As the stairs get older, they become cracked and uneven. Crumbling stairs are not only a visual eyesore but are very dangerous too. You or anyone at your home can trip over uneven stairs and hurt themselves badly. If your house is very old and your stairs have started to look aged, you need not worry. It is possible to get your stairs repaired at a very affordable cost with the help of concrete stairs leveling.

What Is Concrete Stairs Leveling?

As you can tell by the name, concrete stairs leveling is a long-lasting solution for broken and uneven stairs. It is a technique that allows you to restore your concrete stairs to their original shape without having to spend a fortune.

When Should You Get Concrete Stairs Leveling

Not all types of stairs damage call for concrete stairs leveling. Certain signs indicate that you need to get your concrete stairs leveled. Water pooling after rainfall is usually the first sign that indicates a bigger underlying problem. It suggests that your steps have tilted as a result of shifting. Other signs include the appearance of prominent cracks on the underside of the stairs. It shows that the structure has moved away from the original stable position ad you need to do something about it soon.

The Need to Get Your Concrete Stairs Leveled

Occasional pools of water or cracks on your stairs may not seem like that big of a problem, but what you need to understand is that these signs indicate serious underlying issues. Any visible damages to your staircase are not just superficial. They are a sign of instability. These damages are progressive in nature, and they will only get worse, putting the integrity of the structure and your safety at a massive risk. It is the reason why getting concrete stairs leveling on time is so important.

How Concrete Stairs Leveling Works

Many homeowners think that patching or filling up the cracks or evening out the tilted steps will fix the problems. The reality is somewhat different. The only way to fix the problem is to re-stabilize the structure, which can only be done through concrete stairs leveling. Technicians drill holes on the surface of your concrete stairs and inject a grout beneath the surface of the stairs that raises the sunken portion of the staircase. It not only restores the staircase but also strengthens the foundation for years to come.

Summary

Ensuring the structural integrity of your house and the safety of your family should always be your first priority. While you can address the safety concern by filling in or leveling the concrete stairs yourself, the underlying structural instability is something of a much serious nature. You should call a reliable concrete professional as soon as you observe the signs of stair damage to ensure the problem doesn’t get worse.

Sunken concrete slabs in the driveway, on the pavement, or in the garden, are a common occurrence in suburban homes. Almost every property owner faces the issue of dipped concrete bricks on the ground. Although it’s a common problem, there aren’t many cheap solutions for it. If you have enough money, you can replace the entire slab and make the issue disappear like it never existed. However, not everyone has excess cash lying around in the bank. So those who can’t afford costly replacement go for concrete leveling that lifts the sunken pieces by injecting mud underneath, known as mudjacking.

Mudjacking is the most popular method of fixing concrete depressions in the floor. However, there is a new contender in town that uses the same technique as mudjacking, but with a different material. It is known as polyjacking. Both methods are effective and yield the desired results. But if you still need the low-down on them, then here is an extensive guide on mudjacking and polyjacking.

Mudjacking

Mudjacking has been used to lift concrete floors for decades, and it has been exceptional at doing its job. But how does it work? Well, here’s how.

A concrete slab sinks because of the air that comes between the soils underneath. When the support (i.e., the soil) holding up the cement tablet disappears, the pathway dips down, resulting in an unleveled floor. What mudjacking does is that it fills in mud in the spaces that had become empty and caused the slab to sink.

Contractors drill dime-sized holes into the concrete floor and pump in the mud using a specialized hydraulic pump. Once the clay dries up, it becomes hard enough to support the slab, resultantly leveling back the floor.

Mudjacking is a surefire way of lifting concrete floors without breaking the bank.

Polyjacking or Polyurethane Concrete Leveling

Polyjacking is a relatively new technique to fix sunken concrete floors. Although it’s been in the market for a little while, it has gotten quite some popularity among homeowners.

Polyjacking works on the same principle as mudjacking but uses a different material to lift concrete. The material used for polyjacking is known as polyurethane, which is a type of foam that expands after placement.

Contractors drill holes into the damaged slab about the size of a thumbnail and inject them with polyurethane using an injection gun. Once the foam begins to expand, it lifts the dipped floor and compresses the soil together.

Polyjacking is also effective at leveling concrete floors; however, it can be quite expensive. If you want a cheaper option, then mudjacking is the right choice for you.

The Final Verdict

As mentioned earlier, both polyjacking and mudjacking are workable solutions for concrete troubles. You get a pretty similar end product. With that said, if money is a factor that you need to consider when fixing pathways in and around your home, you should go for the latter. Furthermore, if you are an environmentalist, then also mudjacking is the right choice for you because it uses a natural material that doesn’t release any chemicals, unlike polyurethane.

Every property has one or more concrete surfaces, be it driveways, sidewalks, pavements, etc. No matter how much care you take of these concrete surfaces, they are highly prone to wear and tear. Over time, they will crack and get damaged, which is when you’ll have to address these damages.

