Trusted Concrete Lifting Experts
Sunken and uneven concrete can create trip hazards, drainage problems, and an unfinished appearance around your property. Olympic Foundation Repair works with our sister company, Olympic Concrete Lifting, to provide professional polyurethane concrete lifting solutions that raise settled slabs, fill underlying voids, and help restore safer, more level surfaces.
Understanding Sunken and Uneven Concrete
Concrete slabs depend on the soil beneath them for support. When that soil settles, washes away, or develops empty spaces, portions of the slab can begin to sink and create uneven surfaces.
Concrete lifting provides an alternative to tearing out and replacing concrete that is still in otherwise good condition. Polyurethane foam is injected beneath the slab to fill voids and carefully raise settled areas closer to their original position.
Common areas that may benefit from concrete lifting include:
- Driveways
- Sidewalks and walkways
- Patios
- Garage floors
- Pool decks
- Basement concrete floors
Why Concrete Slabs Sink
Concrete settlement usually begins with changes in the soil beneath the slab. Poor soil compaction, erosion, heavy rainfall, drainage problems, and repeated wet-and-dry cycles can cause the supporting soil to shift or lose strength.
Water can also wash soil away from underneath concrete and leave empty spaces, or voids, below the slab. Without consistent support, the concrete can begin to crack, tilt, or settle into those weakened areas.
When Should Settled Concrete Be Lifted?
Concrete lifting is worth considering when a slab has settled but remains structurally sound enough to be repositioned. Addressing the problem early can help improve safety, reduce trip hazards, restore drainage, and prevent the height difference between adjoining slabs from becoming more severe.
Not every damaged slab is a candidate for lifting. Concrete with extensive cracking, deterioration, or other significant damage may require a different solution, which is why the slab and the soil beneath it should be evaluated first.
Understanding Concrete Lifting and Its Benefits
Polyurethane concrete lifting is designed to correct settlement without removing and replacing the entire slab. The lightweight expanding material fills empty spaces beneath the concrete while allowing controlled adjustments to the surface above.
Precise Concrete Lifting
Polyurethane material is injected gradually beneath the slab, allowing settled areas to be raised in controlled increments and helping create a more even finished surface.
Small Injection Holes
Concrete lifting requires only small access holes in the slab. After the lift is complete, the holes are patched to leave a much less noticeable finish than the larger holes associated with traditional mudjacking.
Lightweight Polyurethane Foam
The polyurethane material is much lighter than traditional cement-based mudjacking mixtures, allowing voids to be filled without placing a large amount of additional weight on already compromised soil.
Void Filling and Soil Support
Expanding foam fills empty spaces beneath the slab while providing support in areas where soil has settled or washed away.
Fast, Low-Disruption Repairs
Most concrete lifting projects can be completed without removing the existing slab, helping reduce demolition, mess, and downtime compared with full concrete replacement.
How Polyurethane Concrete Lifting Works
Small holes are drilled through the affected concrete so specialized polyurethane material can be injected beneath the slab. As the material expands, it fills voids and begins applying controlled upward pressure to the concrete.
The amount of material is carefully managed throughout the process so the slab can be raised gradually. Once the desired improvement has been achieved, the injection holes are patched, and the work area is cleaned. The polyurethane used for concrete lifting is specifically formulated for structural support and void filling rather than insulation.
Concrete Lifting vs. Mudjacking
Traditional mudjacking uses a heavy cement-based slurry to raise concrete. Polyurethane lifting uses a significantly lighter material and requires smaller injection holes, helping reduce the additional weight placed on the soil below.
Polyurethane foam is also resistant to water and allows for more controlled lifting. These characteristics make it well suited for many residential concrete settlement problems where the existing slab can still be saved.
Fixing the Concrete and the Problem Beneath It
Uneven concrete is often the visible result of a problem underneath the slab. Simply improving the surface without filling the voids or considering surrounding drainage may leave the underlying conditions unaddressed.
Concrete lifting fills unsupported areas beneath the slab while raising the surface above. When erosion or excess water contributed to the settlement, improvements to the property’s drainage system may also be worth considering to help manage water around the repaired area.
Concrete Lifting Through Olympic Concrete Lifting
Olympic Foundation Repair partners with our sister company, Olympic Concrete Lifting, for specialized polyurethane concrete lifting projects. This allows homeowners working with Olympic Foundation Repair to access a team focused specifically on concrete lifting, leveling, and void filling when settled concrete is part of the property’s repair needs.
Our Concrete Lifting Process
Every concrete lifting project begins with evaluating the slab and the conditions beneath and around it. From the initial assessment through the finished repair, the goal is to raise the concrete carefully while providing support beneath the affected areas.
1. Concrete Assessment
The settled concrete, surrounding slabs, cracks, drainage conditions, and visible signs of soil movement are assessed to determine whether lifting is an appropriate repair.
2. Lift and Repair Planning
The areas requiring adjustment are identified, and an injection plan is developed based on the size, condition, and amount of settlement affecting the slab.
3. Injection Hole Preparation
Small holes are strategically drilled through the concrete to provide access beneath the slab while keeping the finished repair as unobtrusive as possible.
4. Foam Injection and Concrete Lifting
Polyurethane material is carefully injected beneath the slab. As it expands, it fills voids and gradually raises the settled concrete toward the desired position.
5. Final Review and Cleanup
The finished surface is checked for proper lift and alignment, the injection holes are patched, and the work area is cleaned before the project is completed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is polyurethane concrete lifting?
Polyurethane concrete lifting, sometimes called polyjacking, uses expanding structural foam injected beneath settled concrete. The material fills voids and applies controlled pressure that raises the slab toward a more level position.
What types of concrete can be lifted?
The method can be used for many residential concrete surfaces, including driveways, sidewalks, patios, garage floors, pool decks, and basement slabs. Whether a specific slab can be lifted depends on its condition and the cause of the settlement.
Is concrete lifting better than replacing the concrete?
When the existing concrete is still in good condition, lifting can provide a less disruptive alternative to removing and replacing the entire slab. Severely cracked, deteriorated, or damaged concrete may still require replacement.
How long does concrete lifting take?
Many residential projects can be completed in a single day, and repaired concrete can often return to use within approximately one or two hours, depending on the project and conditions.
How noticeable are the injection holes?
Polyurethane concrete lifting uses relatively small holes compared with traditional mudjacking. Once lifting is complete, the holes are patched to help create a cleaner finished appearance.
Will concrete lifting stop the slab from settling again?
Concrete lifting fills existing voids and restores support beneath affected portions of the slab. Long-term performance also depends on soil and drainage conditions, so any ongoing erosion or water-management problems should be addressed when they contribute to settlement.
Can cracked concrete still be lifted?
Sometimes. Minor cracking does not automatically mean the slab must be replaced, but heavily deteriorated or severely broken concrete may not be a good candidate for lifting. An inspection can determine whether the existing slab is suitable.
How much does concrete lifting cost?
Pricing depends on the size and number of slabs, amount of settlement, size of the voids beneath the concrete, accessibility, and overall project conditions. An on-site assessment is needed to determine the repair scope and accurate pricing. Qualified homeowners may also explore available financing options.