Concrete is one of those things we don’t really think about. It’s just there—your driveway, sidewalk, or patio—solid and level. Until… it’s not. Suddenly, you’re dealing with concrete sinking, an eyesore that hurts your home’s curb appeal. Worse, that uneven slab becomes a dangerous tripping hazard for your family and friends. As the homeowner, that’s a risk you don’t want to take. Understanding why your concrete is failing is the first step toward a real, long-term fix.
Why is the concrete around your home no longer level?
In almost every case, concrete settlement is caused by issues with the soil underneath it, so let’s look at those:
Unstable fill soil is a common culprit. Land developers and builders moved soil around to prepare your home’s site for construction, creating an additional top layer of fill soil. Your concrete slabs were then poured over these areas. Unfortunately, even if it was compacted well with special equipment, that fill soil is not as stable as the native soils below. So, when fill soils consolidate and settle, voids inevitably form under the concrete slab. Eventually, the slab cracks and falls into these voids.
Drought is another common issue. During dry periods, or even just times of warm weather and low precipitation, the soil under your concrete slabs can dry out and shrink. This leaves voids for the concrete to crack and sink into – especially when any weight is placed on it, like an automobile or a load-bearing wall.
Excess moisture also causes concrete problems. When heavy rains or snows occur, that water finds its way under your concrete slabs via cracks and crevices. The soil underneath your slab then becomes saturated and soft – or washes away completely – leaving voids for the heavy concrete above to fall into.
How to deal with sinking concrete.
Here’s the good news: The sunken concrete around your home can be lifted, leveled and protected against future problems. Even better, in most cases, it can be fixed permanently.
But before we get into that, we should address two not-so-permanent “fixes” for sunken concrete. The first is concrete replacement.
Pouring new concrete might seem appealing. After all, you’ll end up with brand-new slabs, and new is better, right? Well, in this case, no. First, pouring new concrete requires breaking up and tearing out the old concrete. That means a lot of disruption for you and your neighbors. Not only is this a noisy, messy process, but it can take a week or more for concrete to cure, which means your driveway, sidewalk, patio or pool deck will be unusable for that time.
When new concrete cures, it’s usually a different color than any older concrete around it. So, unless you remove and repour your entire driveway, etc., you’ll end up with a patchwork quilt of mismatched slabs.
Then there’s the environmental impact. In addition to the old concrete heading to your local landfill, there’s the issue of Portland cement, the “glue” that holds concrete together. The cement industry is one of the world’s worst carbon emitters. In fact, if it were a country, the Portland cement industry would be the world’s third largest CO2 emitter, behind the US and China. So, the less brand-new concrete we use, the better it is for our environment.
Finally, there’s the problem of the soil we mentioned earlier. Pouring new concrete on your old soil won’t address the issues that caused the old concrete to sink in the first place, so in a few years, you’ll be right back where you started.
Now, let’s look at mudjacking. This involves injecting a slurry of mud and rocks beneath your concrete slabs to shore them up. As the name suggests, it is an extremely messy process. Plus, it leaves a series of soda-can-sized holes in your concrete through which the slurry is injected, leaving your concrete with an odd polka-dot appearance.
But the negatives don’t end there; like pouring new concrete, mudjacking doesn’t address the soil issues beneath your slabs. And since the slurry consists of mud and rock, it’s extremely heavy, exerting even more weight on your unstable soil.
PolyLevel: The ideal concrete solution
Now we come to the best of all worlds: PolyLevel foam. PolyLevel is an expanding polyurethane foam that starts off as a liquid injected beneath your concrete, where it quickly runs to find cracks and voids in the soil. Almost immediately, it begins to expand as much as 29 times its original volume. This expansion lifts the heavy concrete slabs above it back to their initial level. Not only that, but PolyLevel’s expansion also exerts a downward pressure, compacting the soil beneath it and stabilizing it in the process. This means that when your home’s concrete is lifted and leveled with PolyLevel, it is permanently stabilized.
Because it’s a foam, PolyLevel is incredibly light, so any weight it adds to the soil is negligible. As it quickly cures into a rigid, incompressible mass, it fills the voids beneath your concrete, providing stabilization. Once cured, it’s environmentally friendly because it doesn’t react chemically with the surrounding environment and won’t break down over time. It also provides no nutritional value, so it won’t be damaged by insects or other animals.
Lastly, PolyLevel cures incredibly quickly, so you can actually start using your driveway, patio, sidewalk or pool deck as soon as the installation crew leaves.
As you can see, PolyLevel foam injection is the one solution for sunken, broken concrete that offers a permanent fix that’s minimally disruptive and environmentally friendly.
The only catch is, PolyLevel is only available from select contractors across North America and must be installed by an experienced crew. The good news is, we’re one of those select dealers! So, if you’re ready to repair your concrete for good, click the button to schedule your free estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the PolyLevel process take? Can I use my driveway right away? Yes, you can, and that’s one of the best parts about it. The installation itself is quite fast, and the foam cures in about 15 minutes. By the time our crew packs up their equipment, you can walk on your patio or park your car on the driveway. You don’t have to wait for days like you would with a new concrete pour.
What will my concrete look like after you’re done? Will there be big holes? Your concrete will look much better because it will be level again, which is the main goal. To get the foam underneath the slab, we drill a few small, dime-sized holes. These are much smaller and less obvious than the large holes needed for other methods. When the job is done, we patch these small holes to match your existing concrete as closely as possible.
You say PolyLevel is a permanent fix. How can you be sure the concrete won’t sink again? That’s a great question. Concrete sinks because the soil underneath it is weak or has washed away. PolyLevel addresses this root cause. As the foam expands, it not only lifts the slab but also compacts the soil beneath it, making it solid and stable. The cured foam is waterproof and incredibly strong, so it creates a permanent base that prevents future sinking.
How is a foam material considered environmentally friendly? It might seem a little strange, but it’s true. Once the foam cures, it becomes an inert material, which means it won’t break down or seep any chemicals into the surrounding soil. More importantly, by repairing your existing concrete, we are keeping tons of old concrete out of landfills and avoiding the significant carbon emissions that come from manufacturing new cement. It’s all about preserving what you already have.
My concrete has a lot of cracks and is very uneven. Is it too damaged for PolyLevel to work? You would be surprised at what can be saved. PolyLevel is effective for most cases of sunken concrete, even when there are quite a few cracks. Of course, every situation is different. The best way to know for sure is to have an expert take a look. During an inspection, a specialist can check the soil and the state of your slab to see if it’s a good candidate for this type of repair.
Key Takeaways
- Understand the root cause: Uneven concrete is not just a surface problem; it’s a sign that the soil underneath is unstable, either from shrinking, settling, or washing away.
- Look past temporary patches: Simply replacing the concrete slab or using traditional mudjacking fails to address the unstable soil. These methods are disruptive and often lead to the same sinking issues returning later.
- Select a dual-purpose solution: PolyLevel foam injection offers a permanent repair by doing two things at once: it lifts the concrete back to its original position and compacts the weak soil underneath, ensuring a stable, long-lasting result.