Alchatek Blog

This post is part of the Alchemy-Spetec Contractor Lens series, featuring views, news & case studies written by our customers.  This article, written by Robin Smith of Dalinghaus Construction, reviews common causes of trip hazards and the repair solution of polyurethane concrete leveling.  If you're an Alchemy-Spetec customer and you'd like to discuss writing content for our blog, please send an email to marketing@alchemy-spetec today!

Raise your hand if you have ever tripped walking down the sidewalk!

Well you are trippin’ for 1 of 2 reasons:

1. You are uncoordinated, and can’t be trusted to walk and chew gum at the same time (that would be me).
   OR
2. Uneven concrete slabs created a trip hazard that you have just fallen victim to!

What causes concrete to shift, become uneven, and cause these trip hazards?

• Expansive clay soil: Expansive clay soil is prone to swelling and shrinking. Changes such as temperature, drought, and moisture causes it to expand and contract...causing the concrete to move.
• Soil compaction: When preparing to build a home, the soil must be moved around, or graded, to create a level base to build upon. If the soils aren’t properly compacted before the concrete is poured, over time, it eventually compresses and can settle. This settlement can cause the concrete to shift.
• Leaking water: If a plumbing or irrigation line springs a leak, it can erode the soil around the concrete, causing it to be unstable.
• Poor drainage: Similar to a leak, improper drainage can also cause erosion.

Concrete removal and replacement can be costly. There is a cost effective solution that can even out those dangerous trip hazards in just 1 day!

Polyurethane concrete leveling to the rescue! Polyurethane concrete leveling, also known as “polyjacking”, is a process in which the contractor drills small holes through the affected sunken slabs. A port is then placed in the hole, the polyurethane is injected as a liquid, then quickly expands to lift the slab back into place.

If you are a visual person like me, check out this video on the Dalinghaus Consruction YouTube channel...

Whether it is a sidewalk, porch, patio, or a VERY busy Orange County Transportation Authority bus stop (insert one more rad video)...

...polyurethane concrete leveling is often an excellent solution, without breaking the bank!

Click here for more information on Dalinghaus Construction.

Want more info on polyurethane concrete leveling?

This post is part of the Alchemy-Spetec Contractor Lens series, featuring views, news & case studies written by our customers.  This article, written by Robin Smith of Dalinghaus Construction, contrasts the methods of polyurethane slab lifting vs mudjacking.  If you're an Alchemy-Spetec customer and you'd like to discuss writing content for our blog, please send an email to marketing@alchemy-spetec today!

Have a sinking slab you need to lift? Here at Dalinghaus we offer Polyurethane Slab Leveling, but we often get calls from customers asking for something called “Mudjacking”. If you follow us online, you have gotten an opportunity to learn a lot about Poly, but might not know anything about mudjacking. We are going to break down some of the basic differences between them! You do have options! So let’s take a look at Poly VS Mudjacking, and see what looks better to you.

What is Mudjacking???

Mudjacking is the process of lifting a building, driveway, or any slab of concrete by pumping a mixture of concrete and water (known as mud to people who work with it) underneath a sunken slab raise it back to a level or a predetermined lift. The process of mudjacking settled concrete has been around for over 60 years, and as such, the issues with the process have been well documented. Some of those issues include:

• Weight Of Material: The weight of the “mud” material can be as much as 100lbs per cubic foot! (Compare that to Polyurethane that comes in at about 2-4lbs per cubic foot!) Typically a slab starts sinking in the first place because the soil around it has been compromised. The added weight of the concrete can cause further settlement. Why fix a problem with something that potentially adds to the problem?
• Big Holes In Your Concrete: Mudjacking requires drilling a 2-3” hole through your slab to pump the thick material through. The number of holes needed is dependant upon the condition of the concrete. (Compare that to Poly that only requires a ⅝” hole to inject material!) These holes then need to be patched, and they tend to stick out like a sore thumb. 
• Curing Time: The concrete that is pumped under the slab isn’t exposed to the sun, it takes longer to cure. It can take days to a week to dry! (Our Polyurethane sets up in just seconds! Check out this project that we completed at the Orange County Transit Authority. Our technology was able to keep the bus schedule on track without missing a beat!)

When it comes to Poly VS Mudjacking, Poly makes WAY more sense to us! If you want to learn more about how we can help you, give us a call!

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec slab lifting products used by Daulinghaus Construction and others?