Lifting Concrete with Foam, Can it Be Done?
Concrete Leveling with Foam……? I know, right? How can you lift concrete with foam? Is it strong enough? Here is a quick video showing how it works. Watch this quick video below to show how this new technology of foam concrete lifting is revolutionizing the way home owners, highways, and businesses repair their sidewalk, driveways, and buildings.
Replacing concrete costs 200% to 400% TIMES the price of lifting or leveling or concrete. Lifting with polyurethane foam is by far the most effective and long-lasting concrete repair method.
Why not Mudjacking?
Well, Mudjacking can be good if you don’t actually care if the problem is corrected 🙂 . . . . A little humor there. Mudjacking is just that, MUD, maybe with a bit of cement mix.
You know what happens to MUD when you add water? It washes away, or gets soft, undoing everything you just paid for.
So how can foam be the answer. . . ? First thing that probably comes to your mind is those foam spray cans from Home Depot. That’s not what we are talking about here. This type of foam, after injected within 15 minutes is as hard as concrete. You literally have to drill through it or break through it with a jackhammer if you want to make it through.
HOWEVER! Even though it is so hard, concrete leveling with foam is nearly 50 TIMES LIGHTER than mudjacking, and it is completely waterproof. That means the water CANNOT wash it away or pollute the environment.
The lightweight coupled with being waterproof, gives you a longer warranty, and a better product that can ultimately fix the problem.
Pros and Cons of Mudjacking
Pros
- This is a less expensive process.
- Mudjacking has been around for decades, and the equipment is cheap, so more contractors install it.
- The injection slurry is mostly mud and cement, so the negative impact on the environment it low.
Cons
- The slurry is uneven and rough in texture and sometimes does not completely fill voids below a concrete slab, increasing the likelihood of further sinking in the near future.
- Mudjacking usually only lasts one week, but it is inherently less reliable and usually does need to be replaced regularly.
- The injected materials are extremely heavy and can cause a the soil that was already having an issue to compress further (ie more settelement).
- The mud-cement mix is not waterproof, and prone to washing out during seasons on high rain (settling again).
- Large injection holes are drilled.
Pros and Cons of Polyurethane Injection (Polyjacking)
Pros
- Polyurethane injection typically lasts 2-4 times longer than mudjacking.
- The foam is dramatically lighter than mud, reducing soil compression and flows easily during the injection process.
- Typically REPLACING or REPOURING concrete is 200%-400% more expensive than lifting with foam.
- The polyurethane density is sufficient to completely fill cavities below a sinking foundation.
- The soil below the foundation will mix well with the polyurethane and gain greater strength as a result.
- A feature of polyurethane that will make the end results more attractive is a smaller injection hole. Polyurethane utilizes a hole that is only 5/8” or smaller, compared to mudjacking holes that run between 1” and 2”.
Cons
- Fewer contractors have access to this product and technology and it is not as widely available to homeowners as a result.
- Cost for the home owner or business owner is typically 1.5 – 2 times more expensive and often not available to smaller contractors that specialize in residential work.
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Many times bracing is needed to stop the foundation wall from continuing to cause cracks, you can learn about that here:
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