Concrete raising, which might sometimes be called cement raising, is a form of concrete services involved in fixing sagging pieces of concrete. It may be easy to take a concrete sidewalk or patio for granted, but concrete is not indestructible. Crack repair and cement raising (or concrete lifting) is necessary to keep any concrete item in good shape. At the very least, it may be unsightly to allow cracks to form in a sidewalk or patio, and at worst, it can be a tripping hazard. So, how can cement raising fix all of this, and what is there to know about concrete in general? Cement raising can repair a sidewalk without having to go through the trouble of removing and replacing the compromised pieces.
All About Concrete
Concrete as we know it is not a recent invention. In fact, the basic concept of a mixture that can harden into concrete goes back to ancient Egypt. Today, concrete mixtures are carefully formulated for maximum strength, and this allows great feats of architecture to happen. Even the largest buildings need a concrete foundation upon which to rest, and even the great Hoover Dam is made of concrete, poured in the 1920s. One of the first steps to building a structure, besides digging up the foundation, is to set up wooden boards and then pour the concrete and allow it to harden and cure. Rakes can be used to smooth out the surface and prevent bubbles or imperfections from forming. The end result may be concrete with 3,000 psi in strength, though some of the hardest concrete can have a strength of 20,000 psi. Concrete can also be used to make highway overpasses, sidewalks, driveways, and garage floors.
Lifting That Concrete
Where does concrete lifting come into play? As mentioned earlier, while concrete is tough, it can still get damaged or warped over time, especially when the ground itself is compromised. This may happen, for example, if the water levels in the ground change often, and this may allow the concrete to start sagging and get damaged from its own weight. A house’s foundation and the soil around it may not be entirely coordinated, and a garage’s floor or foundation may suffer as the earth warps itself.
It is possible to simply replace the damaged concrete, but that is the most expensive and time consuming route to take. For cracks and other damage in a sidewalk or patio or swimming pool, concrete lifting may be done instead. Doing so will seal the cracks, and that can remove a tripping hazard (and prevent a way for weeds to grow in those cracks).
Mudjacking is a fair example of this, and it can be done for any concrete that is not build on a foundation. This minimally invasive repairing method involves using machines that will pump water, aggregate, and cement under the impaired concrete, and fill the space with that material until the concrete is realigned with itself. This fixes the effects of concrete sagging in the ground, and it may prevent further sagging in the future. It may be noted that doing this will not interfere with the property’s existing landscape. The end result will look practically seamless.
A homeowner who needs some concrete lifting done on their property can look up local concrete lifting companies and hire one for the job. That homeowner may also ask if that company offers polyurethane lifting as well. What does that entail? Polyurethane lifting means using even fewer holes than other cement raising methods (and is thus less invasive), and the polyurethane itself requires very little time to cure. It is also cost friendly, and the results are long-lasting while also being environmentally friendly (since it involves recycled materials).