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Sunken Concrete Slabs |
You may have wondered how the tough materials like concrete may settle down at your structures during construction. There are many factors which cause these set concrete slabs to sink or tilt over time. Many things are affecting it ranging from the poor workmanship during construction to the improper curettage of the cement. Sometimes even the work is done perfectly; it may be the nature of the soil of your land which ends up in the sinking of concrete slabs.
In many cases, this natural phenomenon is beyond the control of the homeowners and the concrete workers as a combination of many contributing factors. The roots of trees growing nearby or underground water seepage everything can cause this problem. However, it is possible to fix this issue through concrete lifting procedures, for which you need to find a reliable concrete lifting contractor to do an assessment and give proper suggestions.
Concrete Lifting
The technology of concrete lifting is used in construction for many decades now. It is a very cost-effective expert method in home repair. In fact, concrete lifting requires only limited time and effort to accomplish, but then if you don't do it on time, then you may need to do total slab replacement overtime, which may be a troublesome affair.The major advantage of doing concrete lifting is that it is much cost effective and can perfectly reinstate your structure. If you are in a hurry to resolve the issues related to tilted or sunken slabs, then concrete lifting or mud jacking is an ideal approach to take.
If you are looking for some quick and easy method to recover the sunken concrete at your garage or basement, then also concrete lifting is ideal to consider. This process is recognized by the authorities also as a reliable repair method for tilted and sunken concrete slabs not only as it is cost-efficient, but also due to the fact that it doesn't require any a lot of time to accomplish.
In addition to the other alternative methods used for concrete lifting, which were largely unprofessional and unregulated, concrete lifting is a more streamlined process, which gives immediate access to the sunken area and not causes any problems to the adjacent structures. As we know, concrete is a very solid material used to ensure the strength of the construction, but due to this property itself, it tends to sink over time.
How is concrete lifting done?
The process of concrete lifting is almost similar to how you lift a car at the repair shop. It is done using hydraulic force. The repairing persons may first drill holes into the sunken concrete slabs and then pump in a polyurethane mixture or into these holes. The compound penetrates through the sunken slabs and then exerts pressure, which will push the slab upward. The pumping will be done until the slab rises to the desired height on the ground.Even though the process is much easier and quicker, it is a subtle process too to be handled very carefully. It is all about drilling holes and pumping grout through it, but it requires optimum precision and accuracy to make sure that nothing is going wrong. Only expert professionals will be able to accomplish it with 100% perfection.
The planning needed to be done properly based on the status of the tilted or sunken slabs and the work also needs to be closely monitored in order to make sure that the tasks are accomplished as per the plan. You have to call in an expert contractor who has experience, expertise, and enough tools to accomplish the task well. You don't have to water time by thinking whether you have to replace the slabs or just need to get it lifted. Try to get an expert assessment amount the present situation of the structure and take the advice of an unbiased assessor to take adequate concrete lifting measures.
Step by step process
Now, let’s dig deeper into the exact concrete lifting process. It may not be exactly the same in all the cases, and different contractors may also use different tools to do it. What we discuss further is a general overview of the step-by-step approach to concrete lifting.- Drilling the holes: Adequate number of homes of appropriate circumference needed to be drilled down through which the polyurethane or grout compound will be pumped. The holes and the amount of grout should be strategically measured in order to ensure optimum accuracy.
- Pumping of the compounds: Once the holes are made, next the pumping of polyurethane compound or grout is carried out. This is done using hydraulic force with which the grout fills the void space of the holes.
- Lifting slabs: After a few minutes by allowing the grout to set, the slab will elevate slowly as the spaces are getting filled. If the pumping is done properly and the volume of grout applied is correct, then you can see a perfect alignment in a few minutes.
Finding a concrete lifting contractor
It is all about avoiding mistakes in choosing Raleigh concrete company to repair the sunken slabs. If you are suffering from the issues of a sinking or cracked driveway, then look for the following things before calling in the contractor.- Does the contractor specialize in concrete lifting or general repair service?
- How long are they into the service?
- What warranty does the company offer?
- Whether they possess work insurance or not?
- What all tasks are included and what is excluded in their concrete lifting project?