Concrete Leveling, Mudjacking and Polyjacking in Cleveland and NE Ohio

Why do concrete slabs sink in Northeast Ohio?

Slabs sink when the material underneath them shrinks, washes away or compresses. In this region, the usual causes are fill soil around a newer home that was never properly compacted, downspouts or sump lines dumping water along a slab edge, and clay soil that swells when wet and shrinks back in dry spells.

Freeze-thaw adds another push. Water trapped under a slab freezes, lifts it slightly, then thaws and leaves a void, and after enough winters the slab settles into that gap.

You will often see the problem first where a driveway meets the garage floor, where a walk meets the front steps, or along a slab next to the foundation, because those spots sit over backfill that was disturbed during construction.

• A driveway slab that drops below the garage floor
• A sidewalk square that creates a trip edge
• A garage apron sloping back toward the door
• A walk or patio pitching water toward the foundation
• Slabs that rock or sound hollow when stepped on

What is the difference between mudjacking and polyjacking?

Mudjacking, also called slabjacking, pumps a slurry of cement, sand, soil or limestone and water beneath the slab through holes typically an inch or more across. The slurry fills voids and builds pressure until the slab lifts, then hardens over time.

Polyjacking injects a two-part polyurethane foam through smaller holes, often around the size of a pencil or a little larger. The foam expands to fill voids and lift the slab, and it cures quickly, so the surface can often be used much sooner.

Foam is far lighter than slurry, which adds less weight to soft soils, and it does not wash out the same way. Slurry has a long track record and is a familiar choice for many contractors. Each contractor will have a view on which suits your slab and soil.

Which slabs can be leveled and which need replacement?

Leveling works best when the slab is intact or broken into only a few large pieces that can still be lifted as units. Sidewalk squares, driveway panels, garage aprons, patios and pool decks are all common candidates.

Slabs that are shattered into many small pieces, badly scaled or spalled across the surface, or heaved upward rather than sunk are generally poor candidates. Lifting a crumbling slab only puts crumbling concrete back at the right height.

If a slab is sound but the surface looks rough, some homeowners level first and then resurface or seal. A contractor can tell you whether that combination makes sense for your driveway.

How is concrete leveling done?

The contractor marks the sunken area, drills a pattern of holes through the slab and pumps material underneath while watching the surface rise. The goal is a gradual, controlled lift so the slab does not crack under uneven pressure.

Once the slab reaches the right height, the holes are patched with a cement-based mix. The patches will be visible, though they are small, especially with foam.

Many contractors also seal the joint between the lifted slab and the next one, or between the driveway and garage floor, so water cannot get back underneath and start the process over.

What affects the cost of concrete leveling?

We do not list dollar figures for mudjacking or polyjacking, because pricing depends on so many site-specific details. What you can compare is how each contractor approaches the job and what is included.

The size of the slab, how far it has sunk, how large the voids underneath are, the choice of slurry or foam, how many holes are needed and how accessible the area is all affect the quote. Many contractors also have a minimum charge for a single small slab.

Ask whether joint sealing, hole patching and cleanup are included, and whether the contractor offers any warranty on the lift. Each contractor sets their own pricing and terms.

• Total square footage and number of slabs
• How much lift is needed and how large the voids are
• Slurry versus polyurethane foam
• Access for equipment and hoses
• Joint sealing and drainage fixes included or not

Will a leveled slab sink again?

It can if the underlying cause is not addressed. A downspout still dumping water at the edge of the driveway, or a gap at the garage joint that funnels water underneath, can wash out soil around the new material.

Fixing drainage is often the most important part of the job. Extending downspouts, regrading soil away from the slab and sealing joints all help a leveled slab stay put.

Very soft or still-settling fill soil can also keep compressing. A contractor who sees signs of that should say so before you hire them.

Should I level my garage apron or replace it?

The slab just outside the garage door is one of the most common leveling jobs in the Cleveland suburbs. It often sits over backfill against the foundation wall, and when that soil settles the slab tips back toward the door, sending meltwater into the garage.

If the apron is intact and has simply dropped, lifting it can restore the pitch away from the door. If it is cracked into many pieces, badly scaled or has dropped so far that lifting would stress it, replacement with a properly compacted base is usually the more lasting fix.

Ask the contractor to check the joint between the garage floor and the apron as well. Sealing that gap after leveling keeps water from finding its way back underneath.

How soon can I use a leveled driveway or sidewalk?

Slabs lifted with polyurethane foam are often ready for use shortly after the job, since the foam cures quickly. Mudjacked slabs usually need more time for the slurry to firm up before vehicles drive over them.

Follow the specific contractor's instructions, which depend on their material and the conditions that day.

Finding a leveling contractor through LocalConcreteDriveway

We are a free matching service. Describe which slabs have sunk, roughly how much, and where you are located, and we connect you with independent contractors in Cleveland and across Northeast Ohio who do leveling.

The contractors set their own prices, materials and warranties. Contractors pay us to receive project requests, and you are never required to hire anyone.