The Basics of Concrete Lifting – Common Concrete Lifting Methods

Concrete lifting is an activity that can be performed in a variety of different ways. In construction, concrete leveling is an operation that attempts to level an uneven concrete surface with changes in the underlying foundation on which the surface is sat upon. This is commonly known as “cutting and lifting” in the industry. Different tools can be used to carry out this task.

Two Most Common Concrete Lifting Methods

Concrete Pumping

It is the most popular method of concrete lifting. Pump will shoot a large volume of concrete into the air, which is then pumped back into the ground. The foam that is created will be used as a buffer for the holes that have been created. The foam acts as a leveler so that holes from the concrete are now level.

It is a traditional method of lifting sunken concrete slabs. In this case, the holes will be larger because of the way the concrete will have sunk into the ground. A cylindrical device will be inserted into the hole, which is used to shoot the foam through the holes. Once the foam is sprayed, the cylindrical “sink hole” will be filled with concrete. A powerful pump is used for this type of operation.

Slabjacking

Another type of concrete lifting involves the use of flapjacks. Basically, an excavating machine is inserted into one of the holes that are present in the ground. Slabjacks will then be placed on top of the excavated hole. Once the holes are dug to the necessary depth, the flapjacks will be inserted into the holes, and the process of concrete lifting will begin.

Using slabs is cheaper than using a concrete lifting machine. In addition, the process is easier and faster. However, slabjacking is also slightly more expensive than using a crane. It is possible to find slabs that are not damaged by a slumping agent. In this case, the process becomes slightly more expensive. The cost of slabjacking will depend on the number of slabs that need to be moved and the amount of work that is involved. You can get an estimate of cost from local contractors in Columbia.

Careful Lifting is a Must

There are also a few negative effects of concrete lifting. When concrete is lifted and placed on top of soil, there is a chance of sinking of the lifted concrete. This can cause water to get into the basement or other areas of the house that it is not supposed to go into. If not fixed immediately, this can lead to some very costly repairs.

Get Help from Experts

If there is a lot of damage to the basement due to a flood or a major storm, it may be better to use concrete lifting instead of using the more traditional methods of repairing the damage. In these cases, concrete slabs are simply not strong enough to lift the entire building back up off the ground. In this type of situation, more concrete slab repairs are needed than if a simple repair process was used. In order to find out if your situation needs a concrete lifting repair, you should consult with Columbia local contractors  to discuss the options for repairing your damaged concrete slab.