As with most home repairs, there is more than one way to lift a sunken concrete slab. But it’s important to know the differences between polyjacking and mudjacking in order to make an informed decision as to what is right for you.

Mudjacking vs Foam Jacking Process

The process for mudjacking and polyurethane jacking is very much similar. In both instances, holes are drilled in the top of the concrete slab, and a fill is pumped beneath. The largest difference between the process is that the holes drilled for mudjacking range between 1” and 2”, which the holes for polyjacking are typically ⅝” in diameter.

Mudjacking vs Polyurethane Jacking Materials

With mudjacking, a concrete slurry, or “mud”, is pumped in to fill the void beneath the slab. This is also known as a structural fill. Because of the nature of the concrete, the slurry can be modified to fit the need of the slab that is being lifted. Concrete is also recyclable, meaning that when it does come time to remove or replace a slab completely, it can be taken with the rest of the slab to be recycled. The slurry does weight more than the foam used in foam jacking, but the material has a much higher compressive strength, meaning it can take more weight before straining it. Polyurethane foam jacking uses a petroleum based liquid polymer that solidifies into a foam when a chemical reaction occurs. The foam rapidly expands to fill a large space, but cannot be used for very large voids. The foam material is lighter than a cement slurry and can be less of a burden on loose subsoil, but also has less compressive strength. The polyurethane foam will stick to the existing cement slab, meaning that it cannot be taken to be recycled back into concrete when the slab is removed.

Mudjacking vs Polyurethane Foam Jacking Costs

Polyjacking can cost as much as 4 to 5 times that of mudjacking. The materials used, as well as the equipment needed for polyjacking means the cost of the repair will run you quite a bit more for the same end result. Mudjacking is a much more economical process that has been in use for decades longer. The duration of how long foam jacking lasts vs mudjacking also depends on many variables, so the long term cost is completely dependent on the job that needs to be done.

For the economical solution to fix your uneven walks, driveways or steps, mudjacking is the answer.