Mudjacking vs Poly Foam Leveling: Stronger, Eco-Friendly Concrete Repair

When it comes to lifting and leveling sunken concrete, two common solutions dominate the market: traditional mudjacking and polyurethane foam (poly foam) leveling. The poly foam is becoming increasingly popular mainly because of its fast application. However, many homeowners and contractors are now looking at the long-term performance, strength, and environmental impact of each method and are not so quick to make their choice. hat’s why it’s important to compare mudjacking vs poly foam leveling side by side.

Anyway, if you are stuck between these two options for your driveway, garage floor, or sidewalk, here are reasons why mudjacking with a sandy loam, fly ash, and Portland cement mix is the better choice most of the time.

1. Compressive Strength in Mudjacking vs Poly Foam Leveling

Strength should be your primary concern when you have to support a giant slab of concrete that weighs several thousand pounds. Don't forget that on top of it, there will be vehicles, equipment, and foot traffic.

Typical Compressive Strengths:

• Mudjacking Slurry (Sandy Loam + Fly Ash + Portland Cement):3,000 – 5,000 PSI (depending on mix ratio and cure time)The strength is almost like that of the originally concrete base or even higher

• 3,000 – 5,000 PSI (depending on mix ratio and cure time)

• The strength is almost like that of the originally concrete base or even higher

• Polyurethane Foam:80 – 100 PSI (average for residential projects where lifting foams are used)

• Lifting foams are made for light lifting purposes, not for providing structural support in the long run

• 80 – 100 PSI (average for residential projects where lifting foams are used)

• Lifting foams are made for light lifting purposes, not for providing structural support in the long run

The disparity is enormous — a correctly combined mudjacking slurry can have 30 to 50 times the compressive strength of poly foam. As a result, mudjacking is the more robust and dependable solution, first of all, for those driveways, floors, and commercial areas that are subjected to heavy loading.

2. Environmentally Friendly and Sustainable

The main reason for using a sandy loam, fly ash, and cement mixture is the fact that it is green and locally sourced.

• Sandy Loam: Common natural soil made from recycled materials with no harmful chemicals in its production.

• Fly Ash: The waste product of a coal-fired power plant that may go straight to the landfill. By reusing fly ash, we keep millions of tons from landfills, thus reducing the ecological impact.

• Portland Cement: The process of producing cement has a carbon footprint; however, using small amounts in a mudjacking mixture will result in a strong, durable repair that will prevent future demolition and replacement waste.

The newly installed polyurethane foam is thus environmentally more harmful, being derived from petroleum and is not biodegradable; additionally, this product may release gases during installation. Moreover, it cannot be uninstalled or recycled easily if repairs are made in this area in the future.

3. Stability and Longevity

Mudjacking is a procedure that essentially adds a new layer of base beneath your concrete. It wets and compacts the base fully. Due to the fact that it has a higher density and strength, it is more resistant to erosion and flow than a foam.

On the other hand, poly foam is light in weight and can deteriorate due to UV exposure or because of some chemical reactions happening in the soil where it lies over time. Thus, in places where there is a lot of water in the ground or the soil is unstable, foam can weaken to such an extent that more settling will occur.

4. Cost-Effectiveness

The substances used for mudjacking are dirt cheap; hence the cost is usually half or even less than that of poly foam leveling, besides the fact that the strength and longevity are kept to a higher level. What this means is the money that would have been spent on the part of homeowners and property managers now works for them instead, which is simply great.

5. Environmentally Responsible Choice

If that is the case, then mudjacking wins hands down:

• Minimizes landfill waste by reusing waste material from the industry (fly ash)

• Does not use any plastics or petroleum-based chemicals

• Gives a solution that lasts for a long time, thus lowering the carbon footprint of the area in question

Final Thoughts

Although polyfoam might look like a fast and neat solution, it is far from being equal to strength, sustainability, and cost-efficiency of a mudjacking slurry that is made with sandy loam, fly ash, and Portland cement.

If your goal is a strong, environmentally responsible, and long-lasting repair, then mudjacking should be your next concrete leveling project.