Slabjacking vs. Mudjacking vs. Polyjacking: What Each Term Actually Means
Call three contractors about a sunken driveway and you may hear five different words for the fix. They're not interchangeable — and knowing the difference is the difference between comparing bids and comparing apples to mud.
Definitions
Concrete leveling / lifting
Slabjacking
Mudjacking
Polyjacking / foam jacking
"Concrete raising," "slab leveling"…
"WHAT's a better option?"
How these compare side by side
| Term | What It Means | Material | You'll Hear It From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete leveling | The goal — level slabs | Any | Everyone |
| Slabjacking | Lift-by-injection technique | Slurry or foam | Older contractors, engineers |
| Mudjacking | Slurry-based slabjacking | Water + soil + cement | Traditional crews |
| Polyjacking / foam jacking | Foam-based slabjacking | Polyurethane | Modern lifting companies (us) |
"WHAT Do I Need?"
Which One Do You Actually Need?
If the slab is structurally sound and has settled, you need slabjacking — and your real decision is the material: mud slurry vs. polyurethane. If the concrete itself is failing — crumbling, spalling, fractured into pieces — no injection saves it: here's how to tell lifting from replacement →
Kansas City Mudjacking Questions, Answered Straight
Is slabjacking the same as mudjacking?
Mudjacking is one kind of slabjacking — the slurry kind. Polyurethane lifting is the other. When a bid says “slabjacking,” always ask which material.
Is foam jacking the same as polyjacking?
Yes — same method, different nickname. You’ll also see “poly leveling” and “polyurethane concrete raising.” All refer to expanding foam injection.
Why do companies use different words for the same thing?
Habit, region, and marketing. It’s also why comparing bids by label alone misleads — a mud bid and a foam bid can land within dollars of each other and still be very different products: one is priced per visit, the other is priced to be final.