Foam Concrete Leveling: The Best Slab Lifting Option
Quality Poly Level Foam for Various Applications
Concrete is one of the most common building materials on the planet. It is strong. It is versatile. It is also very heavy. When that heavy concrete is placed on soil that is not properly compacted or is suffering from erosion, it will start to sink and settle. And when your concrete starts to sink, polyurethane foam concrete leveling is your best option.
What is Foam Concrete Leveling?
Foam concrete leveling is a modern and efficient technique used to restore sinking or uneven concrete slabs to their original position. This innovative method involves injecting polyurethane foam beneath the affected slab. The foam expands, filling voids in the soil, compacting loose material, and gently lifting the concrete back into alignment.
Traditionally, mudjacking was the go-to solution for leveling uneven concrete. However, with advancements in material science and construction technology, polyurethane foam leveling—often referred to as polyjacking—has become the preferred method. Unlike mudjacking, which uses a heavier slurry, the polyurethane foam used in this process is lightweight, durable, and highly effective at addressing the underlying causes of sinking, such as soil erosion or poor compaction.
This process not only stabilizes the slab but also ensures long-term durability by reinforcing the ground beneath it. Because the foam expands rapidly upon injection, it can fill even the smallest voids, providing comprehensive support. The procedure requires minimal disruption, and the small holes drilled for foam injection can be easily patched afterward, leaving a clean and polished finish.
By incorporating polyurethane foam, this modern approach resolves settling issues efficiently, ensuring the integrity and functionality of your concrete slabs. Whether it’s a driveway, sidewalk, or patio, foam concrete leveling is an excellent choice for homeowners and contractors alike.
Why You Might Need Concrete Leveling
The problem with concrete settling isn’t necessarily the settling itself. If an entire concrete slab were to uniformly settle a small amount, it might not even cause any issues.
Unfortunately, when weak or eroded soil is the problem, it is rarely similarly weak or eroded over a large area. That means the settlement is uneven rather than uniform. And uneven settlement stresses concrete, causing cracks.
Because the cracks separate portions of the slab that are settling at different rates, the two sides of the crack aren’t going to be level with each other. And where there is an elevation change in cracked concrete, there is a tripping hazard.
The more the concrete settles unevenly, the more cracks will form. Eventually you might get to the point where the concrete is even too damaged to be leveled and the entire slab must be replaced.
That is why foam concrete leveling is important. It can improve the look of your slab and eliminate tripping hazards while also prolonging the life of your concrete. And that can save you money in the long run.
How Does Polyurethane Foam Concrete Leveling Work?
Given that the problems are caused by the weight of the concrete causing it to sink into the weak soil below, it makes sense that the solution must also come from below the ground.
When the foam is injected under the concrete, it expands, hydraulically lifting the slab while also expanding outward to fill voids and gaps in the soil. This serves a similar function as compaction, except from under the ground.
The foam injection process also allows us to lift your slab with a high degree of precision.
How Long Does Polyurethane Foam Leveling Last?
While some other concrete leveling techniques have a tendency to erode or break down over time, that is not true of polyurethane foam.
The foam is chemically structured to not break down in the presence of water or chemicals within the soil.
When done correctly, foam concrete leveling is not just some temporary fix.
Our Concrete Leveling Process
While there might be slight variations based on the size of the slab or whether it is indoor or outdoor, there is a basic set of steps that fits any polyurethane foam concrete leveling job we do.
1. We inspect the site to determine the optimum places to inject the foam. We do not guess.
2. We drill a small hole at each injection site. These holes will later be filled and are much smaller than those used for other lifting methods such as mudjacking.
3. We inject the foam beneath the concrete, monitoring every step of the way to give your concrete slab a precise lift to both raise the slab section enough to make it level and avoid over-correcting.
4. Any excess foam is cleaned and the holes are refilled.
Why Polyjacking is Better Than Mudjacking
Read more about why polyurethane foam leveling beats mudjacking
Using the Right Foam is Key
Not all polyurethane foams are equally effective.
We use Precision Lift foam from a company called Prime Resins, an industry leader in manufacturing structural repair, leak sealing, coating/lining, slab lifting, and soil stabilization products.
Precision Lift does more than just lift the slab. It contains special technology that controls soil erosion, while stabilizing the surrounding soil and having the highest strength void filling.
Precision Lift is the top choice for slab-lifting foam.
Contact Us For a Slab Lifting Estimate
If you are in need of foam concrete leveling, contact us today for information or to schedule a free, no obligation analysis.