Foam Injection vs. Mudjacking

A lot of comparisons have been done between the two primary methods of slab jacking. What is just as important to know is that there are many different versions of each and most important of all is the expertise, experience and reputation of the company doing the work. After all, even the best tool is only as good as the expertise of the craftsman using it.

MuddRuckers has over 25 years of experience in slab jacking and has developed “mudjacking” equipment, processes and warranties that are absolutely unique in the industry.

Consequently, most typical comparisons of the two processes really don’t tell the whole story.

MuddRuckers has also utilized the “foam jacking” process for many years in a variety of commercial applications and is very familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of that process.

We readily acknowledge that there is an appropriate application for each process and we are pleased to offer an informed and unbiased alternative to all of our prospective customers. We have a very strong customer service reputation throughout our Manitoba marketplace for concrete lifting and leveling and we are committed to guarding and building upon that reputation.

We are now also offering our “foam jacking” alternative to residential customers because we believe that in some situations that would be the preferred option. Our prior commercial experience with this option and our extensive experience with slab jacking in general, qualifies us to provide homeowners an informed choice with complete confidence in the service they will receive.

The factors we recommend that you consider and compare for residential applications are as follows. We would also lik to receive any additional thoughts or feedback you may have to help us best represent these alternatives to our customers.

1. Hole Size and Patch in High Visibility Situations

- Our foam jacking is 3/8” most others are 5/8”
- Our mud jacking is 1-3/8” most others are 2”

All holes are patched with concrete. New in 2017 the concrete dust materials salvaged from drilling the holes will be used to help match the concrete patch to the color of the existing concrete slab.

2. Cost

Mudjacking will generally be less expensive by about 15 to 25%. This is primarily a factor of material cost and so will vary depending on the situation. In rare cases foam jacking may even be cheaper. If both options are equally applicable to our customers we will quote on each.

3. Effectiveness

Many single option companies will (or should) turn down jobs because they don’t have the right tools or experience. We have the advantage of knowing from extensive experience what really can be accomplished with either process and so can provide guarantee result for a fixed price. Generally speaking, mudjacking provides the most versatility and best control of the lifting process. In some cases either tool may do the job but in almost every case there is one tool that will do the best job. Our guarantee is that no one will do it better than us. We have had a lot of experience correcting the mistakes of others.

4. Warranty / Guarantee

MuddRuckers is pleased to announce, effective 2017, an industry unique unconditional warranty of 3 years on all lifting and leveling work performed. That means that if any settlement greater than ¾“ should occur we will re-lift the work at no cost to the customer. We also provide a lifetime warranty on all mud-jack materials used and an industry leading 10 year warranty on all foam jack materials. Check out our Guarantee.

5. Environmental Considerations

Customers that choose to lift rather than replace have already made the most environmentally friendly choice. Producing new concrete is very energy intensive and removing and replacing old concrete is also very energy consumptive. The natural limestone product we use for our “mud” jacking process is totally environmentally friendly and 100% permanent. The polyurethane based foams used for slab jacking have been greatly improved in recent years. Current products are especially formulated to reduce breakdown and interaction with the environment. Once contained under concrete and away from sunlight and interaction with volatile chemicals they will retain their strength and volume without disintegration for many years.

6. Other Factors

Material weight is almost never a real issue. The limestone product used in our mudjacking is obviously heavier than foam but no different in weight than the gravel and base materials typically placed under concrete slabs.

Foam does have an advantage if under-the-slab insulation is important and is the primary reason we have used this application in some heated floor situations.

On-site equipment can be a factor in favor of foam jacking as it can usually be done with just one truck and trailer unit whereas mudjacking typically requires two.
In actual fact, temperature is a non issue as both methods only require that the concrete slab is not frozen to the ground.

Imperviousness is sometimes cited as a foam advantage but can often be a disadvantage in typical residential slab applications. Sealing the underside of a slab will trap moisture in the cracks and could cause frost damage to the concrete. The cracks between paving stones for example allow water to pass through to the sand below and then dissipate into the sub-soils.

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