Category Archives: Methods

mudjacking Ogden, Utah

Mudjacking or Polyurethane Foam Concrete Lifting: Which Is Better?

In Ogden and the surrounding northern Utah area, mudjacking and polyurethane foam concrete lifting are the most widely used concrete repair methods. Both can be effective for residential and commercial applications, but which is the better choice?

The answer depends on who you ask. According to contractors who offer polyurethane foam concrete lifting, otherwise known as polyjacking, that method is superior to mudjacking. In our view, the opposite is true – and after reading about how the two techniques differ, you’ll likely agree.

Performance

Concrete lifting by means of mudjacking or by polyjacking can provide long-lasting results, but our experienced professional contractors have a few concerns about the latter option.

First, the mud-like slurry used in mudjacking has no harmful additives – it typically contains Portland cement, pulverized limestone, shale and other organic materials. In comparison, the polyjacking method of concrete repair relies on polyurethane foam, which contains flammable chemicals and synthetic materials that can be hazardous to the environment.

Another concern we have with polyjacking involves control over the concrete lifting process. After the polyurethane foam is injected into the soil, it continues to expand, making it difficult to lift the slab to the proper position. At the same time, the material sets more quickly than the slurry used in mudjacking, and it can harden before the soil voids are properly filled.

Appearance

When completed by experienced professional concrete repair contractors, mudjacking and polyjacking both offer attractive results. Either can effectively restore a settled or sunken slab back to its original stable and level position.

The polyjacking method of concrete repair requires the drilling of several small holes, each roughly 5/8 inches in diameter, to inject the polyurethane foam into the soil voids under the affected slab. The mudjacking process is similar, as holes are drilled through the concrete for the purpose of filling the voids with the mud-like slurry mixture. However, the holes required for mudjacking are larger, measuring about 1 ½ inches.

Needless to say, polyjacking is less invasive than mudjacking – but after caulk is applied to the drilled holes and any concrete cracks, there’s not much of a difference. Little evidence of the repair work can be seen with either method, particularly from afar. So, when it comes to appearance, mudjacking and polyjacking are much the same.

Cost

According to HomeAdvisor.com, a trusted online home service marketplace, the average cost of repairing a settled or sunken slab through mudjacking is $1,210. Small-scale projects may only run $300 or so, while large or complex concrete repair jobs might be somewhere near $2,200. In most cases, the price for mudjacking falls between $638 and $1,783.

How does polyjacking compare? With this method, concrete repair is quite a bit more expensive – the polyurethane foam material costs about four to five times as much as the slurry mixture used in the mudjacking process. So, any Ogden homeowner or business owner who goes with polyjacking instead of mudjacking can expect to pay hundreds of dollars more for the repair work.

Budgeting a larger amount of money would make sense if polyurethane foam concrete lifting offered a better solution for a sunken or settled slab. In our opinion, it doesn’t, as the expansion of the foam is unpredictable and the material comes with environmental and safety concerns. Mudjacking is more affordable, and the method works. Really, there’s no good reason to pay more for concrete repair.

Hire an Experienced Professional Concrete Repair Contractor

Ultimately, whether you decide to go with mudjacking or polyjacking for a settled or sunken concrete slab, getting estimates from at least a few local concrete repair companies is a good idea. Professional contractors have varying fees, of course, but if you base your decision on price alone, you may end up with buyer’s remorse.

Effectively raising and stabilizing a concrete slab requires knowledge and expertise, and if you hire someone who lacks sufficient training or experience, a repeat repair could become necessary in a couple of years. Consequently, the overall cost of mudjacking or polyurethane foam concrete lifting will be much greater than what the cost would have been with a highly qualified professional contractor.

Are you ready to restore the concrete at your home or business property in Ogden, Utah? Mudjacking may very well be the best solution – but to know for certain, schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with the team at Lift-Up Concrete.

A long-time trusted local industry leader, Lift-Up Concrete is known for providing concrete repair services that are both effective and affordable. We have extensive knowledge of both polyjacking and mudjacking, and after assessing your sunken or settled slab, we can explain your options and offer expert advice to ensure the repair meets your expectations.

