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, 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?

One of our geotech customers in Australia, Meric Selvi at Alchemy Inject, was recently interviewed about his concrete repair business.

Alchemy Inject's parent company Antidote Remedial is a remedial building company which was established in 2007. Over the last decade the business has grown to become a team of licensed skilled trades including builders, tilers, painters, plumbers and concreters with a diverse background and a common passion for delivering the best results for their clients.

Antidote/Alchemy Inject is dedicated to providing exceptional levels of service to their clients. Their team is made up of skilled licensed tradespeople, plus admin staff and certified project managers to make sure the projects are completed on time, on budget and to a high quality.

Based in Manly, Australia, they operate throughout the Sydney metro area. They recently posted a great 10 minute video interview with Alchemy Inject owner Meric Selvi.  Enjoy this profile of their slab lifting business, Alchemy Inject.

Want more info on Alchemy-Spetec products?

We all know the destructive power of earthquakes, hurricanes, and other forces of nature and while I was aware of expansive soils, I had no idea the amount of damage they cause. We at Alchemy-Spetec focus on industry education, so I am pleased to share this video about expansive soils from Grady Hillhouse at Practical Engineering.

Here's a text excerpt to whet your appetite...

"When most people think property damage, they think about natural disasters. But what if I told you there’s a slow-moving, geologic phenomenon that causes more damage in the United States than earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes combined?

Hey, I’m Grady and this is Practical Engineering. Today we’re talking about expansive soils.

Certain types of clay soils change their volume depending on moisture content. They swell when they get wet and shrink as they dry.  This is a microscopic mechanism where the shape and arrangement of the molecules actually change according to the amount of water mixed in. And large portions of the U.S. Gulf Coast and Great Plains have these kinds of soils. If you’re starting a foundation repair or road paving business, this is an important map for one very good reason – expansive soils break stuff."

Click the video below for more...

Want some information on soil stabilization?

A lot of customers have recently been asking about the hand sanitizer that we sell vs. others they are finding on the market. It turns out that there can be a significant difference. For example, my parents bought a 16 oz bottle of ethyl-based hand sanitizer from the grocery store, and after reading through the label, we realized there was a critical differentiator between that version and the one we sell.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, hand sanitizers deemed most effective against COVID-19 pathogens contain 80% ethanol or 75% isopropyl by volume. The brand that my parents bought, as well as a few other popular offerings I researched, contained between 60-70% ethyl by volume. This formula, according to the CDC, is not as effective against the current outbreak.

On the other hand, our FDA-approved hand sanitizer contains 75% isopropyl by volume.  This hand sanitizer was formulated specifically according to the World Health Organization guidelines for killing COVID-19.

Embedded below is a crack and curtain grouting video demo I recently recorded.  For those not familiar with me, my name is Charlie Lerman. I'm the Director of Technical Services for the Leak Seal Division at Alchemy-Spetec (and I'm also known as the Grout Geek). I have been involved in a wide variety of grouting jobs from dams to tunneling, municipal to sewer system work, residential, commercial, and industrial.

Prior to joining the Alchemy-Spetec team, I was with the Navy in the submarine and recruiting services. I have 20 years of construction experience – I was with a restoration contractor for five of those twenty years and earned a bachelor degree in Business Management during that time. I have been providing technical support and training for polyurethane grouts for over fifteen years and have been involved with the International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI) for a decade.

Social distancing does not have to mean downtime. This is an excellent time to learn about polyurethane chemical grouting. From my home "studio" I bring to your home office demonstrations on crack injection, curtain grouting, and pump operation/maintenance.

Want more info on Leak Seal products?

Pocket-Sized Squeeze Bottles

A 2.1 Oz (63 ml) Bottle Size Will Soon Be Available:

• FDA Approved
• WHO Formula
• Ideal for Field Work

Join the notification list for this new hand sanitizer option and you'll be the first to recieve pricing and availability details.

We often get calls from spray foam insulation installers who are interested in adding slab lifting capability to their rig set up. If you're reading this article, you yourself may be looking for info on the matter. If so, we have good news for you. With just four additional pieces of equipment and one set of material, you can quickly and easily add slab lifting to your service offerings. Let’s take a look at exactly what additional equipment and material you'll need to get started...

Slab Lifting Equipment

MixMaster Pro Slab Lifting Gun
The MixMaster Pro is a two-component resin injection gun manufactured specifically for lifting concrete slabs, designed to handle back-pressure. 

Titan Impact 440 (Modified) Pump with Flush Hose
The Titan Impact 440 (Modified) pump is used for flushing the MixMaster Pro gun in between foam injections. (It's also used for pumping one-component material in soil stabilization and seawall repair applications.)

3/8” MixMaster Ports
These heavy duty ports create an airtight seal for injecting foam into drill holes. 

Dial Indicator Crane
This precision tool is used to measure the lift of the slab within 1/10” of an inch.

Polyurethane Slab Lifting Material

AP Lift 430, AP Lift 440, or AP Lift 475 (100 Gallon Unit)
Sunken concrete slabs can be lifted back into place with these two-component polymer foams designed to work in wet or dry conditions. The expansion force of these concrete leveling foams coupled with the pressure of a specialized pump generate enough controlled force to lift virtually any structure back into position with 1/8” precision.

AP Flush 125 (5 Gallon Unit)
Water based gun flush specifically used for flushing out the MixMaster Pro impingement gun. Also used to protect concrete from resin stains.

AP Lube 190 (5 Gallon Unit)
This product is a multi-purpose lubricant for use with both airless electric injection pumps and proportioner/reactor pumps.

Want more info on adding slab lifting to your rig setup?

On Episode 7 of The Injection Connection, host Jim Spiegel sits down with Ann Thaxton, from Concrete Titans, a marketing and advertising agency offering services to the concrete lifting, and residential foundation repair markets.  Ann offers great insights into the most current lead capture strategies, trends in the industry, and how marketing dollars are actually worth more in the current Covid-19 crisis.  (Jim Spiegel is Vice President of Alchemy-Spetec and a Board Member at the International Concrete Repair Institute.)

Listen to the episode in its entirety below, or check it out on TheInjectionConnection.com and the following platforms:

• Spotify
• iTunes/Apple Podcasts
• SoundCloud
• TuneIn
• Google Podcasts
• YouTube

Want info on Alchemy-Spetec slab lifting products & applications?

Jim and guest Jack Whitworth, 26-year chemical grouting sales professional, discuss the importance of education, mutual benefits of competitors working together, and driving our families crazy during the Covid-19 lockdown time. (Jim Spiegel is Vice President of Alchemy-Spetec and a Board Member at the International Concrete Repair Institute.)

Listen to the episode in its entirety below, or check it out on TheInjectionConnection.com and the following platforms:

• Spotify
• iTunes/Apple Podcasts
• SoundCloud
• TuneIn
• Google Podcasts
• YouTube

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec products?