Foam Concrete Levelling: What Are The Pros And Cons

14 May Foam Concrete Levelling: What Are The Pros And Cons

Tired of looking at old, settled concrete in your driveway or home? Are you finding ways to lift your concrete floor? Foam concrete levelling might just be the perfect choice for you. Concrete floors are a good way to ensure long-lasting floors. However, after some time, concrete floors tend to settle down; for this reason, many people look for ways to lift their concrete. Traditional methods are expensive, time-consuming and require much equipment and machinery. However, one practice that is becoming more prevalent is foam concrete lifting. In this blog, we will take a look at some of the pros and cons of concrete levelling. 

Pros And Cons Of Concrete Levelling

Concrete leveling has many pros and cons, but here are the most important ones. 

Pros of Concrete levelling:

#1 Easy Transportation

Foam Concrete lifting starts by pumping out 2 separate liquids into the ground, which expand as they mix. Transporting this liquid is easy and doesn’t require big vessels, making foam concrete levelling the perfect material for high-volume jobs. Foam liquid takes much less space than pulverised stone or mud, which also lowers the price of the whole procedure. 

#2 Quick Fix

One of the biggest caveats with traditional concrete lifting is that it is time-consuming, and your concrete floor can be rendered useless for quite some time. On the other hand, Polyurethane foam quickly expands once pumped inside the ground and can reach the initial stage within the first hour. Although the fix is incomplete, you can use your concrete floor about 1 to 2 hours after the procedure. 

#3 Cost-effective

Like most concrete levelling methods, foam concrete lifting costs less than replacing the whole concrete floor. However, foam concrete levelling is even less costly than traditional methods, partly because it is not very intricate and requires less manpower than mud filling. 

#4 Small Drill Holes

Another benefit of foam concrete levelling is that it doesn’t require professionals to dig large holes in your concrete floor. In most applications, the professional will dig only a few holes that are 5 to 8 inches wide at max. This is useful for decorative places where a large hole would bother you or be very visible. 

#5 Less Mess

The biggest problem with any construction job is that after the job is done, there is a lot of mess left behind, which is very hectic to clean. This is not the case with foam concrete levelling. Whatever happens during a foam concrete levelling is done under the floor, and the mess is almost negligible. 

Cons Of Foam Concrete Levelling

#1 Material Cost

Although it requires less manpower and costs less than replacing the concrete floor, the material itself is quite costly. Polyurethane foam is a mix of synthetic chemicals and compounds that drive its cost up, and this is ever more evident in large-scale jobs. 

#2 Doesn’t Completely Fill Voids

One of the biggest cons of foam concrete levelling is that it can sometimes leave voids and crevices. For this reason, professionals sometimes stack one layer of foam over the other to completely lift the floor. The problem with this is that a particular part of the concrete slab is not supported by the foam, which is prone to breaking. 

#3 Less Control

Another problem with foam concrete levelling is that the expansion of the foam is not in the hands of the professional, and sometimes, the foam can lift more than required. This makes the surface uneven, and more foam injection is needed, which will be a long process and can cost you a lot more. 

#4 Safety Concerns

As mentioned above, foam concrete levelling uses chemicals to react and form the foam. This chemical reaction is exothermic, which means it releases a lot of heat, which can sometimes damage the foam itself. This is a concern as it can significantly affect the durability of the foam and can be a safety concern for many. 

#5 Environmental Concerns

Although many foams have eco-friendly tags, they are made from petroleum products and other synthetic chemicals. Polyurethane foam is especially notorious for being non-recyclable, which is why foam concrete lifting is considered hazardous to the environment. 

Get Professional Foam Lifters For Your Concrete Levelling Needs

So there you have it; these are some pros and cons of foam concrete levelling, and now you are a step closer to knowing whether this method is for you. However, one thing to remember is that every situation is unique and requires unique solutions. An experienced professional can better help you with your concrete lifting needs. If you’re looking for foam concrete levelling in Calgary, you might want to go with Foam Experts. They have years of experience and use industry-leading techniques to get the job done. So, if you want to get concrete lifting, contact us and get a free cost estimate from our team of experienced and professional individuals.