Polyurethane injection is a process with a wide variety of geotechnical applications. From concrete raising and void filling, to sewer and roadway infrastructure rehabilitation, polyurethane is an extremely versatile material. These polyurethane injection applications have a similar feature that’s a major selling point for the service: they require no excavation.
But what does no excavation mean and why is it important? Here are a few key benefits to concrete raising solutions that do not require excavation.
- Cost-Effective: Especially in the context of concrete raising where demolition of old slabs must occur before digging for a new slab to be poured, excavation is costly. In fact, to replace an average single-car garage floor, the price on average is more than $4,000. If your garage's concrete slabs are in relatively good condition, it’s worth looking into concrete lifting and leveling solutions such as foam jacking, a much more convenient and cost-effective option. A polyurethane injection process like this can save you 25% on average.
- Minimal Disruption and Fast Results: Not only is excavation expensive, it’s also an extremely disruptive process. Bulky, noisy equipment such as jack hammers and excavators must be brought in to break up any existing slabs and dig into the ground. This creates a lot of noise, impacts your space, and disrupts your neighbors. Excavation can also take days to complete, even on smaller projects like driveways and single-car garages, which means you’re stuck with noise, debris, and less space for a longer amount of time. Add in the fact that you’ll have to wait for newly poured concrete to cure before walking or parking on it, and excavation becomes a very disruptive, time-consuming process.
Polyurethane injection processes can usually be completed in a matter of hours and require only a truck to hold the material and a few small tools. Take a look at a standard application process here. - Safety and Decreased Risk: With excavation, there’s an inherently increased risk to safety. Excavations often require large amounts of equipment that, if mishandled, could cause serious damage to property or people. Whether it’s an increased opportunity for bodily harm or potential damage to critical utility lines during the dig, it’s important to understand the risks that excavation poses compared to a polyurethane injection solution. Most no excavation polyurethane applications require less equipment and smaller crews to complete, minimizing potential safety hazards.
- Efficiency and Soil Stability: The excavation process is not only disruptive to you, but also to the soil beneath your concrete slab. When digging with machinery, vibrations occur that may displace soil deep below the surface, decreasing the soil’s overall stability. The soil that’s actively being dug out and replaced will have also been disrupted. Replaced soil will be manually compacted before pouring new concrete, but you will still face the issue of natural settlement over time, which can create voids in the soil that lead to cracking and sinking concrete slabs. Once those issues appear again, you’re right back to square one deciding whether to replace or repair the slab.
To put this choice into perspective, it’s important to know how long excavation solutions and no excavation polyurethane injections last. Properly cared-for concrete has the potential to last a long time. Approximately 20-30 years on average. However, a polyurethane injection solution can extend the life of your concrete indefinitely. This durable material is environmentally inert and there are few that can cause it to break down or dissolve. UV light exposure is a source that can degrade polyurethane, but because it’s placed within the soil, there’s nothing to worry about.
Polyurethane injection is a safe, fast, and cost-effective solution that can outlast the typical human life cycle. This makes it the most efficient no excavation concrete raising solution. If your slab is in otherwise good condition, we highly recommend a polyurethane solution over excavating for a new slab.
