Have you noticed how pavements and other surfaces sometimes look “sunken”? They may not be even and dip in certain places. As a result, the entire area might be uneven. This can happen in your house or your building too. The concrete flooring or the concrete slabs in the front of your building might sink in overtime.
What can you do now? Gone are the days where you had to break down the entire concrete slab and replace it with a new one. You don’t have to destroy the flooring to get an even surface or live with an uneven surface. Today, you can opt to lift your concrete and solve the problem.
What Is Concrete Lifting?
Concrete lifting is a procedure that lifts the sunken concrete slabs instead of breaking and replacing them. There are two methods to do this procedure:
- Mudjacking – A mixture of concrete sand, limestone, and water is poured into the sunken areas to lift the concrete slab. Since it is made with water, the mixture is vulnerable to the temperature around. If the temperature is below zero, this mixture might freeze and not help resolve the issue.
It lasts only about 5 to 10 years and is prone to all damages a concrete slab is. Like concrete, this mixture has to be cured for days before you can use the surface again.
- Slabjacking – A polyurethane foam mixture is poured into holes drilled in the concrete slab. These holes will be about 3/8th of an inch. It takes only about an hour as no curing time is required. You can start using the surface within hours.
It can last longer than mudjacking as it is not prone to damages like concrete; in most cases, this can be permanent and will never require you to repair or increase the level again. After this procedure, the concrete slab will sink again only if the soil underneath erodes.
Where Can You Use Concrete Lifting?
Concrete lifting can be used anywhere concrete slabs are used. Anywhere a slab or portion of the concrete floor is sunken, you can use concrete lifting. You can drill holes into the sunken area and fill them with the mixture. The sunken area will lift and become even with the other areas.
Time Taken For Concrete Lifting
It depends on the area to be lifted. If more gaps need to be filled, many mixtures have to be injected. This will also increase the curing time before you can start using the surface again., in the case of slab jacking, there is no curing time required; hence it can be a little faster.
Concrete vs Replacement
Here are a few reasons why concrete lifting is better than replacing:
- Cost – Concrete lifting is definitely cheaper than breaking the entire concrete surface and replacing it with a new one.
- Time – It takes much less time than replacing the entire portion.
- Eco–Friendly – You will be retaining your old concrete and only adding extra solution underneath. You won’t be throwing away any material that can pile up.
- Mess-Free – Concrete lifting does not involve the mess of breaking a surface or damaging the area surrounding it.
Technology has come a long way, and concrete lifting is solid proof. Be it your house, pavement, or even your garage, you can lift the sunken area without having to disturb anything around. It is a very efficient and long-lasting procedure.
