Most property owners and managers don’t realize that the greatest threat to their slabs and structures hides underneath the surface of the ground. Water is relentless, and your property is at risk if it is left unchecked. Uncontrolled water can lead to soil erosion, voids, and sometimes even sinkholes. Neglecting these types of soil issues can end up costing significant money, time, and stress.

We believe that every property owner and manager should understand how to prevent these problems from getting out of control. Water must be controlled properly, and with the right solutions. Alchemy-Spetec offers a variety of polyurethane resins for lifting sunken slabs, stabilizing soil, and filling voids underneath foundations and slabs. We are a global manufacturing company certified to ISO9001. Our polyurethane resin technology has been successfully used on a multitude of projects spanning the globe. It's also environmentally friendly (NSF certified for contact with drinking water).

Raising & Lifting Concrete

Sunken concrete slabs can be lifted back into place with our two-component polymer foams designed to work in wet or dry conditions. The expansion force of the concrete leveling foam coupled with the pressure of a specialized pump generates enough controlled force to lift virtually any structure back into position with 1/8” precision. Polyjacking (a.k.a. slab lifting and concrete lifting) can be accomplished at a fraction of the cost and time required for replacement using our AP Lift series of resins. The Deep Lift® process may be necessary if deeper soil issues are undermining the slab or structure.

Polyurethane Slab Lifting Products

• AP Fill 420
• AP Deep Lift® 420
• AP Lift 428
• AP Lift 430
• AP Lift 435
• AP Lift 440
• AP Lift 475

Stabilizing Soil

Unstable, eroded, or loose soil around infrastructure can result in settlement and damage to the structure. Voids can be filled, seawalls remediated, soil consolidated, and water migration halted by permeating the soil with our ultra-low viscosity resins. 

Polyurethane Soil Stabilization Products

• AP Soil 600
• AP Fill 700
• AP Fill 720
• AP SoilGel 200
• AP Microfine 10

3-Step Property Preservation Plan

Eliminate the risk of a total loss to your property and contact our team of experts now to start your Property Preservation Plan. With our support, you can save your property, save your money, and save your peace of mind.

1. Start a conversation with one of our experts about your specific challenge/property.
2. We will work with you to create an action plan custom-tailored to your needs.
3. We will connect you to a factory-authorized contractor who will help you solve your problem.

The new and improved PolyShark 2.0 is here! 

Features

• Stacked hose reels.
• Smaller footprint.
• More portable.

Benefits

• Easy access to hose reels.
• Can be shipped on a standard 40" x 46" pallet.
• Easily fits on a barge, van, or trailer.

A Geotech Pump System Like No Other

The PolyShark system includes injection hoses, suction lines, flow meters, a custom solid steel frame, a skid-mounted setup, and top-of-the-line components. It is a complete turnkey unit, ready to go upon arrival. Let's take a closer look...

• Two 350 feet injection hose reels are included, allowing an exceptional amount of additional reach for limited access and/or remote location jobs.
• Suction lines make it easy to pump material from totes, drums, or even pails if needed. This type of flexibility is not common to all geotech pumps.
• Flow meters make it easy to accurately track the amount of material pumped.
• The custom solid steel frame, polyurea coated for excellent chemical resistance, is built to last and weather all types of environments.
• The skid-mounted setup keeps all system components together, allowing for easy transfer from truck to trailer to the ground on a job site if necessary.
• The Honda gas motor, Titan hydraulic pump, and Titan hydraulic fluid ram are top-of-the-line, tried, and true components. This means less maintenance and downtime when compared to competing systems.

Want more information on the PolyShark?

City Creek Center is an up-scale shopping mall in downtown Salt Lake City. While under construction a five-foot-wide trench, located between two underground parking garages, was back-filled with pea gravel, and then a sidewalk was built on top of it. About ten years later the gravel began to settle enough to cause underground power lines to stretch and finally tear, knocking the power out for many of the local businesses. Engineers determined that the trench could be stabilized with the installation of polyurethane grout at depths of 30 feet below the surface. PolyFoam Solutions, a local geotechnical services contractor, was called in to perform the work. 

Powerful Polymer

AP Fill 700 is a single component, water-activated, hydrophobic, low viscosity, closed-cell polyurethane injection resin. This polyurethane material was selected because it is ideal for both permeating soil and filling voids. It also provides excellent strength and stability.

Painless Procedure

An Alchemy-Spetec technical consultant worked closely with the geotech contractor to develop the injection plan, detailing exactly where each of the injection points would be located. The plan was then communicated to the engineer and approval was given to move forward with the project. The geotech crew installed 10 injection tubes 30 feet deep into the soil. They then pumped approximately 1 gallon per vertical foot of AP Fill 700, as they pulled the tubes up 1 foot at a time. The injection points were spaced about 36” apart.

Rapid Result

After only two days the site work was completed, and the general contractor was able to move forward with filling the trench and repairing the sidewalk.

Want more info on geotech products and equipment?

