The land here is hostile toward concrete. Eden Prairie’s sandy, loamy, clay-filled soil easily shrinks, compacts and erodes – and if it drains properly, then it probably doesn’t do so by accident.
Any of those geological forces can sink your home’s driveway, sidewalk, garage floor or patio. Once they do, you’ve got three options:
- Ignore the problem, and let it worsen until your curb appeal, safety and property value all suffer.
- Replace the concrete, which takes time, and costs a lot of money that you’d probably rather spend on anything other than concrete.
- Lift and level the concrete, which takes next to no time at all, and costs only a fraction as much as replacement.
Astute Eden Prairie Lifestyle readers will recognize the only viable option at a glance: three. That just begs the question. Which type of concrete jacking is best?
Aggregate Jacking Is Best
Welcome the owner of Concrete Lifting, Inc. to your home or commercial property, and you’ll meet a man of conviction. Almost two decades of professional concrete raising have taught Kyle Clark the perils of mudjacking and foamjacking.
“Mudjacking places calcium carbonate and powderized lime beneath concrete,” explained Kyle. “They lift the slab, but they never compact, which means they’ll inevitably wash away over time. I’ve redone countless mudjacking jobs over the years. The white sludge that oozes out of the bore holes? Disgusting.
“But nowhere near as disgusting as foamjacking. It blows me away, because foam’s greatest weakness – the fact that it’s so light – is often passed off as a selling point. Wispy polyurethane doesn’t disturb the underlying soil, but you actually want to disturb the underlying soil. More specifically, you want to strengthen and stabilize it until it evenly supports the immense weight of the overlying slab.
“And it only gets worse, because polyurethane contains isocyanate. It’s one of the chemicals listed under California Proposition 65, which requires businesses to warn customers of potential exposure to carcinogens. That means when you foamjack next to your house, you’re depositing a giant blob of toxicity there – forever, or until it goes to a landfill.”
Many homeowners would enthusiastically pump pure botulism toxin into their soil if it posed the cheapest fix for their sunken pool decks. But here’s the funny thing: Kyle’s proprietary solution to concrete lifting isn’t just safe and effective. It can easily cost two-thirds less than foamjacking, too.
“We call it ‘aggregate jacking,’” Kyle continued. “I use a special machine designed by my uncle, who took me under his wing when he started teaching me his trade 18 years ago. The machine inserts limestone, quartz and granite fragments into the voids and cavities that form beneath concrete. The aggregate mix interlocks and compacts as it restores the slab to its original grade and appearance. The entire thing sets solid in 24 hours or less.
“Our aggregate is highly resistant to all sources of damage – so much so that projects completed by my uncle over 40 years ago are still in pristine shape today. I do provide a three-year warranty with each job, but it’s rarely, rarely used. I’m a one-man show. I have no crew to fall back on. If I don’t consistently do it the right way and on the first try, then I simply can’t afford to do business.”
Don’t settle for settled concrete. Concrete Lifting, Inc. makes the grade! Call (952) 250-7686 today to hire a true pioneer in the concrete raising industry, or visit ConcreteLiftingInc.com to request your free estimate.
The Twin Cities’ Leader in Concrete Raising
- Commercial Floors
- Core Fills
- Curbs
- Driveways
- Garages
- Gutters
- Patios
- Pool Decks
- Sidewalks
- Steps
- Void Fills