Concrete is a material that requires proper maintenance. Failure to sustain concrete can cause it to sink or settle over time. Settled concrete does not only damage your property’s structural integrity but also decreases its market value. You have to level the concrete to resolve this issue.
In this article, we will analyze concrete leveling and its types, signs that your property requires concrete jacking, benefits and drawbacks of the leveling process, and concrete jacking costs.
What is Concrete Leveling?
Concrete leveling refers to the process of :
- Repairing cracks in the concrete slabs.
- Leveling uneven concrete slabs.
- Lifting sunken slabs.
Some other names for concrete leveling are:
- Concrete lifting.
- Concrete jacking.
- Concrete raising.
- Mudjacking / Slabjacking.
Concrete surfaces can be damaged or sink over time. Deranged or misaligned concrete slabs are not only visually appealing but also pose some serious safety hazards.
If someone stumbles, falls, and gets injured from a damaged concrete surface on your property, you can even face an unwanted lawsuit. Keeping this in view, the requirement of getting your concrete slabs leveled is inevitable. Concrete slabs in the following spaces might need to be leveled.
- Sidewalks.
- Driveways.
- Orches.
- Patios.
- Pool decks, etc.
Remember! Although concrete leveling is a good option for repairing damaged concrete slabs, sometimes the situation gets so bad that concrete leveling cannot fix the problem. For instance:
- The appearance of multiple cracks in the slabs.
- Desire to change concrete’s texture, design, function, or visual appearance.
- Too much slab lifting due to tree roots.
Signs of Uneven Concrete Surfaces
Here are some signs indicating you need to level the concrete surface.
- Any slab that has sunken by at least a quarter inch.
- Soil erosion or cracking under the concrete slabs.
- Sinking slabs causing tipping hazards.
- Warped floors.
- Deranged porch or pool deck.
Step-by-Step Process of Concrete Leveling
The experts follow underlying steps to level the concrete. Remember that there can be variations in these steps based on the company you are hiring.
Step 1: The professionals drill holes through the sunken concrete slabs.
Step 2: Then, they install a delivery port into these holes. This step enables the delivery of the lifting material to the gaps present under the slabs.
Step 3: Following this, they inject the leveling compound through these holes to fill the gaps.
Step 4: The experts examine the vertical movement and make sure that the slabs have reached the desired elevation.
Step 5: Lastly, the drilled holes are repaired.
Different Types of Concrete Leveling
There are two different methods for leveling concrete:
- Mudjacking and
- Foam Concrete Leveling.
Have a look at how these methods work.
Mudjacking
In Mudjacking or Slabjacking, a cement slurry is injected underneath the slab to raise it. The mixture or slurry comprises soil, sand, and cement mixed in water. This slurry resembles mud in appearance, so the process is named mud-jacking. Experts perform mudjacking by following these simple steps.
Step 1: A hole (two inches in size) is drilled into the slab you intend to repair.
Step 2: The slurry is injected into the gaps beneath the sab.
Step 3: After raising the slabs to the desired level, the voids are also filled.
Mudjacking is a popular and money-saving method of leveling and can lift heavy concrete slabs, but:
The cement slurry is prone to erosion.
The process is untidy.
Polyurethane foam Jacking
In this method, the experts use polyurethane foam instead of cement slurry to repair or lift the slab. The polyjacking procedure is performed by following this protocol.
Step 1: Drill small holes into the slab to be lifted.
Step 2: Insert the foam into the holes beneath the slab.
Step 3: The foam expands, thereby filling the gaps. In this way, you raise the concrete slab.
Step 4: Refill the gaps via a compound that is similar in appearance to the slabs.
Advantages of Polyjacking
There are numerous benefits of poly jacking, such as:
It is pocket-friendly and less disruptive.
The holes drilled in polyjacking are smaller than those in mudjacking.
Polyurethane foam is resistant to water damage.
It enables concrete slabs to hold more weight.
Slabs leveled using this method heal up quickly as compared to mudjacking.
How much does Concrete Leveling Cost?
Average Mudjacking Costs: $3 – $8 per square foot.
Average Polyjacking /costs: $5 – $25 per square foot.
Polyjacking is around 35% more costly than mudjacking. The variation in leveling costs depends on the underlying factors:
Per square foot price.
Project’s location.
Size of the concrete slab.
Accessibility of the slab.
Pros and Cons of Concrete Leveling
Just like anything else, the process of leveling concrete has its advantages and disadvantages.
Benefits of Concrete Leveling
The advantages of this process are as follows:
Cost Effectiveness: By getting your concrete leveled, you can save yourself from spending a hefty amount on replacing the slab that is 70% more expensive.
Time-saving: Experts can repair the damaged slab within hours. You don’t have to wait for several days for the slab to get fixed.
Ease: You do not require heavy machinery to lift the slabs. The slabs are repaired without demolition.
Visual Appeal: Replacing the slabs can result in mismatched slabs. Concrete jacking, on the other hand, does not affect your home’s visual appeal.
Disadvantages of Concrete Leveling
The drawbacks of this process are as follows:
Cracks Persist: The cracks do not go away completely; they are only fixed and may reappear over time.
Uncertainty: The repairing professionals are unaware of the repairing outcome until the concrete lifting process is complete.
Prone to Damage: Natural conditions like soil erosion, compaction, or expansion can damage the repairing material.
Conclusion
Concrete surfaces are prone to damage and, therefore, require proper maintenance. Concrete jacking is used to repair damaged concrete slabs. There are two methods of lifting concrete, i.e., poly jacking and mud jacking.
Although mudjacking is a popular repair method, poly jacking harnesses more benefits. Concrete jacking saves your time and money, and does not disturb or affect the curb appeal of your home.
If you’re experiencing any signs like tipping hazards, warped floors, and misaligned decks, hire mudjacking/ polyjacking experts today.
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