Are There Other Concrete Lifting Methods?

Besides polyurethane foam injections, there are other methods that involve pumping in different materials in order to lift the slab. These other methods are problematic, and the materials used aren’t as good as polyurethane foam. Many contractors still cling to the old way of doing things despite there being better solutions. That, and many contractors don’t have the tools or training to use a superior method like polyurethane foam injections.  

• The Problem with Other Methods 

One of the oldest concrete lifting methods is mudjacking. Mudjacking consists of drilling a hole into the slab and pumping in a slurry of cement. Other methods involve the same general procedure, though the material might be different. One of the biggest problems with this method is that it does nothing to stop soil washout, so there’s a chance the slab will settle once more a few years down the line. 

Cement is rough and heavy, so the pressure applied to an already weakened layer of soil will only make things worse. Not to mention, cement can crack and break over time, so the material that’s supposed to hold up your slab isn’t reliable. The machines used in mudjacking are also very large, so the job can’t be done in places that are a little more difficult to reach. 

• Why Polyurethane Foam Injections Are Better  

Polyurethane foam injections have a lot of advantages over methods like mudjacking. First of all, installation is a lot more convenient. The machine used to inject the foam is small, so there are less limitations on where the repairs can be done. With mudjacking, you have to wait one to two days for the cement to cure, so you can’t put weight on the slab for a while. With polyurethane foam injections, everything will be back to normal in no more than 15 minutes. 

Polyurethane foam protects the soil from further erosion due to its properties. It’s impermeable, so it acts like a waterproof barrier. It’s also lightweight, so it doesn’t place any pressure on the soil. Unlike cement, polyurethane foam does not erode. It is not affected by the freeze-thaw effect, and it doesn’t shift around, which makes it a long-term solution for concrete slab settling.