Is Mudjacking The Solution For Your Project?

Mudjacking is a process that often allows property owners to stabilize large surfaces, typically ones made of concrete. If you're wondering whether residential concrete mudjacking might be right for your project, you'll want to examine these three factors.

Slabs

Residential concrete mudjacking services tend to work best when the surface involved is a slab. If a sidewalk is sinking because the ground underneath it is crumbling, for example, that's probably a good candidate for mudjacking. A contractor can inject materials into the vacated space below the sidewalk. The net effect is that the injected material, called mud by folks in the business, will fill the gap and provide greater support.

Notably, mudjacking can also raise the slab. If a slab has sunk because of the lack of support, you can usually get it back up and level with this process.

Non-Structural Concrete

You should note residential concrete mudjacking is only a viable solution for non-structural concrete. In other words, you can't use it to fix a foundation. There are processes for trying to remedy the same sort of problem with a foundation where you need to fill a gap, but it's a more involved structural engineering issue.

What counts as non-structural concrete? Just about any outdoor surface counts. Sidewalks, patios, concrete porches, pool decks, driveways, and even parking lots are all often candidates for residential concrete mudjacking services. You may be able to use it on some types of concrete steps, too. It also might be possible for use in areas of garages and basements where concrete slabs don't connect to the foundation.

Physical Integrity

Presuming a concrete slab meets the first two criteria, the remaining question is whether it has sufficient physical integrity. Residential concrete mudjacking processes use significant amounts of pressure. After all, the pressure has to be sufficient to push the material into the empty spaces. Likewise, it has to be enough pressure to lift a slab of concrete.

The downside to this becomes evident if the concrete is crumbling. Subjecting the concrete to high pressure will run the risk of blowing out the loose bits. If there's just a bit of loose soil under the slab, that's not going to be a big deal. If a measurable percentage of the concrete itself is crumbling, though, the pressure may blow it apart. A contractor can inspect the concrete and tell you whether or not it's in good enough shape for the process. 

For more information about residential concrete mudjacking, contact a local company.