Uneven Sidewalk? Denver Mudjacking Might Be Just What You Need!
Thursday, April 24, 2014
By Dave Roberts
Faced with an uneven sidewalk or foundation? A Denver mudjacking service might be exactly what you need. There was a time not so long ago when the only alternative to such an issue was to pay for what is known in the business as a "rip-and-repour". The process basically involves ripping out the cracked pavement or foundation and pouring in new cement. As you can imagine, a rip-and-repour can be a very costly and time-intensive procedure, with the potential to cause serious disruption. On the upside, you essentially get a new sidewalk out of the deal.
In more recent years, the rip-and-repour process has largely been supplanted by a process known as "mudjacking". Also known as "slabjacking", the process has actually been used in the construction industry for decades, particularly in highway and building repair where it is typically employed in the leveling of uneven, cracked, or sunken pavement.
Although highly effective for those purposes, mudjacking was largely unsuitable for domestic use due to the high cost of the equipment. Furthermore, mudjacking tended to be a very noisy and messy process, which made it less suitable for commercial areas. With the development of new and better technologies however, these issues have largely been eliminated. As a result, more and more contractors have been looking into new applications for mudjacking in the residential and business sectors.
Why would you need a Denver mudjacking service? In any construction project, the weight of a concrete slab places a considerable amount of pressure on the soil underneath. This does not usually pose a significant problem if the soil underneath has settled evenly. In places where there is uneven settling however, the concrete may sink and/or tilt into gaps left in the soil. In more extreme cases, the concrete slabs may even slip under each other. In any case, the result is a sidewalk that has the characteristic ‘broken teeth’ appearance that is a sure sign that you need to hire a mudjacking service!
Not all sidewalks can be fixed by mudjacking. It is not a suitable process for sidewalks in which several sections have crumbled entirely, for example. If there isn't too much damage however, a mudjacking crew might be called in to raise the undamaged concrete slab back to its original level.
The procedure usually begins with a specialist drilling a small hole into the concrete. A mud-like mixture of concrete and other materials called "slurry" is then pumped into the opening, filling up the gap underneath and raising the concrete slab. The slurry is left to harden and reinforce the underneath of the concrete slab. The hole is then sealed up with either concrete or asphalt.
Although mudjacking is a relatively simple process–at least in principle–actually getting the job done right takes a lot of skill, hard work, and the right equipment. It will also require a thorough knowledge of processes, soils, substances, and material. A professional Denver mudjacking crew will also know how to deal utilities and sewerage systems underneath.
If you want to know more about the Denver mudjacking industry, call us at Denver Mudjacking 303-840-4725.