Why Does Concrete Sink? What is the Best Solution?

WHY DOES CONCRETE SINK & SETTLE?

Although concrete is a very strong and durable material, it does have a lifespan. Below a concrete slab is soil and that holds the weight of the concrete. Over time the soil becomes weak and can no longer hold

 the weight causing the slab to settle and become uneven. If your soil is poorly compacted, too dry or too wet, that slab will sink.

You could use mudjacking as a solution but let’s think about this first. The existing concrete slab is sinking because the soil underneath can no longer hold the weight. Mudjacking is injecting mud or cement slurry in the void underneath. Cement is heavy! Eventually over time that cement is going to sink as well and you will have the same problem you had before. How about concrete replacement? But we have already realized that the slab isn’t the problem but the soil underneath. So, this new slab will gradually over time sink as well. Now you have a new slab that is sinking just like the old one and its two different colors!

Quality 1^st Contracting uses Polyurethane foam known as PolyLevel to fill the void below the slab, raising it back to level. Polylevel is a state- of- the- art approach to repairing sinking concrete. Rather than injecting mud or cement under the slab, we inject high- density, lightweight, structural- grade polymers to lift, level and stabilize each slab. The installation begins with small penny-size holes drilled into the concrete slab. Using specialized equipment, the polymer foam is injected into the voids under the unstable slab. Once the void is filled, the foam begins to expand, raising the slab back to its desired level. Clean installation, long-term warranty and within 15 minutes the slab could be walked on and driven over. Your slab is now resting on an ultra-light, waterproof and wash-out proof material without adding weight or pressure to the unstable soil underneath. WOW! Our PolyLevel System has been studied by the US DOE through Argonne National Lab, who confirmed that PolyLevel has a long-term stability and poses no risk for harmful leaching of chemicals. 

So PolyLevel fills the void in the unstable slab, raises the existing slab back to level, is environmentally friendly, waterproof and less expensive then concrete replacement. 

WHY FIX THE CONCRETE?

Concrete slabs can be driveways, sidewalks, patio areas, garage floors, additions, and interior floor slabs. Over time, these slabs can encounter a variety of problems, 

including sinking and uneven concrete;

Spills on concrete can cause very serious injuries to peoples backs, bones and even head. This can become a serious lawsuit if someone trips over an uneven slab outside your place of business. When discovering concrete issues, it is important to address them right away; fix it now to avoid the real risk later. broken and chipped concrete; pitting, flaking and deterioration of the surface. These problems get worse over time when ignored and when the problem gets worse the solution becomes costlier. Your home or building is a big investment and so it’s important to fix any concrete problems immediately to protect it from future damage. Any concrete issue WILL impact the safety of the home or building and its surroundings.