The Geotechnical Applications for Polyurethane presentation explains and demonstrates how concrete leveling and soil stabilization resins can be used to stabilize soil and repair structures. The presentation covers the following topics:

• Single Component Polyurethane Grout Applications
• Two-Component Polyurethane Grout Applications
• Acrylic Grout Applications

This one-hour CE/PDH accredited presentation is ideal for engineers who are interested in learning about next-generation geotech repair methods for pavement lifting and stabilization, excavation support, erosion control, infrastructure infiltration control, etc.

Click here and submit your info for a follow-up call on scheduling an accredited presentation.

Want more information on geotech products and equipment?

Loose, unstable slabs with voids underneath are often referred to as "rocking" slabs due to their movement when forklifts cross over them. Rocking slabs are a common problem in many warehouses. Left un-repaired, they can cause damage to equipment and injury to workers. Eventually, rocking slabs will require replacement if they are not repaired properly.

Rocking Slabs Can Cause:

• Slab Deterioration Over Time
• Floor Destabilization
• Damage to Material Handling Equipment & Loads
• Trip Hazards & Litigation Risk

How to Repair Rocking Slabs:

1. Inject high-strength, high-density polyurethane foam underneath the slab for lasting support.
2. The polyurethane expands to fill any voids underneath and cures to support 14,000 lbs/square foot.
3. Easily clear excess foam from the surface of the slab.
4. Repaired slabs are traffic ready in just 15 minutes!

Want more information on warehouse slab repair?

On March 29th - 31st, Contractors from around the world traveled to Alchemy-Spetec HQ in Tucker, GA for a thorough education in Slab Lifting, Soil Stabilization, the Deep Lift® process, equipment, and applications. They received hands-on training from a technical staff with decades of on-the-job experience.

This three-day geotech bootcamp featured presentations and demos on the following subjects:

• Geotech Product Line Overview
• Geotech Applications & Case Studies
• PolyBadger® Demo & Training
• Estimating & Quoting Jobs
• PMC Pump Demo & Training
• Leak Seal Issues on Geotech Jobs
• Ground Penetrating Radar Demo & Training
• Slab Lift Rig Demo & Training
• Competing Geotech Techniques
• PolyShark® / Soil Stabilization Demo & Training (On-Site)
• Deep Lift® Demo & Training (On-Site)

All of us here at Alchemy-Spetec would like to thank everyone who participated! and extend an invitation to those who missed this event to sign up below for notifications on future training programs.

This post is part of the Alchemy-Spetec Contractor Lens series, featuring views, news & case studies written by our customers. This article, written by Brian Dalinghaus of Dalinghaus Construction, provides an overview of polyurethane concrete repair material. 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.com today!

Perhaps a foundation repair contractor has suggested polyurethane foam for deep injection, void fill, or slab lifting/leveling, but you’re not so sure about pumping “plastic” into the earth or underneath your home. You’re probably wondering: is polyurethane environmentally friendly? Is it effective?

If you’re concerned about the use of polyurethane for foundation repair and soil densification or just want to know more general information about PU, this article is for you.

Dalinghaus Construction Inc. has been in the foundation repair game since 2015. We have over 100 years of combined foundation repair experience and have serviced thousands of foundations in Southern California and Arizona via polyurethane-related repairs. We know everything there is to know about polyurethane and we’re here to share.

In this article, you will learn the definition of polyurethane, its history, many general uses, and how polyurethane foam is utilized in foundation repair.

What is Polyurethane?

Before you pump gallons of polyurethane foam underneath your home or into the soil around your property, you probably want to know what exactly it is.

Polyurethane Definition

Polyurethane is a synthetic resin compound comprised of carbamate/urethane groups linked to polymer units, often abbreviated as PU or PUR. In other words, polyurethane is a combination of chemicals/compounds that react to create a plastic-like substance. As a solid, polyurethane has an open-cellular structure – which is a foam.

Polyurethane foam, utilized for many purposes including insulation, sound-proofing, and foundation repair, is created by the chemical reaction of Diisocyanates and polyols (both of which are derived from organic crude oil). Because polyurethane is comprised of organic material, it is environmentally friendly and does not contribute to an increased eco-footprint.

According to the Polyurethane definition, it is not a plastic. Technically, the elongated flexible polymer molecules that make up thermoset polyurethanes categorize this material as an elastomer (a natural or synthetic polymer having elastic properties, e.g., rubber).

Polyurethane foam is a safe, eco-friendly option to densify weak, non-load-bearing soil, void fill beneath your foundation following a lift/stabilization and relevel slabs.

History of Polyurethane

Polyurethane was invented in 1937 by the renowned German Professor Dr. Otto Bayer. Dr. Otto Bayer was an industrial chemist and worked for IG Farben – spearheading the research team that discovered polyaddition (the key to synthesis for polyurethanes by combining polyol and polyisocyanate).

Polyurethane first enjoyed widespread use in World War II as a rubber substitute. Polyurethane was utilized as airplane finishes, various coatings, and to create flame-retardant clothing. By the 1950s, Polyurethane was utilized for many different applications: couch cushion foam, rigid foams, elastomers, and adhesives.

