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What Makes a Sidewalk Dangerous?

Most people don’t see the danger posed by sidewalks, especially if they’re damaged. Sidewalks require maintenance from time to time to prevent possible accidents. Some of these maintenance practices include polyurethane concrete repair, re-paving, trimming tree roots, and joint installation. Below are some top things that make a sidewalk dangerous:

 

1. Multiple Cracks

The presence of multiple cracks in the sidewalks can be dangerous. Severe damage causes a reduction in walkability. Multiple cracks can easily cause slip and fall injuries. Depending on the magnitude of the cracks, they can either be repaired or replaced.

 

2. Major or Minor Chipping

Both major and minor chipping/spalling make a sidewalk dangerous. Both require urgent repair. For minor chipping, concrete repair is enough, unlike major chipping, where you need to replace the affected sections.

 

3. Visible Gaps on Edges

Gaps in sidewalks occur on the expansion joints left by the contractor during the installation of concrete. Over time, these gaps start widening, thus becoming unsafe for people who walk through. These gaps need asphaltic filler material or polyurethane foam concrete crack repair.

 

4. Sinking Sections

Having subsided sections on a sidewalk is very risky and can easily lead to fall accidents that may cause injuries or disabilities. All sinking sections should be replaced.

 

5. Displaced Sections Due to Growing Tree Roots

When roots from huge trees grow under sidewalks, they start displacing some sections of the sidewalks. These displaced sections can pose a threat to people, especially where they become slanted. A sidewalk with some sloppy sections increases the risk for slip and fall accidents. You need to contact a tree surgeon to trim the tree roots to solve this problem. After this, a professional contractor can then repair the affected sections.

In conclusion, these are some top things that make sidewalks dangerous. Professional concrete contractors should do all sidewalk repairs since they understand installation, repair, and replacement processes.

 

uneven driveway

Polyurethane vs. Mudjacking

POLYURETHANE CONCRETE RAISING TECHNIQUE

Our concrete repair plan includes the controlled lift of individual slabs of concrete to realign and level the slabs. (Concrete Leveling) We achieve a precise result by applying expansive polymer foam just beneath the surface of the slab. This process eliminates the failing condition as well as seals and stabilizes all defective joints and sources of water penetration from further erosion. The variety of soils and substrates across the Front Range are often the root of the problem. Liftech’s concrete repair system treats the soils and addresses the water and erosion issues. The average life cycle of concrete is extended at a fraction of the cost of replacement.

Until recently, mudjacking has been the method more commonly used for lifting fallen concrete and is still a widely acceptable form of restoration. Mudjacking and polyurethane achieve similar results, however, the process by which those results are achieved and the extended performance of the two products are completely different.

Polyurethane Benefits

  • Long-Lasting | Polyurethane cures as a solid, impermeable structure that adheres to the concrete and is not susceptible to fracture or failure.
  • Soil Stabilization | Polyurethane is injected as a liquid to raise concrete and reacts within the loosely, non-compacted soils to solidify and stabilize the soils.
  • Less Invasive | Liftech uses controlled injections in penny-sized holes to raise your concrete quickly and effectively
  • Lightweight | Polyurethane weighs about two pounds per cubic ft. which is ideal for concrete leveling
  • Fast Acting | Polyurethane cures within minutes and your concrete is ready to use again once we leave the job site.
  • Defend Against Natural Erosion | Our environmentally friendly solution creates an eco-barrier to moisture, harmful chemicals, insects, rodents, and soil erosion.

WHAT IS MUDJACKING?

| Answer | Mudjacking uses a mixture of sand and water infused with a small amount of Portland cement, which helps the material solidify.  The sand and water mixture is pumped through 1 – 5\8″ holes in the concrete using hydraulic pressure to lift the sunken concrete.  This concrete mixture is considered a structural fill and is very heavy, weighing an average of 100 – 110 pounds per cubic foot of material.

Benefits of Polyurethane Concrete Raising Vs Mudjacking

| Answer | Polyurethane concrete raising consists of an environmentally safe liquid polymer foam that is injected through penny-size holes in the concrete and into the loose, unstable soil below.  Through an eco-friendly chemical reaction, the high-density foam expands to stabilize the loose soils and lift the fallen concrete.  After approximately 15 minutes, the polyurethane material is fully cured and ready to return to service.  the polyurethane only weighs about 2 pounds per cubic foot of material.  Polyurethane foam is an inert, non-toxic, environmentally safe material.  It is impervious to moisture or decay, ensuring that over time, it will not only be environmentally friendly, but your concrete repair will last a lifetime.  Liftech’s polyurethane system utilizes a much smaller, 5/8 inch hole (about the size of a penny).  Following the repair, those holes are filled with chemical grouting that matches the surrounding concrete.

There are other ways to repair concrete, you can learn about them on our services page.

 

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Lifting Concrete Slabs with Polyurethane

Concrete repair services specializing in lifting and leveling slabs have been around since the 1930s. There has been and still is high demand for this service. The newer method of accomplishing this with polyurethane foam can lead to healthy profits.

One contributor to the high demand is the Americans with Disabilities Act. This law mandates the repair of trip hazards from sunken or heaved concrete in public areas. With literally billions of square feet of concrete in the U.S., many of the slabs are old and out of alignment, pitched incorrectly, and in desperate need of repair. Whether it is governmental, commercial, or residential, customers are looking for a cost-effective solution to this problem.

Concrete repair options

The first question is always, replace or repair? Concrete replacement is expensive. It is simple math. Concrete contractors must make up to three trips to a location to replace a simple slab of concrete with removal, framing, pouring, removal of forming material, and cutting of joints. Add to this the ever-growing problem of environmental constraints on concrete disposal and the replacement cost of a simple 10×10-foot driveway or pool deck can be upwards of $1,000.

Repair of misaligned slab panels has historically been achieved by mudjacking or slab jacking. This is the process of injecting a mud/slurry mix under concrete slabs with a specialized hydraulically powered mud pump to lift the concrete. Contractors drill 1 5/8-inch hole in slabs and inject the slurry under the slab, building up enough pressure to lift the concrete. This technique allows contractors to lift, pitch, or level any unrestrained slabs.

A new game

A newer way to lift, level, and stabilize concrete slabs, which has been used for over a decade now, is replacing the mud with polyurethane foam. With this technique contractors inject the polyurethane foam under the concrete slab. The expansion of the foam is what lifts or moves the slab.

Specialized polyurethane foams have been designed that have optimal expansion characteristics, set up speed, and adhesion to provide contractors with ideal control of the lifting process. Unlike mudjacking, the technician drills fewer smaller (5/8-inch) holes, leaving a cleaner-looking job than with mudjacking.