Concrete Leveling

Your concrete does not actually sink. What happens is the soil underneath compacts or washes away, creating voids that let the concrete drop into empty space. This settling creates uneven surfaces, trip hazards, and drainage problems. Understanding why it happens helps you fix it properly and prevent it from happening again.

Soil erosion is the most common cause of settling concrete. Water flows under your concrete slabs, carrying soil particles away with it. Over time, this creates gaps and voids. When the concrete loses support from below, gravity pulls it down into these spaces. Poor drainage makes this worse by directing more water under your concrete. In Southfield, MI, our clay soils are especially prone to this type of erosion.

Soil compaction also causes settling. When concrete is first installed, the soil underneath gets compacted to create a stable base. However, some soils continue to compact over time, especially under the weight of vehicles or other loads. As the soil compresses, it shrinks in volume, leaving less material to support your concrete. The result is settling and uneven surfaces that get worse over time if not addressed. At Silverstone Southfield Concrete, we fix these issues permanently with professional leveling techniques.

Concrete leveling, also called mudjacking or slabjacking, involves pumping material under your sunken concrete to fill voids and lift the slab back to its original position. We drill small holes through the concrete and inject material underneath. As the material fills the void, it pushes the concrete up. Once the slab reaches the correct height, we stop pumping, plug the holes, and clean up. Your concrete is level again and ready to use.

We use two main methods depending on your situation. Traditional mudjacking uses a mixture of cement, sand, and other materials. This proven method has been used for decades and works well for most applications. The material is durable, inexpensive, and provides solid support under your concrete. We pump it through holes about 2 inches in diameter.

Polyurethane foam injection is a newer method that offers some advantages. The foam is much lighter than traditional materials, which means less additional weight on the soil. It expands as it cures, filling voids completely. The injection holes are smaller, about 5/8 inch, which means less visible patching. Foam also cures faster, so you can use the concrete sooner. However, it costs more than traditional mudjacking. We will explain both options and help you choose what makes sense for your project and budget.

Benefits of Concrete Leveling

• Costs 50 to 70 percent less than concrete replacement
• Completed in hours rather than days
• No damage to landscaping or surrounding areas
• Eliminates trip hazards and improves safety
• Fixes drainage issues caused by settled concrete
• Extends the life of your existing concrete
• Environmentally friendly by avoiding disposal of old concrete

Driveways are perfect candidates for leveling. Sunken driveway sections create trip hazards, make snow removal difficult, and allow water to pool. Leveling brings your driveway back to proper grade so water drains correctly and the surface is smooth and safe. This is especially important where your driveway meets your garage floor, as even small height differences create problems.

Sidewalks and walkways develop dangerous trip hazards when they settle unevenly. These liability issues put you at risk if someone gets hurt. Leveling eliminates trip hazards quickly and affordably. It works great for both public sidewalks along the street and private walkways on your property. We can level multiple sections in a single day, making your walks safe again.

Patios, pool decks, and other flatwork also benefit from leveling. Settled patio sections create awkward surfaces for furniture and can direct water toward your house instead of away from it. Pool decks need to be level both for appearance and to prevent water from pooling. Leveling restores proper drainage and creates the level surfaces you need for outdoor living spaces.

Garage floors and basement slabs sometimes settle, especially if the structure was built on poorly compacted fill. Leveling can fix these interior surfaces without the disruption of replacement. We pump material through the concrete from inside or outside depending on access and conditions. This solves the problem with minimal mess and downtime compared to tearing out and replacing the entire floor.