As a homeowner, you can always find a laundry list of “to-do’s” at any time. From painting and hanging up pictures to mowing and fertilizing the lawn. Aside from that, there are the maintenance projects that occasionally arise that demand immediate attention.
One of the areas that often gets neglected is the concrete around your home. If you think about it, your home has thousands of square feet of concrete. With the thaw/freeze cycle that Kansas City typically experiences each year, the concrete can shift, expand, and contract. This can wreck havoc on your concrete. So, the next stage of this is knowing who to call for a concrete lifting solution. Typically you have two options: mudjacking or polyjacking companies. So, what’s the difference?
What’s Mudjacking?
There are many companies in the Kansas City area that offer mudjacking, which is the traditional means of concrete lifting. However, technology and advancements have allowed a more effective way to emerge, polyjacking.
Why is Polyjacking a better option?
Polyjacking has many benefits compared to the traditional mudjacking, including the following:
- Polyurethane injections are much lighter than the grout mixture used in mudjacking.
- In fact, mudjacking requires 5.5 times the volume of mud to repair the exact same area.
- Because the concrete settles and causes the void or uneven concrete, mudjacking is very heavy and weighs the soil down even more. Polyjacking weighs much less and does not place additional weight on the soil.
- The shear weight of the mudjacking mixture can cause additional settlement.
- Polyurethane weighs 250 to 300 pounds less per yard than traditional mudjacking material.
- Effectiveness – mudjacking utilizes mud instead of polyurethane. Mud is less effective and durable than the poly foam, which turns into an inert plastic essentially once dried.
- Mudjacking takes longer to cure. Polyurethane typically cures in 15 minutes after the injection. This allows all treated areas to have full availability in minutes, not days.
- Hole size/aesthetic value. Mudjacking requires the drilling of holes of up to 1.5″, which is a sizable hole that is noticeable. On the other hand, polyjacking requires 5/8″ holes, which are easily repaired and not noticeable.
So, as a homeowner, the obvious solution for concrete lifting and leveling is polyjacking. Now what’s next? Let’s explore the polyjacking experts in Kansas City metro area, PolyMagic.
RELATED: Driveway and Garage Concrete Lifting & Leveling: Case Study
As homeowners ask around for referrals from friends and family, while some may research polyjacking companies on Google, you should find someone who offers free estimates. It’s imperative to find a reputable company that offers free estimates and healthy solutions. Before we begin, let’s explore the process of polyjacking and how it can effectively resolve your trip hazards and uneven concrete.
What’s the process of polyjacking?
Step 1) Prep the area and drill tiny holes (5/8″) strategically around the areas where the concrete is sunken and requires lifting. The technician determines the required area to drill the hole so the poly foam is evenly injected and lifted. What areas can be polyjacked?
Step 2) Once everything is prepped and the hose and materials are in place, the polyurethane foam is injected through the holes which fills the space underneath the concrete slab. This will use the concrete slab itself to drive the foam into the crevices. Areas of the home that can benefit from this include garage floors, driveways, sidewalks, concrete stairs, porches, patios, and pool areas.
Step 3) Upon completion of injecting the poly foam into the concrete, the injection holes are filled discretely with new cement. This allows you to use your surface immediately. The blemishes are tiny, and the cure time is virtually nothing.
Are you considering lifting the uneven concrete around your home to prevent trip hazards? Simply fill out this form to get started on a free estimate!
As we continue to explore: Mudjacking vs. Polyjacking – What’s Better?, let’s explore the advantages of polyjacking to fully understand why this is the best solution.
Advantages:
- Cost Effective – Concrete raising is typically about 33% less than replacing the same concrete at your residence. Ultimately, the cost of raising or stabilizing concrete is a direct reflection of how much leveling material the project will require. The experienced team at PolyMagic is equipped to offer a free estimate and walk you through each step of the process for the most cost effective solution that fits your needs.
- Time – Polyjacking has very little cure time. Your concrete surface is able to continue operation before, during, and after the polyjacking process. Your business will experience little to no down time. In fact, by the time the technician is loading up the truck to leave, your concrete areas are ready to be walked on.
- Clean Work Environment – The polyjacking process does not require a wash down and will not have any concrete or grout splatter, unlike mudjacking. The polyjacking area is clean and can operate as normal immediately after.
- Smaller Holes – Polyurethane concrete raising drills a nearly invisible 5/8 inch hole and the process calls for considerably fewer holes than traditional mudjacking. The tiny holes require very minimal patchwork.
- Lightweight – This material will never lose density. It is permanent and weighs only about 2 pounds per cubic foot. Compared to traditional mudjacking that weighs about 100 pounds per cubic foot.Check out the below comparison in the amount of product needed for mudjacking vs. polyjacking.
- Green – Polyurethane is environmentally friendly. It consists of 39-49% renewable and recycled materials.
If you’re located in the Kansas City metro (Lenexa, Olathe, Liberty, Leawood, Overland Park, Parkville, Smithville, Lee’s Summit, Blue Springs, Independence, Oak Grove, Raymore, Belton, Harrisonville, Peculiar, and Pleasant Hill), reach out for a free estimate, or give us a call at 816-765-4800.