You can’t help but wonder if DIY concrete lifting could be the answer to that sinking piece of sidewalk or patio you have out back. You’re a hands-on type of person. You could take a trip to the hardware store then come home ready for a DIY concrete lifting project, right?
Many DIY projects turn out splendid results, but chances are that DIY concrete lifting won’t be one of the them. It takes training and experience to gain concrete lifting know-how.
Understanding the Root Cause
A concrete repair professional is trained not only to fix the problem, but to diagnose the cause as well. Only when the underlying issue is corrected will a repair last for years.
For example, if the reason your slab is sinking is poor water drainage, your lifting company can help you come up with affordable solutions to prevent future damage. It doesn’t do you any good to spend money on a repair, even a low-cost one, if it doesn’t last.
On your own, it can be hard to determine why your concrete is sinking. When you’re paying a professional, you know you’re getting a permanent solution.
You Need Precise, Expensive Tools
To do this type of repair the right way, you need special tools. You need a concrete drill and a hydraulic pump — the machine that’s used to push the grout mixture beneath the slab’s surface.
These tools are expensive, and you’ll need other supplies, such as the grout mixture itself. And unless you do it wrong, you won’t ever have to use these tools again. Doesn’t that seem like a waste of money?
DIY Methods Don’t Guarantee Results
Other DIY methods of concrete lifting only deliver a shadow of the quality result that professional concrete lifting provides. For example, you could dig a hole next to the sunken slab, then shovel dirt or clay into the void underneath.
Though this may raise the concrete temporarily, the dirt isn’t compacted. Eventually, the slab will end up sinking again once the air seeps out.
Other methods involve cutting out sections of concrete with a wet saw, pouring sand into the void, compacting it, then putting the concrete back in the hole. This type of repair leaves a lot of room for error. You risk cracking and breaking the entire slab, making a complete tear-out necessary.
Lift-Up Concrete will provide the professional, affordable alternative to DIY concrete lifting that you’re looking for — call today for a free estimate.
