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What is Mudjacking?

uneven driveway slabs

In previous articles, we explored “The Best Ways to Level a Concrete Driveway” and mentioned mudjacking as one effective method.

Now, we’re going to dive deeper to answer the question, “What is mudjacking?” The topic is straightforward, so let’s dive in.

Mudjacking 101: What Is It?

Mudjacking slurry

Mudjacking is a concrete lifting technique that involves injecting a slurry mixture beneath sunken concrete slabs to raise them back to their original position.

The slurry is typically made from a combination of water, soil, and cement.

The process involves drilling holes the size of a soda can into the concrete, through which the slurry is pumped to fill voids and lift the slab.

This method originated as a way to address uneven concrete surfaces without the need for complete replacement, today, better alternatives are available.

Pros and Cons of Mudjacking

Mudjacking, an older method of concrete repair, has its pros and cons. While it has been a popular choice, there are now better options available.

Pros

  • Cost-Effective: Generally cheaper than full concrete replacement.
  • Quick Fix: Can be completed relatively quickly, but slow to cure.
  • Minimal Disruption: Less invasive than replacing entire slabs.

Cons

  • Temporary Solution: Slurry can erode over time, leading to recurring issues.
  • Surface Damage: Drilling holes in the concrete can cause minor surface damage.
  • Underlying Issues: Does not address soil problems that caused the sinking.
  • Less Precision: May not achieve as smooth and level a finish as newer methods.

Explore More About Concrete Leveling

concrete lifting foam

In this post, we answered your question about mudjacking. While mudjacking is a traditional method for concrete repair, it has limitations, such as temporary results and the potential for recurring issues due to soil problems. For a more durable solution, consider newer methods.

There’s a lot more to know about concrete lifting, so in the next article, we explore the topic, “The Ins and Outs of PolyRenewal™ Concrete Lifting.

If you need concrete lifting, Foundation Recovery Systems can help. We offer free inspections to stabilize and lift your failing concrete.

FAQs

Mudjacking uses a slurry mixture of cement and rock, while polyurethane methods use a specialized expanding foam. The foam tends to be lighter, waterproof, requires smaller holes, and sets faster. Learn more from an expert. 

PolyRenewal™ offers unparalleled precision, speed, and durability, outperforming traditional methods like mudjacking. 

If not done correctly, further damage could occur. There’s also a risk of not addressing the underlying issue, leading to future problems. Hiring experienced professionals can mitigate these risks.

Leah Leitow

Leah Leitow

Content Writer

Leah is a Content Writer for Groundworks with nearly ten years of experience working in the foundation repair industry. Her experience ranges from working with homeowners to find the right solution to training inspectors and staff. In her background as a Michigan journalist, she gained invaluable insight into people's lives throughout our state. Leah lives in metro Detroit with her husband and two sons.

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Great job and knowledgeable – Zach Sanders was my service tech. Good guy!

Great job and knowledgeable – Zach Sanders was my service tech. Good guy!

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Had our inspection with Camden Bales and was very impressed! Excellent communication and customer service. Highly recommend!

Had our inspection with Camden Bales and was very impressed! Excellent communication and customer service. Highly recommend!

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Ed was very professional and thorough with our foundation inspection and as he walked us through his findings afterward. He is also…

Ed was very professional and thorough with our foundation inspection and as he walked us through his findings afterward. He is also positive and amiable with a sense of humor, which we appreciate.

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Dwayne,Charles, Jerome, Art They did agreat Job,

Dwayne,Charles, Jerome, Art They did agreat Job,

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We could not be happier with the job done on our foundation! Dawson, Jaydan and Dusty worked hard all day to get it done and done the right …

We could not be happier with the job done on our foundation! Dawson, Jaydan and Dusty worked hard all day to get it done and done the right way. They answered all of our questions and put our minds at ease. We will definitely recommend you!

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Everything went great.Mike and Brandon did a wonderful job!

Everything went great.Mike and Brandon did a wonderful job!

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Great work was very helpful something like that right Butler did a very good job of being a respectful and and explaining everything…

Great work was very helpful something like that right Butler did a very good job of being a respectful and and explaining everything perfectly for me appreciate the time for him to come out

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Adam Eiberger came back out and remeasured all of my house and explained that all were same as when the foundation was repaired. He is very …

Adam Eiberger came back out and remeasured all of my house and explained that all were same as when the foundation was repaired. He is very knowledgeable and patient as I asked a LOT of questions .

