Concrete sinking is one of the most common problems with buildings. The customers have two solutions for this, mud jacking and polyurethane. With the passage of time, the void develops between the concrete and supportive soil, and the concrete will sag and crack. Polyurethane is a foam-like material that is pumped into the affected holes through the drilled holes. The material mixes well with the underlying soil and expands and the concrete comes to its original position. It is a reliable and long-lasting solution. With its benefits, there are many problems with this method of concrete lifting. The disadvantages are given below:
Cost
The equipment used in this method is not easily available, and most of the contractors are not familiar with this solution of concrete lifting in Marietta. That is why it is an expensive solution. If your budget is low, then polyurethane concrete lifting (PCL) is not made for you.
The economical solution for this problem is mud jacking. The machinery and material used for this process are easily available in the market. Moreover, it is a very old method that’s why it is straightforward to find its services. PCL will cost you more than $3000-$3200, while mud jacking is a game of a few hundred dollars.
Cavity Fill
With all of its pros, polyurethane has its own limitations. The main limitation is that it does not fill the holes fully. As the void is not fully filled, that’s why it becomes less reliable. In the longer run, you may have to deal again with concrete sinking.
Polyurethane provides a compressive strength of 100 PSI while mud jacking provides compressive strength up to 2400 PSI. It is a plastic-like material that is found both rigid and flexible. The high-quality polyurethane is flexible and can fill your voids fully, but it is costly. That’s why most of the contractors use medium-grade polyurethane. If you are looking for long-term stability, then PCL shouldn’t be your first choice.
Environmental Hazards
Polyurethane is not an environmentally friendly material; that’s why it could be harmful to humans and the environment. On the other hand, the mud jacking uses slurry that is made up of cement and limestone that are user-friendly materials. It wouldn’t have a harmful effect on humans.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that polyurethane has its own benefits and problems. In some cases, it is a perfect solution. It all depends upon the situation of concrete. If you want a cost-efficient method, then PCL is not the right solution for you. It also needs a lot of safety measures during the filling of polyurethane in the holes. It is hazardous to humans. It could have a bad effect on the health of your laborers. That’s why appropriate measures should be taken during the process. Moreover, you should also ensure good quality material to increase the durability and reliability of the concrete.