Mudjacking is one of the most popular methods of concrete leveling among businesses and homeowners, but have you ever wondered why? What is it that makes this method of concrete repair so common and popular? Let’s have a look at the benefits of mudjacking that account for its unmatched popularity.

1.     Saves Money

If your driveway or sidewalk has sunken and you’re working on possible solutions, the first thing you might have thought about is slab replacement. Slab replacement is effective when it comes to leveling sunken surfaces, but it costs pretty fancy! Mudjacking, on the other hand, not only levels the concrete surfaces but also gets the job done at a highly affordable price. This is one of the major benefits of mudjacking that makes it a go-to option for everyone.

2.     Targets The Real Problem

The reason why concrete surfaces sink is the formation of voids under concrete slabs. While slab replacement simply replaces the older slabs, the underlying problem remains, and the slab will settle again sooner than later. Mudjacking targets the root cause. Instead of simply fixing the concrete surface for the time being, it fills up the soil voids beneath the concrete slabs and ensures that the surface does not sink again!

3.     Quick and Efficient

While other concrete repair techniques will require you to cordon-off the area for an entire day to even more, mudjacking is quick and efficient, which is one of the many benefits of mudjacking that make it so popular. Mudjacking makes the area good for use in just an hour or two!

4.     Mess-Free

Tearing of slabs and replacing them with new ones can create a lot of rubble and mess which takes plenty of time to clean. One of the benefits of mudjacking is that it is a very clean and mess-free technique of leveling the concrete surfaces. The machinery and tools that are used during the process will not damage the surrounding landscape or hardscape, and your concrete surface will be repaired without any trouble or mess!

5.     Uniform Concrete Surface

When you get an entire concrete slab replaced, it will stand out like a sore thumb. It will differ in appearance to the other slabs of concrete, which will make the area aesthetically unpleasant. With mudjacking, the existing slab is raised and leveled, without making it look odd and out-of-place.

6.     Eco-Friendly

With people turning more considerate about the environment, they look for eco-friendly options in everything. This is yet another of the numerous benefits of mudjacking. It is an eco-friendly concrete leveling technique that uses natural materials in the cement slurry, does not produce any waste, and uses very little amounts of energy.

Summary

It won’t be wrong to say that mudjacking is popular for all the right reasons, considering the numerous benefits of mudjacking that we discussed just now. Hiring the right mudjacking contractor is the key to these benefits, though!

Most people having some form of concrete work done want to know when is it safe to walk on the freshly cured concrete? You can walk on freshly cured concrete after 24-48 hours, this figure depends on the time of year. In the summer months, the length of time can be less due to the hot weather, whereas the winter has more moisture in the year meaning the concrete can take a little longer.

Concrete is a mixture that requires hydration in the from of water to bond and create the substance, so naturally the hydration levels need to dry out and set. Concrete can be used for many different types of areas in your home or in public spaces, such as driveways and sidewalks. Walking on a sidewalk versus driving on a driveway means different lengths of time for curement to take place. Again, depending on the temperature you can use a driveway 7-10 days after the concrete has been poured. Taking less time if the weather is warm versus a longer period due to cold weather or moisture in the air. However, if it is an area that has heavy traffic, eg a large weighted truck or regular use, then it can be best to wait up to 14 days to ensure the concrete has set properly.

Concrete can also be used as the base for many homes and buildings, be that to create them or to extend them. Depending on what is going on top of the concrete base, will depend on whether there is a shorter or longer period of time to wait before you can stand, walk or use the concrete area without causing damage.

How Long Does Concrete Take To Cure?

The length of time that your concrete will take to cure will depend on several different factors. 

• How strong the concrete is required to be
• What proportions have been used in the mixture
• The size and shape of the area being concreted 
• What type of weather conditions the concrete will be exposed to
• What conditions the concrete will be required to endure 

Factoring all of this, curing takes in excessive of a week to achieve a state where it has achieved 70% of its compressive strength. At this point you can start to build on the concrete. By 28 days, your concrete should be fully cured. 

Where the concrete mixtures differ, or temperatures are lower, curing can take up to two weeks. 

What Temperature Does Concrete Cure At?

Concrete slabs that you would likely find being used on pavements, driveways, flooring, and in parking lots will, as well as structural concrete as found in columns, beams, and retaining walls, will need to be maintained at a minimum ambient temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 degrees Celsius) in order to cure. 

Temperatures will impact the speed that the concrete cures at, and colder temperatures will slow down the process. Where there is a risk of frost and ice during the curing process, it is essential to insulate the foundations using a concrete blanket. 

What Happens If It Rains While Concrete Is Being Cured?

You may be concerned about weather conditions while your concrete is curing. Of course, rain is not something that you can prevent. So, if it does rain within the first four hours of your concrete being poured, you will need to protect it. Check the weather forecast before starting as showers can occur on the sunniest of days. Build a protective cover for your concrete so that in the event of rain during these crucial first few hours, nothing will be lost.