Ah, the Beauty of Construction

If you have a concrete floor, driveway, or patio that is not level, you might be able to have it leveled without replacing the slab. There are a few ways to level concrete, so you have to match the solution with the problem. Here are ways concrete leveling might be done.

Use Concrete Leveling Compound On A Floor

Concrete leveling compound might be a solution as long as there isn't structural damage you'd be covering up. The compound is a thick liquid that's poured on the floor and allowed to cure. Since it's liquid, it levels itself as it's poured over the floor. This process can be challenging since it takes a lot of prep work, but it's possible to use the compound yourself if you have home improvement skills, or you can let a contractor do it for you.

Saw Down Heaved Sidewalk Concrete

If you have a portion of a sidewalk or driveway that's heaved at a joint, the contractor might level the area with a concrete saw. Instead of raising the sunken side of the joint or crack, they will lower the heaved part.

This might be a good choice for a sidewalk that's damaged by tree roots. The contractor can saw away the heaved portion until it's level with the rest of the sidewalk. This eliminates a dangerous trip hazard on your property.

Jack Up A Sunken Slab

A sunken slab can be jacked up with cement slurry or poly foam. Both are used in the same way, but poly foam can hold heavier loads and it may last longer, so it's a popular choice for concrete leveling. Jacking up a slab entails drilling a number of holes in the concrete so the foam can be injected under the slab.

The contractor controls the amount of foam or slurry injected so the slab rises to the precise height to level the driveway or patio slab. One reason this is an effective way to deal with sunken concrete is that the foam or slurry flows into voids to fill them and then it hardens into a strong surface that adds support to keep the slab from sinking again.

Mud jacking or poly foam jacking is good for leveling large slabs and even foundations. It can be used to level sinking concrete steps too. The procedure is noisy, but it's not too disruptive, and it's over fairly fast.

A concrete contractor can help you decide on the best way to do concrete leveling based on the type of uneven concrete you have. For most problems, mud jacking or poly jacking could be the right solution. If so, it could save you from having to replace a patio, sidewalk, or driveway.

Contact a concrete leveling service to learn more.