Mudjacking? That's old news.

In our industry, it’s more common than not to come across a homeowner who believes mudjacking is an effective solution for uneven and sunken concrete slabs. However, at Thrasher Foundation Repair, we’re professionals in concrete repair and we firmly believe this is NOT the case. Mudjacking is a dated solution that only temporarily levels the concrete but isn’t resistant to future damage.

What is mudjacking you might ask – it’s a mixture of topsoil and portland cement that is injected underneath the concrete slabs to lift and level them to their original state. Unfortunately, this process typically requires an injection hole 1 to 2 inches in diameter that negatively impacts the finished appearance. In addition, this method of concrete repair is messy and chaotic compared to the foam repair solutions we offer. Not only is mudjacking less cost-effective in the long run, but it also fails to address the actual cause of the damage. Concrete sinks and cracks because the soil underneath wasn’t compacted properly, or it was washed out by water. It’s also extremely heavy and can contribute to the problematic settling that was the original cause. If the ground isn’t fully compacted or the soil washout continues to occur after the mudjacking is installed, the problems will continue to arise and only cost more money to have it redone. It sounds like a headache, right?

Our Solution

That’s why at Sure-Dry, we use our state-of-the-art PolyLevel concrete lifting foam that is made from a two-part polyurethane polymer. It’s drastically more effective because it expands into a rigid, structural foam to fill voids, lift and level the concrete, and it is much more applicable to a wider variety of concrete issues. It’s installed by injecting it through a pencil eraser-sized hole, and it will first find weak soils and voids to expand into them to compact the soil down and cause the sub-soils to become denser. And that’s not even the best part -- the biggest advantage of PolyLevel is its hydrophobic properties, meaning it can’t be washed out by water in order to provide you with a permanent solution for your settling concrete slabs.

The advantages of PolyLevel don’t stop there, it gets even better:

• It’s a non-invasive solution that requires little clean up compared to mudjacking
• The calculated reaction time of the PolyLevel foam allows for a far more accurate lift
• The smaller installation holes leave a flush appearance to enhance curb appeal
• Doesn’t retain moisture or erode when subjected to rainwater, and it won’t be affected by freeze/thaw cycles
• It’s lightweight and will not cause any additional settling (PolyLevel is about 4-6 pounds per cubic foot compared to mudjacking at 120 pounds per cubic foot)
• 15-minute cure time to be ready for use, mudjacking can take up to several days to fully cure

The disadvantages of PolyLevel? Almost none, seriously. It requires specific training to install the foam properly, but we’re fortunate enough to have specially trained technicians that possess the skills this concrete repair solution requires! PolyLevel is only one of the innovative and industry-leading concrete repair products we offer. There’s no reason to stress when it comes to your concrete, give us a call and schedule your free estimate today!