With Lift-Up Concrete, you can count on outstanding workmanship, stellar customer service and competitive pricing. We stand behind our work, too, offering a full satisfaction guarantee. For more information on mudjacking and polyurethane foam concrete lifting — or to schedule a free, no-pressure concrete repair consultation at your home or business property in Ogden, Utah – contact us today.

Prepare Your Concrete for Winter

How to Prepare Your Concrete for Winter in Salt Lake City

As the temperatures start to drop, it’s time to start thinking about how to prepare your concrete for the snow and cold of winter. Utah is no stranger to winter weather, so it’s important to take steps now to ensure that your concrete can withstand whatever this winter throws at it.

At Lift-Up Concrete Lifting, LLC, we specialize in concrete lifting, leveling, and repair services in the Salt Lake City area. And we’re happy to give you some tips on how to prepare your concrete for the winter months ahead.

Remove any dirt, debris, or leaves from your concrete surface

One of the best ways to prevent snow and ice from sticking to your concrete surface is to remove any dirt, debris, or leaves before the winter weather hits. This will give the snow and ice less of a surface to cling to, making it easier to shovel or plow.

In addition, it’s important to keep your concrete surface clean throughout the winter. Any salt, sand, or other materials that are used to melt snow and ice can also damage your concrete. As a result, it’s best to sweep or brush away any residual snow and ice on a regular basis.

Check for cracks and repair them immediately

As any homeowner knows, concrete is a durable and long-lasting material. However, it is not immune to damage, and cracks can occur over time. In the winter, these cracks can expand and deepen due to the freezing and thawing of water.

As a result, it is essential to check your concrete regularly for cracks and to repair them as soon as possible.

There are a variety of ways to repair cracks, depending on their size and depth. For small surface cracks, a simple patching material can be used. For deeper cracks, you may need to use a bonding agent or concrete filler, or call Lift-Up Concrete Lifting, LLC, experts in concrete repair in the Salt Lake City area. Regardless of the repair method, it is important to act quickly to prevent further damage.

Protect your concrete from de-icing chemicals

In the winter, concrete can be damaged by de-icing chemicals. These chemicals cause the concrete to break down, resulting in cracks and holes.

While de-icing chemicals are important for keeping sidewalks and driveways safe, they can also cause significant damage to concrete.

To protect your concrete in the winter, use a product that is designed specifically for concrete. This will help to prevent the concrete from breaking down and will also make it easier to remove the de-icing chemicals when they are no longer needed.

Seal your concrete to protect it from damage

Concrete is a durable material that can withstand a lot of wear and tear. However, it is not invincible. Over time, concrete can become cracked and chipped, especially if it is exposed to extreme temperatures.

One way to help protect your concrete surfaces is to seal them with a layer of protective coating. This will create a barrier between the concrete and the elements, helping to prevent damage.

Sealing your concrete is especially important in the winter months when freezing temperatures can cause the concrete to expand and crack. Because sealing forms a barrier that helps to resist moisture, salt, and staining. It also makes it easier to clean the surface in the spring.

Remove snow and ice from your concrete regularly

In the winter months, it’s important to keep an eye on your concrete surfaces. Snow and ice can accumulate quickly, and if not removed in a timely manner, can cause considerable damage. Not only can the weight of the snow and ice cause cracks and breakage, but the freeze-thaw cycle can also lead to spalling and surface deterioration.

The best way to prevent this damage is to remove snow and ice as soon as possible. A snow shovel or ice cleaner will do the job quickly and efficiently and help to keep your concrete looking its best.

Those are our tips for how to prepare your concrete for the winter months ahead! By taking these steps now, you can be sure that your concrete will be able to withstand whatever Old Man Winter throws at it.

Don’t wait until it’s too late contact Lift-Up Concrete, LLC, today.

concrete composition proportioning reinforcements

Concrete Composition: Proportioning and Reinforcements

In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the basics on how concrete is made. Understanding the composition of concrete is often important for those who are caring for or maintaining it, and it’s a pretty simple formula in most cases.

