Polyurethane Foam Lifting vs Mudjacking
Understanding the Facts About Concrete Raising
While mudjacking is an older process for raising concrete, the use of polyurethane is a far superior method. When researching the best method for raising concrete we at Concrete Hero and many other contractors have discovered that there are a number of advantages to using polyurethane vs mudjacking to raise concrete in regards to appearance, longevity and process. Read below to learn why more and more homeowners and property managers are using polyurethane to raise and level their sunken concrete.
Appearance
Smaller Injection Holes: A key benefit many property owners love about using polyurethane to repair concrete compared to mudjacking are the smaller holes that are required. Our polyurethane method only requires 5/8” holes (the size of a penny) compared to 1”-2” size holes needed for mudjacking. Our process produces a nearly invisible end result. This is especially important when repairing decorative stamped concrete.
Fewer Holes: Our polyurethane foam needs fewer holes to be drilled in your concrete for a cleaner look compared to mudjacking. Because polyurethane foam is sprayed below the slab as a highly pressurized liquid, we can cover a larger area from each injection port. The foam can flow and expand from 4 to 15 feet from each injection port. Since mudjacking uses a heavy slurry, only 1-2 feet can be covered below the slab from each hole. This means more holes are needed to raise and level concrete when using mudjacking. Those who prefer their concrete to not look like Swiss cheese after it’s raised prefer using our polyurethane method.
Longevity
Lightweight: Mudjacking uses a grout made of sand, cement, and water. On average this can weight around 100lbs per cubic foot. This heavy material can put more burden on an already weak base which can cause future settling to occur. Polyurethane on the other hand only weighs 2lbs per cubic foot. Which means our lightweight material will put much less (about 50 times less!) weight on your base which decreases the chance of future settling when compared to mudjacking.
Non-Shrinking Material: Our polyurethane material is made from environmentally safe materials and becomes an inert, high-density solid material minutes after it’s injected and will forever keep its shape and strength. Mudjacking, on the other hand, is made from water, sand, and cement, which means it can shrink, wash away and can be susceptible to moisture and erosion.
Process
Cleaner: Our material is contained in our specialized trailer, it is then pumped to each injection port through a hose. That’s it! Unlike mud jacking, there is no need for heavy equipment to be used on your property and messy grout spills to be cleaned. Also, since our holes are so small, there is less dust created compared to mudjacking. Of course, any dust that we do create is quickly vacuumed up!
Faster: Once the polyurethane is pumped in it only needs 15 minutes to cure before it’s ready for cars to drive over the concrete. No need to wait days to get your car back in your garage, which is the case with mudjacking. Business owners can also allow customers and employees to use the area immediately after we leave.
Bottom Line:
Anyone who is using anything other than polyurethane to raise concrete and claims it’s the best is either misinformed and/or being dishonest. Contractors who are still using out dated methods for concrete leveling are simply resisting having to invest in newer equipment and training for their staff.
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