The Benefits of Polyurethane Foam over Traditional Mudjacking to Lift & Level Concrete

The equipment is costly and the material is 4 to 5 times more expensive than mudjacking.  Why would polyurethane concrete raising be

I’ve been hearing about polyurethane concrete raising for the past 20 years.  Having been in the mudjacking business for the past 35 years, I thought that because the process was so expensive it would come and go.

There are many advantages to using polyurethane foam over mud-jacking when it comes to lifting and levelling concrete that has sunken.  These advantages include waterproofing, lightweight and strong, durable, fast curing and installation, very little disruption, and the ability to provide custom solutions.

WATERPROOFING

Polyurethane foam is hydrophobic meaning that even the presence of water under the concrete being raised and levelled does not hinder the process.  The foam will work while mud-jacking can be watered down and not provide the correct result.  This also means that the foam will not be impacted if the reason why the concrete sunk was as a result of water erosion, where as "mud" can be eroded over time.

LIGHTWEIGHT

Polyurethane foam is extremely lightweight.  Foam is 2.5 to 4.0 pounds per cubic foot where "mud" can be on average 100 lbs per cubic foot.  This means that the foam will not put additional pressure on the foundation under the concrete leading to additional sinking and settling.  

Lightweight compared to Mudjacking

Being lightweight does not mean that it is not strong.  Polyurethane foam hardens to a strength of 30-50 psi compared to the compressive strength of most substrates around 3-5 psi.

DURABLE

"Mud" can break down overtime and if water is the cause of the concrete sinking and settling then this can be especially true.  Foam hardens within minutes and remains stable.  It does not breakdown over time. 

FAST INSTALLATION

Mud-jacking can take up to 24 to 75 hours whereas most jobs done by foam can be completed within a couple of hours.  As well, because it hardens quickly it can be used immediately after completion of the project.

VERY LITTLE DISRUPTION

Foam injection is very clean compared to the use of "mud".  "Mud" typically involves a lot of mess and cleanup.  With foam a 1 inch to 1 5/8 inch holes are drilled into the cement and foam is injected under the concrete.  Once it expands it lifts the concrete to a level position.  Due to the fact that the substance flows and fills in the cavity less holes are needed to lift and level the concrete.

CUSTOM SOLUTIONS

Foam comes in a variety of densities and formulations to address various conditions.  Lower density materials can be used for residential applications where heavy traffic areas like commercial or industrial floors may require higher density foams.  

So if your are looking at lifting and levelling your concrete, call us.  We are experts in spray foam solutions to handle your sunken concrete.