Growing up, did you ever hear that you can tell the age of a tree based on how many rings are in the stump? Some trees are massive and hundreds of years old with established roots, while others are newly planted and their roots are just starting to adapt to the fresh soil. Regardless of a tree’s age, it provides our planet with improved air quality, water regulation, energy savings, and habitats for wildlife.
Though we love trees and the benefits they offer, their roots can be intrusive, especially when they cause concrete sinking issues. If you have a tree near your porch, patio, or pool deck, you’ve probably experienced unlevel concrete or concrete sinking on your concrete structures. If so, keep reading to learn about polyjacking, a concrete leveling method, and how it can prevent concrete sinking due to tree roots.
How Tree Roots Cause Concrete Sinking
A tree can’t grow without roots: they’re vital to the tree’s functions, importance, and structure, helping the tree grow and thrive for hundreds of years. Different trees have different root structures; some have adventitious roots, while others have a fibrous root system. Regardless of the root structure, tree roots continue to grow, slowing down in the winter months and growing rapidly in the summer months.
These continuously growing tree roots can expand and reach your home or business, pushing roots beneath or near concrete walkways, patios, decks, parking garages, and other concrete structures. These roots can grow so close to concrete structures that they can lift concrete from the ground up as they exert intense pressure. The result? Cracked and sinking concrete can cause trip hazards, serious injuries, and have legal ramifications if not addressed.
Luckily, there is a way to deal with unruly tree roots that are causing concrete to sink: polyjacking. Polyjacking and tree roots are the solution you’ve been searching for to level your concrete and allow you to keep your tree without causing harm.
What is Polyjacking?
If you’re unfamiliar with polyjacking, let’s go over the science behind polyjacking and how it works. Polyjacking is more than just raising concrete—it’s based on a scientific process that helps permanently lift concrete slabs, patios, driveways, and other structures.
Polyjacking uses foam to lift concrete. The foam we use is a lightweight solution for leveling surfaces, like driveways, patios, and slabs. Made from organic materials, polyurethane foam is dense, durable, and expands when injected to raise the concrete. It’s similar to the foam used to seal cracks around your home, but it’s designed to be long-lasting and strong.
What sets polyurethane foam apart is that it’s much lighter than the material used in mudjacking. It weighs only two to four pounds per cubic foot, while mudjacking involves hundreds of pounds of material. Once injected, the foam quickly expands and hardens, becoming water-resistant to prevent changes in the soil beneath the concrete. This makes it a low-maintenance, one-time fix that strengthens the soil below without requiring maintenance.
Polyjacking and Tree Roots: The Role Polyjacking Plays in Preventing Concrete Sinking Due to Tree Roots
Polyjacking is the best concrete leveling technique for concrete sinking due to tree roots for many reasons:
Stabilizes Soil
Polyjacking is the only concrete leveling technique that stabilizes the soil and prevents it from shifting again. We inject our polyurethane foam underneath the sunken concrete slab and fill the voids caused by the tree roots. This means the soil is stabilized, reinforcing the soil beneath the sunken concrete so it’ll never sink again.
Doesn’t Disrupt Tree Roots
Unlike other concrete leveling techniques, polyjacking doesn’t require any excavating or digging to lift the concrete. Rather, polyjacking involves injecting polyurethane foam directly underneath the sunken concrete, keeping tree roots intact and avoiding any damage. There are also environmental benefits of choosing polyjacking, including our polyurethane foam being chemically inert and never releasing chemicals into the soil or disrupting tree roots.
Prevents Further Sinking
Polyjacking is the most permanent solution to prevent further sinking, ensuring your concrete walkway, patio, pool deck, or driveway never sinks again, regardless of the tree’s roots continuing to expand and exert pressure.
Trust Pro Polyjacking, Kansas City’s Number One Concrete Leveling Company for Your Concrete Leveling Project
Pro Polyjacking has been Kansas City’s number one concrete leveling company for over 30 years. We’re locally owned and operated, and proudly family-owned. We’ve served Kansas City homeowners and businesses for a variety of reasons, including commercial and residential needs big and small.
Getting started is simple. We offer a free inspection and no-obligation quote for our concrete leveling services. During the visit, we’ll talk through any issues you’re facing and explain how our polyjacking process can help. Once you approve the quote, we’ll schedule the job at a time that works for you.
Cracked foundations, sunken driveways, and uneven sidewalks can be a serious eyesore—especially around businesses or homes. For lasting, professional results, trust Pro Polyjacking in Kansas City. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help with polyjacking and tree roots!