Jacking Concrete Slabs With Polyurethane Foam

Uneven and damaged concrete slabs may be unsightly and pose hazards to a homeowner. Besides being unsafe, sagging concrete flooring could be indicative of severe underlying problems in the future and is best repaired as soon as possible.

The options available to you depend on your budget and timeframe. You can polyurethane raise, mudjack, or consider concrete replacement as a way to fix unlevel or sunken concrete.

Foam Jacking – The Lift You Need

Foam jacking is a concrete leveling method where holes are drilled into the uneven or sagging concrete slab and polyurethane foam is injected into the space below solidifying immediately. Concrete jacking using foam is a faster and inexpensive method of slab raising that does not lose density or shrinks and is a lighter material to apply, weighing only about 2lbs. per cubic feet, to an area already burdened with weight issues. Application is easy and simple and repaired areas can be walked on or driven on almost immediately. Foam lifting can be done in any weather condition, is especially long-lasting, and best of all is safe both for the environment and for occupants of a house.

The finish obtained by using PU (polyurethane) foam is far superior to mudjacking. It is more suited for concrete that is load-bearing such as basements, foundations, garage floors, office, and warehouse floors. Polyurethane foam costs vary and is largely dependent on the amount of lift needed, the hazards present, and the accessibility of the area needing repairs. Homeguide estimates the cost of slab raising using polyurethane foam to be $5 – $25 per/SF and the average cost of an 800 SF basement floor to be between $5,000 – $12,000. That is significantly cheaper than replacing the concrete flooring completely.

Polyurethane foam should not be used to raise and stabilize concrete slabs near electrical boxes, on areas requiring strength of more than 80-100 PSI, on frozen ground or on slabs not made entirely of concrete.

Mudjacking also has holes drilled through the concrete with a concrete, water, and limestone mixture used as a filler. It is ideal for concrete slabs, driveways, porches, patios, walkways, steps, and pool decks. It is about 40- 50% less than the cost of slabjacking but ideally needs an overnight curing time and is subject to weather conditions and wear and tear and would need to be repaired or replaced within 5-10 years.

Concrete replacement is a costly method that entails removing the existing concrete slab in its entirety and having a new layer of concrete poured on. The newly-laid floor would need to cure fully for a few days before it can be used or driven on, on frozen ground, or on slabs not exclusively made of concrete.

To get started on your concrete slabjacking repairs with an industry-leading construction company,  contact Advantage Construction today to discuss your project.