you curious about your options for repairing sinking concrete near your driveway, front door, patio, or interior foundation? Sinking concrete can be caused by several factors, including soil erosion, water damage, or a poorly constructed foundation. It's important to identify the source of the problem before attempting to repair concrete.
There are several ways to repair your sinking concrete, but the two most common ways are Mudjacking and our favorite solution by far... the state-of-the-art PolyLevel Injection Foam.
Mudjacking
Mudjacking involves lifting concrete slabs that have settled over time with a mortar-based mix. Pumping mortar-based mud or slurry underneath a settling slab is one method of leveling concrete. A mixture of water, soil, sand, and Portland cement is injected and cures to become a solid, stable fill. It creates pressure on the slab as it is pumped beneath the concrete slab, filling any empty spaces. This raises the surface of the slab.
As the slurry hardens, it becomes a solid fill that is more stable than soil and lighter than concrete.
Concrete leveling techniques such as mudjacking, popular for many years, are now considered outdated. The mudjacking process is messy and invasive and does not provide homeowners with the long-lasting solutions they seek. Despite being lighter than concrete, mudjacking slurry is still heavy enough to lead to future settlement-recreating the problem you were trying to solve initially.
Advantages
- Inexpensive option
- Concrete can be leveled for a period of time.
Disadvantages
- Not a permanent fix.
- Disruptive and messy
- Concrete installers leave large holes in the concrete that resemble polka dots.
- Available for use within 1-4 days
PolyLevel
PolyLevel injects lightweight, expanding foam into the soil beneath the slab, which provides a lasting solution to the problem of settling concrete. The foam fills in any voids and supports the slab, while the injection holes are much smaller than those required for mudjacking, making it a more efficient and cost-effective option. PolyLevel also cures quickly, allowing homeowners to use the space immediately after installation.
By expanding many times its original volume, PolyLevel restores the level of sunken concrete. Upon expansion, the polymer hardens and reaches 90 percent or more of its final strength within a few minutes. As a result, the restored surface can be used immediately.
Homeowners can use their driveway in less than 20 minutes of concrete leveling with PolyLevel!
Advantages
- A permanent, affordable solution
- Less messy and non-invasive
- Available for immediate use
- Strong but lightweight
- Eco-friendly
Disadvantages
- It can be more expensive than mudjacking