PolyLevel vs. Mudjacking: Which Is Best?

When it comes to repairing your home’s sunken, uneven concrete, there are two common solutions that are used: polyjacking or mudjacking. Polyjacking – also known as PolyLevel – utilizes a foam to fix the concrete.Mudjacking involves using a mud slurry to fix the concrete. While they may seem similar in some aspects, these two methods are very different in terms of labor and supplies. The ultimate question is: Which one is better? Below, we’ll explain the differences between these two concrete leveling solutions.

What Is PolyLevel?

Concrete will inevitably sink or become uneven over time, making the concrete unsightly and even dangerous. Damaged concrete contributes to trips and falls, which almost certainly leads to injury. Instead of completely replacing the concrete, you can often repair it with the use of PolyLevel, an innovative concrete leveling solution. 
You can use the PolyLevel system to lift sunken sidewalks, driveways, pool decks, and more. Instead of the mixture of mud and concrete that mudjacking involves. PolyLevel utilizes a polyurethane foam that has soil stabilization properties, which helps strengthen the soil underneath the concrete, limiting the possibility of settlement later on. This foam mixture is high in density, lightweight, and very durable. The polyurethane foam is also hydrophobic, meaning that it repels and does not mix with water. This means that PolyLevel is resistant to the elements.

Polyjacking also offers greater precision in lifting concrete slabs. The expanding properties of polyurethane foam allow for fine control over the leveling process, making it suitable for projects where accuracy is crucial.
PolyLevel is installed by boring penny-sized holes in the concrete slab. Then, a special injector for the polymer is inserted into the hole. Once the void in concrete has been filled with the polymer, the polyurethane foam expands to level and possibly lift the slab. The curing time for PolyLevel is 15 minutes, making it a very quick solution. After the foam has expanded, the holes are covered with grout and sealed. Once the process is over, you can use your sidewalk, driveway, or pool deck as usual. You can even drive over your slab without it sinking.

What Is Mudjacking?

The other method of leveling and lifting concrete is called mudjacking, also known as slab jacking. Mudjacking is a repair technique that involves pumping a mixture of sand, water, and cement. This creates a slurry that stabilizes, lifts, and levels the concrete. The process involves drilling a hole around 2 inches in diameter into the concrete slab. The mixture is then injected into the hole to stabilize, lift, or level the slab. This solution is also eco-friendly as it is composed of natural materials.

Mudjacking is highly pressurized, which can make it difficult for application. The pressure can lead to too much of the slurry being added to the slab. This can damage the slab even more. However, mudjacking is the more powerful of the two and is commonly used for jobs that require lifting a heavy slab or concrete structure. Using the mudjacking technique is also a much lengthier process than the PolyLevel process, as it can take 24 to 72 hours to fully cure. This means you will have to wait to use your driveway, sidewalk, pool deck, or other concrete structure.

Mudjacking also relies on the support of the soil, which means it can fail and shift the slab during freeze-and-thaw cycles or any other shift in the soil. And, unlike PolyLevel, mudjacking is not a hydrophobic technique and offers no protection against water. Also, unlike the lightweight polyurethane foam, the slurry used in mudjacking is very heavy, meaning it will eventually succumb to pressure and settle. 

The Bottom Line

When it comes to deciding between the two, the most recommended option is overwhelmingly the PolyLevel technique. It is much less invasive than mudjacking as well as less inconvenient. PolyLevel may be the more expensive choice, but it is worth it in the long run. However, there may be times when you need a more heavy-duty job done; and, in that case, mudjacking would be the better option. So, when in doubt, contact us at Frontier Foundation & Crawl Space Repair. We’ll come out, evaluate your concrete, and give you a no-obligation estimate of what the job will entail.