Concrete Leveling
Fix sunken and uneven concrete slabs without full replacement using proven leveling techniques that restore safety and function.
When Concrete Sinks and Settles
Sunken concrete is more than just an eyesore. It creates tripping hazards that put your family and visitors at risk. It causes water to pool instead of draining away from your home. It makes driveways difficult to use and patios feel unsafe. And it gets worse over time if you ignore it.
Concrete slabs sink when the soil underneath them settles, washes away, or compacts. This happens for several reasons. Poor soil compaction during original construction leaves voids that collapse over time. Water erosion washes soil out from under slabs, especially near downspouts and drainage areas. Tree roots grow and then die, leaving empty spaces. Freeze-thaw cycles in Idaho's climate cause soil to expand and contract, gradually creating gaps.
The traditional fix was to tear out the sunken concrete and pour new slabs. This is expensive, messy, and wasteful. Concrete leveling offers a better solution. We lift sunken slabs back to their original position without demolition or replacement. The process is faster, costs less, and works immediately. For Rexburg homeowners dealing with settled concrete, working with professional concrete leveling specialists saves both money and hassle.
How Concrete Leveling Actually Works
Concrete leveling uses a process called polyurethane foam injection or sometimes mudjacking. Both methods lift concrete by filling the voids underneath and raising the slab. Here's what the process looks like:
The Concrete Leveling Process
- Assessment and preparation: We examine the sunken areas, determine why they settled, and calculate how much lift is needed. Small holes are drilled through the concrete at strategic locations.
- Injection process: Polyurethane foam or slurry mixture is pumped through the holes under pressure. The material fills voids and expands, lifting the slab gradually.
- Monitoring and adjustment: We watch the slab carefully as it rises, stopping when it reaches the correct level. Precision is important to avoid over-lifting.
- Hole patching: The injection holes are patched and finished to blend with the surrounding concrete. Most are barely noticeable after completion.
- Immediate use: Unlike concrete replacement that needs days to cure, leveled concrete is ready to use within hours. You can walk or drive on it the same day.
Polyurethane foam leveling has advantages over traditional mudjacking. The foam is lighter weight, so it doesn't add significant load to already compromised soil. It cures quickly and doesn't require water, so there's no messy cleanup. And it fills voids completely while providing long-term support. For properties with multiple concrete issues, our concrete repair services can address various problems in a coordinated approach.
Why Choose Leveling Over Replacement
When you have sunken concrete, you face a choice: level it or replace it. Here's why leveling makes sense for most situations in Rexburg:
Cost is the obvious factor. Concrete leveling typically costs 50% to 70% less than complete replacement. You're not paying for demolition, hauling away old concrete, new materials, or extensive labor. For a typical driveway section, leveling might cost $800 to $1,500 while replacement could run $2,500 to $4,000 or more.
Time matters too. Leveling takes hours, not days. We usually complete residential projects in a single afternoon. You can use your driveway or walkway that same evening. Replacement takes days for demolition, site prep, pouring, and curing before you can walk on it, plus another week before vehicle traffic.
Disruption is minimal with leveling. No jackhammers, no heavy equipment tearing up your yard, no trucks hauling debris. We drill small holes, inject foam, patch the holes, and we're done. Your landscaping stays intact. Replacement creates a mess that affects your entire property for days.
Environmental impact is worth considering. Leveling saves existing concrete instead of sending it to a landfill. You're not using new cement, which has a significant carbon footprint. For homeowners who care about sustainability, keeping good concrete in place makes sense.
The main time replacement makes more sense is when concrete is severely cracked, badly deteriorated, or so thin it might break during lifting. We'll tell you honestly if leveling will work or if replacement is the better choice. Our work on concrete driveways includes both leveling existing sections and pouring new concrete when needed.
Concrete Leveling Questions Answered
Here are the questions we get most often about concrete leveling:
Polyurethane foam leveling typically lasts 10 to 15 years or more, depending on what caused the original settling and whether that issue was addressed. If the settling was due to poor initial compaction and we fill those voids completely, the repair should last indefinitely. If it's caused by ongoing water erosion or soil issues, you may need to address those underlying problems for a permanent fix. The foam itself is stable and doesn't break down over time. It's waterproof and resistant to chemicals in the soil. Many leveled slabs never need attention again. We assess what caused your concrete to sink and let you know if other steps are needed to prevent future settling.
Most sunken concrete can be leveled, but not all. Good candidates are slabs that are structurally sound with only minor cracking, settled but not completely broken apart, and thick enough to withstand the lifting pressure. Concrete that's badly cracked in multiple directions, severely deteriorated, or extremely thin may break during the leveling process. In these cases, replacement is the better option. We inspect your concrete carefully before recommending leveling. If we don't think it will hold up to the process, we'll tell you honestly. There's no point starting a leveling job that won't work. Our free inspection identifies whether leveling is viable for your specific situation.
We can usually get concrete very close to the target level, typically within a quarter inch or less. Precision depends on several factors including how much the slab has settled, the condition of surrounding slabs, and soil stability underneath. Sometimes we intentionally leave a slight slope for drainage rather than making everything perfectly level. The goal is to eliminate tripping hazards, fix drainage problems, and restore function. Most homeowners are very satisfied with the results. In cases where perfection matters, like matching threshold heights at doorways, we take extra care and can often hit exact measurements. We discuss your expectations during the inspection so you know what results to expect before we start work.
Dealing with sunken or uneven concrete? Contact us for a free inspection and quote. We'll assess your situation, explain your options, and provide an honest recommendation on whether leveling will work for your concrete.