Nearly every home project has pros and cons, whether it’s a DIY attempt or you hire a professional to tackle the job. Repainting the interior of your home, replacing flooring, restaining a pool deck/patio – the list goes on with neverending home projects. One home project you probably don’t have but should have at the top of your list is fixing unlevel or cracked concrete, whether it’s your uneven driveway, patio, walkway, or slab under a shed.

When homeowners or commercial business owners discover unlevel concrete it’s often shrugged aside and never repaired until the concrete starts to deteriorate or a basement leaks. However, concrete repair is an important home project that should be left to the professionals and fixed immediately to avoid injuries to loved ones and to avoid worsening the issue.

Many homeowners and commercial business owners will google concrete leveling techniques, discovering that two options exist: mudjacking or polyjacking. Continue reading as we discuss the pros and cons of mudjacking to determine if it’s best for your concrete repair.

Pros of Mudjacking

Though it’s not always the preferred method for concrete repair, especially if you ask our team at Pro Polyjacking, we have to admit there are some pros of mudjacking:

Advances in the Mudjacking Process

Mudjacking has been around for centuries, and we admit there have been advances in the mudjacking process that make it a decent option as opposed to decades ago. Mudjacking years ago involved taking literal mud to lift concrete and pumping it underneath cracked or unlevel concrete slabs. Though this lifted and solved the initial problem, mud doesn’t hold up when exposed to water. 

Fast forward to today when mudjacking involves using organic material like dirt or sand combined with concrete to lift unlevel or cracked concrete. Though this advancement in mudjacking is a better method, it’s still not a permanent solution.

More Affordable Option

Homeowners and commercial business owners are attracted to the lower price tag of mudjacking, but it’s not the best choice. Mudjacking is less expensive than other concrete leveling techniques. Why? Unlike polyjacking, the preferred concrete leveling technique here at Pro Polyjacking, mudjacking is a temporary solution. The initial cost is lower than other concrete leveling techniques, yet you’ll eventually pay more.

Lifts Concrete

Though mudjacking isn’t recommended by us, it does lift concrete, making it safer for loved ones and the public to walk on. Concrete leveling involves lifting the unlevel or cracked concrete to prevent injuries like falls and trips, and mudjacking does just that. Though it lifts the concrete, it isn’t a permanent solution and will need redoing every few years.

Cons of Mudjacking

Though there are some pros to mudjacking, the cons outweigh the pros. Below are some cons of mudjacking:

Temporary Solution

While mudjacking lifts concrete, it’s a temporary solution that needs redoing often. Why? Because mudjacking involves pumping concrete mixed with dirt/sand, it’s not a permanent solution for why concrete is becoming unlevel or cracking. Concrete cracks or becomes unlevel because of natural shifts in the soil underneath the concrete or burrowing pests that move the soil. 

Doesn’t Fortify the Soil

Mudjacking attempts to fix the issue by lifting the concrete, but because it doesn’t fortify the soil underneath, it’s a temporary solution that needs redoing every few years. Though initially less expensive, you’ll spend more in the long run from repeating the process throughout the years. Fortifying the soil is crucial to preventing concrete from cracking or becoming unlevel in the same area.

Leaves Unsightly Holes

Mudjacking requires large holes drilled into the concrete slab, patio, or driveway that need lifting to inject the dirt/sand and concrete mixture. These holes are unsightly and are easy to spot once they’re filled in following a mudjacking job. Opting for polyjacking will leave tiny, dime-sized holes where we inject our polyurethane foam. We clean up our injection sites so you’ll barely notice them – they’ll be much less noticeable than the unsightly holes mudjacking leaves behind.

Not Water Resistant

Mudjacking involves pumping an organic mixture of dirt/sand with concrete, and we already know that concrete is prone to cracks in the summer, can deteriorate from excess water, and more. Mudjacking isn’t hydrophobic, so it’s not a good choice for submerged concrete. The polyurethane foam we use here at Pro Polyjacking is water resistant, holds up in wet conditions, and prevents leaks.

Trust the Professionals at Pro Polyjacking and Choose Polyjacking Over Mudjacking

Pro Polyjacking has served the Kansas City area for decades and has over 30 years of industry experience. We’re a proud family-owned, woman-owned business with plenty of satisfied customers who have trusted our team with their concrete repair. Our polyjacking process stabilizes the soil and, as a result, lifts concrete to fix cracks and level the patio, something mudjacking can’t do.

Have more unlevel concrete around your home or commercial property? Foundation cracks, unlevel driveways, spalling sidewalks, and other damages are unsightly, especially if they’re on a commercial building you own or your home. Trust the professionals at Pro Polyjacking in Kansas City for your concrete repair. Contact the team at Pro Polyjacking for more information about our concrete repair service!