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Everything happened exactly as promises. Taylor arrived at the expected time. He took the time to talk about the problems I needed to be…

Everything happened exactly as promises. Taylor arrived at the expected time. He took the time to talk about the problems I needed to be addressed. Each issue was examined and a solution formulated. Afterwards the root causes of my issues were explained to me along with the proposes solutions. Very helpful.

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Jeremy Higgins was very professional, knowledgeable, and personable. I appreciated the thorough inspection he did and the time he took to…

Jeremy Higgins was very professional, knowledgeable, and personable. I appreciated the thorough inspection he did and the time he took to explain the options we have for the major repair issues we have in our crawlspace that flooded a few months ago.

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Nick Mata very intelligent honest and very experienced and cares about the people he works with

Nick Mata very intelligent honest and very experienced and cares about the people he works with

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The work of Brandon C, Dylan E, Darrion R, Blake B and Cris B was all incredibly professional and well done. They were respectful of how…

The work of Brandon C, Dylan E, Darrion R, Blake B and Cris B was all incredibly professional and well done. They were respectful of how their heavy machinery needed for the job moved around the yard, put extra care in not damaging things that were in the way of their work and even moved rocks my kids had decorated to a different spot so they wouldn’t get damaged which I felt was above and beyond. They really cared about doing what could be done for our specific porch/foundation fix rather than just doing a generic job.

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The crew arrived on time. After introducing themselves; Tyler, Marland and Martin quickly began working. They were excellent workers,…

The crew arrived on time. After introducing themselves; Tyler, Marland and Martin quickly began working. They were excellent workers, representing the Company in a positive manner. The job was completed in a timely manner, the updates along the way were great. They were happy to answer any and all questions that we had. We would definitely call again if services were needed and certainly recommend this Company to anyone needing these types of services that they offer. Thanks Again!

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Nick Mata was the inspector who reviewed our crawlspace. His review was very thorough, and he provided a complete and detailed outline of…

Nick Mata was the inspector who reviewed our crawlspace. His review was very thorough, and he provided a complete and detailed outline of his observations and recommendations. Nick was very professional and definitely spent time with us answering all of our questions and concerns.

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I had the pleasure of meeting Kevin Creed, who did our one year inspection, after getting the encapsulation system installed under my mom’s …

I had the pleasure of meeting Kevin Creed, who did our one year inspection, after getting the encapsulation system installed under my mom’s house last year. Kevin found some issues that needed to be fixed, fixed them, then went a step further and removed some rodents from under the house, and placed bug bombs and mouse traps for me. He was kind and explained everything thoroughly, which I greatly appreciated. Good job, Kevin!

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We called foundation recovery systems out because our drive way had settled a lot over the past 5 years of owning the house, we were…

We called foundation recovery systems out because our drive way had settled a lot over the past 5 years of owning the house, we were considering just tearing it out and getting a new drive way. Jonathan came out and did his inspection, was able to bring other issues on the home to our attention. The fact that the solution he was able to provide was a fraction of the costs for a new drive way was reason enough to move forward with the work we wanted done. Driveway was lifted and we didn't have to wait forever for the solution to cure, we were able to use our driveway day of install.

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I had an inspection done by Peter awesome guy knows his stuff works with you as best as he possibly can. He was extremely thorough at what…

I had an inspection done by Peter awesome guy knows his stuff works with you as best as he possibly can. He was extremely thorough at what he did. Thanks.

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Corey was professional and personable. He was knowledgeable and explained everything thing very well.

Corey was professional and personable. He was knowledgeable and explained everything thing very well.

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From the time Jeremy Higgins (Sr Field Inspector) arrived in our home to provide the assessment/estimate, to Jeremy Raby (Foreman) arriving …

From the time Jeremy Higgins (Sr Field Inspector) arrived in our home to provide the assessment/estimate, to Jeremy Raby (Foreman) arriving with his crew to complete the work, it was 5 stars all the way. Jeremy H. did a great job listening to our history and concerns. He left our home with an appointment scheduled for the work to be done and a full review of what to expect. Jeremy R. arrived yesterday (Dec 26th) with his crew (Travis & Demetri) and completed the job with perfection. Jeremy provided me a full review of the plan and jumped right in with his crew to finish the project. Hardwood floor protection was placed prior to any work beginning. Upon completion of the job, they vacuumed all traveled traffic areas. Jeremy R. is quite mindful of a homeowner's space and the importance of respecting this space. It was clear in his performance, as well as, the performance of his crew. We highly recommend Foundation Recovery Systems!

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Sale man inspector so helpful Travis smothers was so very nice told me several things to do on my own explain everything very thorough-…

Sale man inspector so helpful Travis smothers was so very nice told me several things to do on my own explain everything very thorough- super pleasure to have him

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