Today, polyurethane is utilized for a wide variety of applications: mattresses, shoe soles, car seats, insulation, and even pacemakers. Polyurethane is a “behind the scenes” product, often hidden behind a layer of fabric, plastic, or other encasing material.

Due to its prevalence, in everything from car seats to pacemakers, it’s truly difficult to grasp the full scope and impact of polyurethane in everyday life – however, its importance in the foundation repair game is easy to explain.

Polyurethane and Foundation Repair

The foundation repair industry uses polyurethane foam primarily for soil densification, void fill, and lifting/leveling slabs back into place. Polyurethane foam is an injectable polyol and isocyanate resin sealant, insulation, grout which expands upon application providing void fill, structural support, and re-leveling properties.

The polyurethane foam is installed via an application gun: the polyols (a type of alcohol, containing multiple hydroxyl groups) and diisocyanate/polymeric isocyanate are pumped separately, but simultaneously. The chemicals combine and react after exiting the application gun.

The foam then expands, filling the void, densifying the soil, or lifting the slab back into place. In short, polyurethane has incredible expansive properties, allowing it to fill voids evenly and with ease – providing strength and support to the affected structure.

Here at Dalinghaus Construction Inc., we use Alchemy-Spetec's AP Lift 430 (which has been certified by Truesdail Labs to NSF/ANSI 61-5 – meaning it’s approved for contact with drinking water).

AP Lift 430 is:

• Waterproof (Hydrophobic)
• Noninvasive (Install Process is More Efficient and Replacing Concrete)
• Nonpolluting (NSF Approved for Contact with Potable Water)

In addition, AP Lift 430 weighs approximately 3 pounds per cubic foot and reaches 90% compression strength in only 15 minutes. And, finally, polyurethane can hold 7,200 pounds per square foot. In short, polyurethane is a fantastic solution for foundation repair and hillside stabilization needs.

Polyurethane Foam is Safe, Effective, and Environmentally Friendly

In this article, you learned the definition of polyurethane, how it was invited by Dr. Otto Bayer, the wide spectrum of uses, and how polyurethane foam is utilized in foundation repair and construction. You also learned that polyurethane is a safe and effective product. Dalinghaus Construction has helped hundreds of homeowners and offers an array of services, including carbon fiber crack repair, steel pier underpinning, and more. 

Click here if you live in Southern California or Arizona and would like to book a free foundation inspection.

Want more information on polyurethane repair products?

Alchemy-Spetec's Spring 2022 training event is officially SOLD OUT!  If you're still interested in training, we'll be conducting another event in the Fall of 2022.  Click the button below and fill out the form.  We'll keep you updated on the next event and all other training opportunities!

Don't miss this opportunity for a thorough education in Slab Lifting, Soil Stabilization, the Alchemy-Spetec Deep Lift® process, equipment, and applications. You’ll get hands-on training from a technical staff with decades of on-the-job experience.

Alchemy-Spetec two-day geotech training events typically consist of the following...

• Geotech Product Line Overview
• Geotech Applications & Case Studies
• PolyBadger® Demo & Training
• Estimating & Quoting Jobs
• PMC Pump Demo & Training
• Leak Seal Issues on Geotech Jobs
• Ground Penetrating Radar Demo & Training
• Slab Lift Rig Demo & Training
• Competing Geotech Techniques
• PolyShark® / Soil Stabilization Demo & Training (On-Site)
• Deep Lift® Demo & Training (On-Site)

Want to be alerted when Fall 2022 training registration is available?

We've created a video for a question we get asked a lot: "How do I make single-component samples?" A lot of people want samples, sales teams love samples, homeowners love them because it’s actually something they can put in their hands on. They can really help close a deal.

The two samples we're going to be making in this video are:

• An AP Fill 700 permeated sand sample. You'll see the permeated sand at the bottom with the foam on top. People like these because they have a nice smooth finish on them, and they demonstrate both the permeation and foaming aspects of the material. They also demonstrate the strength of the material.
• An AP Fill 720 foam sample. These are great for seawall guys, the infrastructure guys, whenever you want to show an HOA or a marina what the pure foam will actually look and feel like.

Watch the demo video now...

Want more information on geotech products?

Alchemy-Spetec's Spring 2022 training event is officially SOLD OUT!  If you're still interested in training, we'll be conducting another event in the Fall of 2022.  Click the button below and fill out the form.  We'll keep you updated on the next event and all other training opportunities!

Alchemy-Spetec two-day geotech training events typically consist of the following...

• Geotech Product Line Overview
• Geotech Applications & Case Studies
• PolyBadger® Demo & Training
• Estimating & Quoting Jobs
• PMC Pump Demo & Training
• Leak Seal Issues on Geotech Jobs
• Ground Penetrating Radar Demo & Training
• Slab Lift Rig Demo & Training
• Competing Geotech Techniques
• PolyShark® / Soil Stabilization Demo & Training (On-Site)
• Deep Lift® Demo & Training (On-Site)

Want to be alerted when Fall 2022 training registration is available?