At Lift-Up Concrete, we’re happy to help with a wide range of concrete lifting and leveling services for any concrete slab that’s been damaged in any way. Our professionals are experts in the way concrete is created and poured into your various slabs, and this expertise often informs our concrete repair services. While part one of our series went over the simple recipe usually used for concrete, today’s part two will dig into a few other important areas to be aware of.

Concrete Proportioning

As we discussed in part one, concrete is made primarily from a combination of cement, water and various aggregates (stone, gravel, sand, etc.). As such, a vital part of its proper installation comes down to using the right mixture of these three ingredients.

A concrete mixture without enough cement, for instance, will be thinner and weaker than originally designed. This can often cause cracking, especially if the concrete wasn’t laid to a specific level during installation, or if it was installed over another material that’s less than ideal. This is where concrete lifting services like ours are vital – we’ll carefully lift and repair your damaged slab so that its leveled out properly again.

Concrete Reinforcements

We should also note here that when a given concrete slab is poured (including many concrete foundations), it’s not simply solid concrete. Rather, the slab is also reinforced with fibers and/or wire mesh, which ensures that it is not only properly supported, but also strong and durable. Depending on the project, these reinforcements may be cast directly into the concrete during pouring (which is why it’s important to have a lift service like us in some cases), or they may need to be interwoven after the slab has been poured.

If your concrete was damaged in some way that caused the reinforcement to become exposed, it can leave you with a weakened structure. This is particularly problematic if the reinforcements are what keep your concrete slab from cracking further. Repairing such damage is vital for maintaining your home or business’s structural integrity and keeping it safe as long as possible.

Decorative Concrete

Finally, there are also forms of decorative concrete that include color additives or concrete printing formats. These types of concrete — plus their care and potential repair needs — require a thorough understanding of how additives or printing will impact the slab. If you have questions here, our team will be happy to answer them.

For more on how concrete is made and poured, or to learn about any of our concrete lifting and leveling services, speak to the staff at Lift-Up Concrete today.

concrete composition mix cement

Concrete Composition: Mix and Cement Notes

Concrete is one of the single most common harder substances used in our world today, but many people — even those who utilize it regularly on their property — don’t really understand how it’s made. Concrete is a combination of a few different elements in most cases, combined to create the finished product you see on areas like driveways, sidewalks and numerous others.

At Lift-Up Concrete, we’re happy to offer a wide range of concrete lifting and leveling services for situations where your concrete undergoes any form of damage. Part of this process, though, and part of our common services provided to clients as well, involves understanding the composition of the concrete we’re working on, as this often plays a major role in how we’ll remedy any damage that’s taken place. For those who are unaware, what goes into the makeup of concrete, and how does this composition vary depending on the type of slab needed? This two-part blog series will tell you everything you need to know.

Standard Concrete Composition

Concrete is a mixture of cement, water and various aggregates. The simplest concrete composition consists of 10-15% cement, 15-20% water, and 65-75% aggregates. This mixture needs to set for 8 hours before the concrete can be used.

When we talk about “aggregates,” we’re referring to a few different possible substances: Sand, gravel, crushed stones and possibly a few others. These may be used in different combinations depending on the exact slab you require.

The properties of concrete are determined by its ingredients. Stirring the concrete after it has been mixed will increase the strength of the material as well as cause bubbles to rise to the surface which can be popped prior to final use. Cement also forms a skin on top, which can be scraped off so that it doesn’t interfere with casting or mixing with other materials like gravel.

Concrete and Cement Are Not the Same

While cement is an important ingredient in the formation of concrete, they are not the same and should not be used interchangeably. Concrete is a mixture of cement, water and various aggregates. Cement itself is the substance that creates the glue, binding these three ingredients together.

Cement can be manufactured using one of eight different ingredients: Lime, silica, sulfur trioxide, alkaline, iron oxide, alumina, and calcium sulfate. Within the concrete world, it will then be made into a paste that hardens and holds the other concrete ingredients together within the slab, with highly effective bonding qualities that allow it to create a long-lasting adhesive effect.

For more on the basic composition of concrete, or to learn about any of our concrete lifting and leveling services, speak to the staff at Lift-Up Concrete today.