Restore your driveway, sidewalk, path, or other slabs back to their original level with concrete leveling. Discover how the professionals at Rhino Foundation Systems can take an uneven, hazardous, or unappealing surface and restore it for less than the cost of a replacement service. Find answers to all your concrete leveling and lifting questions today.
What Is Concrete Leveling?
Professionals use concrete leveling techniques to restore the original level of concrete slabs after they’ve sunk or settled. The process is much more quick, convenient, and affordable than replacing the entire slab.
While it isn’t always possible to perform a leveling service, this solution can be used in most sinking or settling situations. Even cracked slabs that have shifted can be lifted to their original height, rather than having a much more expensive build for new flatwork concrete.
The expert team at Rhino Foundation Systems can perform concrete leveling in as little as 40 minutes. Learn how the process works to see if it’s right for your home or commercial building.
How Does Concrete Leveling Work?
It all starts with a thorough inspection of your concrete. Nearly every slab can be leveled or lifted, but our expert technicians will be able to quickly assess the best course for your concrete.
Once our technicians determine the leveling process for your particular needs, they’ll get to work following this three-step process:
Preparing to Lift
Concrete leveling starts with a long drill, vertically boring holes into the surface. These roughly dime-sized holes are necessary for pumping polyurethane foam beneath the slab. The access holes are easy to fill at the end of the project to restore the smooth, safe surface.
It takes a professional technician to find the correct placement of holes to safely level or lift a slab.
Pumping Polyurethane Foam
Polyurethane provides a stable base that doesn’t damage the slab or harm the environment. This foam is injected, expands, and hardens quickly, so that job can be completed the same day.
To ensure full expansion and coverage of polyurethane, our team uses staggered bursts, with a professional pumping system. Bursts between 15 and 20 seconds allow time for the foam to expand. This prevents excessive leveling and lifting and creates a firm foundation that can last a lifetime.
Lifting the Slab
The expansion process creates visible results within minutes. The pressure of rapid, powerful expansion lifts large slabs to your desired height. The expansion process only takes a few seconds, so we take pride in how quickly we can make your concrete look better.
Depending on the prep work and size of the slab, the entire leveling process should only take between 30 minutes and a few hours. Even extensive projects are typically finished in a day. The concrete slab is usually ready for full use the same day the leveling process is completed.
What Are the Benefits of Concrete Lifting?
Work with our team at Rhino Foundation Systems to enjoy a safe, affordable process that restores your curb appeal. Learn more about these benefits as you consider leveling vs. replacing your slab.
Safety
An uneven sidewalk creates a tripping hazard. Don’t wait until you, a family member, or a guest trips on your sidewalk to replace it. Uneven driveways create the same hazard and can be damaging or uncomfortable when they are driven over.
This is particularly important for commercial properties. A damaged commercial sidewalk or driveway could be a liability for your company. Protect your customers and employees, just like you protect your friends and family at home, with a smooth, level surface.
Curb Appeal
Your driveway and sidewalk are some of the first features of your home that greet guests. A cracked, uneven concrete path can ruin your curb appeal. Improve the value, comfort, and beauty of your property with smooth, maintained concrete surfaces.
This surprisingly affordable process can make a major difference in the value of your property. The return on investment for leveling a slab can be more than replacement, because of the more affordable price.
Affordable Price
Concrete leveling is typically 50% cheaper than concrete replacement services. A small team can perform the process quickly and efficiently to restore your property. Don’t invest in a costly and time-consuming replacement project when you can enjoy a smooth slab in around 30 minutes.
Less time means lower labor costs, and the small amount of polyurethane to build a foundation is far more affordable than new surface and foundation materials. Invest wisely in a proven way to restore your walkway.
When Do You Need Concrete Lifting?
Take a few minutes to inspect your slabs. Patios, pathways, sidewalks, and driveways can all be lifted using state-of-the-art polyurethane foam and an expert application. Check out these signs you need concrete lifting before scheduling a service in Utah.
Uneven Concrete
Unfortunately, tripping on your surface is often one of the first signs it’s uneven. Look for any transition points in your walkway or driveway where one side may be significantly lower than the other.
Here are common transition areas where concrete can settle over time:
- Driveway to garage
- Sidewalk to front steps
- Sidewalk slab to sidewalk slab
- Patio to steps
These aren’t the only areas but are some of the most common areas where uneven concrete is noticeable and dangerous. Work with a professional to inspect your property and look for signs of uneven or unlevel structures.
Standing Water
It can sometimes be difficult to tell if a cracked portion of your driveway or sidewalk has settled. One clear sign is if there’s standing water on any portion of the slab. A properly installed driveway or walkway should allow water to naturally drain off it. Solve water drainage issues with professional concrete leveling.
