Cascade Mudjacking Blog

Denver Mudjacking Firms Can Save Your Sidewalk!

If your sidewalk has seen better days and it seems as if you have no other option but to rip out the old concrete and pour in a new batch, you may want to hold up until you finish reading this article. Denver mudjacking firms may just be able to provide the solution that you are looking for. Better still, you may end up not having to spend as much as you initially thought, nor will your sidewalk be out of commission for as long as you had expected. Let's take a look at what Denver mudjacking firms can do for you and what the process involves.

Mudjacking in a nutshell

Mudjacking is a process by which slabs of concrete that have fallen out of position can be restored. If you have seen sidewalks wherein the individual slabs of concrete have tilted this way and that, you are looking at a good candidate for a mudjacking job. If your sidewalk is in the same shape, a Denver mudjacking firm might be able to help.

Why sidewalks end up tilted

When sidewalks are first being made, individual concrete slabs are laid out on earth that is packed flat. At the beginning, the soil provides a fairly stable base in which the concrete slabs can lie. Over time however, significant shifting can occur in the earth, either due to tremors in the ground, running water, or vibrations caused by the operation of heavy machinery nearby. In any case, holes or gaps may form in the earth underneath. Because concrete slabs are so heavy, they can easily slip into these gaps over time. The result is the jagged appearance of tilted concrete slabs that you see up top.

Slurry: key ingredient to successful mudjacking

So how do Denver mudjacking firms deal with sidewalks that have been damaged in this manner? The key to the entire operation is a mixture called slurry. Composed out of concrete, soil, and water, slurry is used to raise up the concrete slabs and return them to their original position. The proportion of the ingredients varies from project to project and even according to the preferences of the contractor. Nevertheless, these three ingredients remain constant, and they are responsible for making mudjacking as effective a process as it is.

The mudjacking process

When raising concrete slabs, the trained personnel will first drill holes into the concrete that is to be raised. A hose is then pushed through the hole, reaching into the hole in the earth underneath. With a pressurized pump, slurry is then introduced into the hole by way of the hose. As the slurry fills up the hole, it gradually pushes up the concrete and slowly repositions it. When done, the sidewalk will look pretty much as it did originally, but with a more solid foundation.

Mudjacking or rip-and-re-pour?

In many ways, mudjacking is superior to “rip-and-re-pour”, in which the concrete is ripped out and replaced. Unless the concrete slabs have been damaged significantly, mudjacking may be the better option.

Learn more about mudjacking by calling Cascade Mudjacking at 303-840-4725.