Can You DIY Concrete Leveling?

Working with concrete can be a difficult and dangerous task, yet many people try to fix their sinking concrete themselves. If your home or commercial property requires concrete leveling, it’s important to weigh up the pros and cons of doing it yourself.

Concrete leveling is the process of removing uneven surfaces on concrete floors, patios, or slabs and filling in any voids or depressions. It involves identifying the problem area, cleaning out debris, filling the space under the concrete until it becomes level, re-aligning any loose sections and ensuring the final results are sound. Some people consider the option of taking on this task for themselves to save money on small projects, but there are many potential pitfalls associated with DIY concrete leveling:

It’s Heavy Work.

Much of the labor involved in concrete leveling is extremely strenuous; it can require a lot more physical effort than many people anticipate. If you don’t have access to heavy duty machinery, then you will need to use manual labor to move the concrete, fill voids, and haul tools and materials. Furthermore, if you’re not experienced with this kind of work then there’s a risk that you won’t get everything perfectly level, leaving you with a still-uneven floor or patio that won’t look presentable when all is said and done.

It Can Be Dangerous.

Another factor to consider before deciding to tackle concrete leveling yourself is safety. Tools like jackhammers and sledgehammers may cause serious damage if mishandled, and materials such as asphalt and cement release plenty of potentially hazardous dust into the air which could cause health issues if inhaled over long periods of time.

When you hire the right concrete leveling company, you can rest easy knowing safety is taken care of. At a place like Quantum Concrete Leveling Vancouver, we take all necessary precautions to ensure safety. Wearing protective gloves, face masks and safety goggles is essential in order to protect against any potential injury or illness caused by dust particles, fumes or sharp objects while performing concrete leveling work. We also ensure proper ventilation is provided during operations as this helps to reduce the amount of hazardous fumes released into the air. We use heavy-duty equipment such as mixers, saws, breakers and drills which are designed for the task at hand and provide a greater level of control when manipulating materials such as asphalt and mortar. All tools are inspected regularly for functionality and damage to ensure that they are safe to use. By following these basic safety guidelines, Quantum can get the job done safely and efficiently every time.

It Is a Temporary Fix

DIY concrete leveling solutions are often only a temporary fix, as they may not address the underlying issue that caused the settling in the first place. If improper installation methods or inadequate drainage were what caused the concrete to crack or become uneven in the first place, it’s unlikely that a DIY solution that doesn’t also address these contributing factors will solve the problem for any length of time. DIY treatments can also be ineffective in areas where there are extreme temperature fluctuations, as these can cause further settlement and cracking over time. Professional concrete leveling is always recommended for long-lasting results to prevent future damage and costly repairs.

When you hire the right professional partner to help with your concrete leveling and void filling needs, you will likely be thrilled you didn’t go it alone. At Quantum Concrete Leveling of Vancouver, we help homeowners, commercial building owners and public entities with concrete leveling, poly leveling, soil stabilization, and void filling on a wide range of concrete structures and surfaces. We exclusively use a process called poly jacking to level concrete. Poly jacking involves injecting a high-density polyurethane foam into an area of the concrete in order to raise the concrete back to its original level. The foam expands and hardens quickly, forming a solid foundation that can last up to 25 years without any maintenance or additional reinforcements needed. Poly jacking can be completed in as little as one day and is much faster than traditional methods such as mudjacking or jackhammering. With this technique, we can also repair structural defects such as cracks and other damages beneath the surface without having to remove large sections of the pavement. Poly jacking is an efficient and cost-effective way to restore damaged surfaces back to their original condition in no time.

Whatever your decision may be regarding DIY vs Professional Concrete Leveling, make sure you thoroughly assess the risks prior to starting your project. If you have questions and live in the greater Vancouver area, give Quantum a call today at 604-330-5399. You can also click to learn more about our residential concrete leveling, commercial concrete leveling, and void filling services.