Schedule a leveling service before standing water is allowed to freeze or penetrate the concrete. Standing water, over time, can break up the slab and compromise the foundation. A sidewalk or driveway that’s broken into multiple pieces is a project that may not be suited for this affordable service.
Cracked Surface
Cracks can be caused by extreme impacts, temperature differences, and other issues, but one of the most common causes is a shifting foundation. Check cracks in your concrete slab for signs of an uneven surface. Don’t attempt to patch the surface until you resolve the sinking issue, or you may see another crack before long.
Water isn’t the only reason concrete can break apart. Just like the causes of uneven concrete, the causes of extensive cracking vary. Direct impacts, old age, settling foundations, and other factors that quickly deteriorate your walkway and make it impossible to lift. Perform a lifting service before it’s too late.
What Would Cause Concrete to Lift?
How did a beautiful surface become uneven? There are a few common culprits that cause this issue.
Some issues happen almost immediately, while others take years to slowly move one slab of concrete above or below another. Here are the most common reasons for your surface to shift.
Improper Foundation
Just like a home foundation, any concrete slab needs a firm foundation. Loosely packed soil or other soft foundation materials can quickly sink under the weight of the slab.
An improper foundation can be caused by poor installation, but it can also be caused by old age or an issue in your area. If you’ve recently performed extensive excavation or landscaping near your concrete structure, it may have compromised the foundation.
Working with a professional installation team can help avoid these issues. In most situations, a concrete driveway should have at least six inches of aggregate as a foundation. The exact size and amount of aggregate depends on the soil and thickness of your slab.
Tree Root Intrusion
Tree roots are another common cause of uneven concrete. As roots grow under your slab, they can push soil and aggregate out of the way. Though slow-moving, these roots are powerful enough to push slabs up. Once the tree dies, a rotting root creates a cavity that can cause your smooth surface to sink down several inches.
Ask a professional about the best solution for a tree root intrusion. A damaged foundation due to tree roots may be solved by leveling, but a cracked, split, or shattered surface needs to be removed and replaced.
The Freeze/Thaw Soil Cycle
Soil expands and contracts depending on the moisture levels. Gravel or crushed stone under your walkway or driveway should help protect against expansion, but this can still be an issue. This is particularly true in areas of Utah with extreme temperature swings from one season to another.
A professionally installed foundation may be able to prevent this issue, but over time the moisture content of the soil can still change. A polyurethane foundation is a stable, long-lasting way to maintain level surface.
How Much Does It Cost to Relevel Concrete?
Concrete releveling is much more convenient and affordable than a full replacement service. Depending on the size of the project, releveling your slab could be as affordable as 50% less than the replacement cost.
It’s also much faster than replacing the slab. It just takes 10 to 15 seconds for the foam to expand and lift your concrete. The entire process can often be performed in 30 minutes, but some require several hours. Most lifting projects can be performed in less than a day.
Releveling vs. Replacing
Concrete leveling can be an affordable and convenient option, but it isn’t always available. Some projects require a full replacement.
Here are some key signs that you need to replace your slab, not lift it:
- Severe damage
- More than eight inches of settlement
- Compromised structural integrity
These issues make it more feasible to replace the slab. Expect the process to take a week or more and cost up to twice as much as releveling. Ask a specialist from Rhino Foundation Systems to inspect the damage and determine the best solution for the results you deserve.
Expected Lifetime of Polyurethane Foam
Concrete leveling performed by a professional team should last a lifetime. There are a few factors that can reduce the expected lifetime of a foam-lifted slab, so work with our team to determine whether this process is right for your situation. Trust this solution to restore your curb appeal and fight back against the settling process.
Compare this with other lifting solutions to determine the best process for your situation. In most cases, polyurethane lasts longer than the structure you’re lifting. Choose a quality leveling service provider for peace of mind as you make a long-term investment in your curb appeal and home safety.
Why Choose Rhino Foundation Systems?
The basic steps to leveling concrete may seem easy to some homeowners, so why not perform a DIY concrete leveling project?
There are several important reasons to choose a local, professional team in Utah for this task:
- Damage to your walkway or driveway
- Uneven solution
- Personal injury
- Short-term success
Preparing to level your structure could damage it if you don’t drill the holes correctly. Whether you rent or buy a polyurethane foam injection tool, it’s difficult to inject the correct amount without lifting the surface too little or too much, leaving you with the same uneven walkway or driveway issue.
Drills and polyurethane injectors are professional tools that can be dangerous if used incorrectly. DIY solutions may seem like they work, but still leave your driveway or walkway with an unstable foundation.
Work with a dedicated team for lifting that lasts.
Learn More About Concrete Leveling Today
At Rhino Foundation Systems, we’re committed to fast, effective, and custom concrete leveling solutions for your home. Restore your property and maintain your investment with our convenient services in Utah.
Contact us today to learn more about our team and our services to see if they’re right for your situation.
