I love seeing dyi! I do this professionally with poly foam injection. For your holes it's also easy to just use Portland cement and sand and water to patch your holes and have it match closer. Also to seal cracks just get some play sand from your local hardware store to mostly fill the cracks then use your self leveling caulking. Great video! Josh-Stable Concrete Lifting.
Thanks man, this worked. I did definitely overfill shit, apparently acetone can help in that situation, it'll eat up the foam before it cures. I put my car on the corner of the slab that's high and jacked up the back end, which has held it from expanding too much. I think the actual cost would have been like $400+ from any shop, but materials for this was like $50. My only tip is to buy a square washer, they have them at home depot, they're very thick, no need for a secondary board to strengthen things. They're like $5, apparently they're called bearing plates. Additionally, if you have a gap you can wedge in a prybar, I used that + the jack, I'd get the jack tight, prybar it up a little, tighten jack, so on and so forth. Thanks again! Gl everyone. Edit - For those who come later. I apparently leveled the wrong thing, so I had to level 3 sidewalk squares. I learned a few things, which are very useful. Cut a 2x4 to 2ft long, Drill a hole in the mid for a concrete anchor (3/8ths worked, 5in length), hammer in anchor, put board on anchor, put bearing plate on, tighten nut. That's really all there is to it, just tightening the nut is enough to lift the concrete, no jack necessary, and much less work than building a thing. If necessary, do one more to give yourself extra strength, you could even do 3 if you had to, but I'd assume your slab is overpoured and connected to nearby concrete if ,2 isn't moving it, so if you have a sawzall or something like that, you can go around the edges and make sure it isn't connected to other concrete. If it is connected to nearby concrete, we used a SDS hammer drill, and sawzall with a thick carbide blade (12in 1/4in SDS bit) . I believe there may be circular saw blades, or angle grinders that may do a superior job for cutting through the concrete, I'm no mason. To be clear, you just tighten the nut to lift the concrete, if you're doing 2 then alternate, tighten one then the other because when one gets tighter the other should get looser. Also expect the concrete to lift up a little bit more than you have it set to once the foam fully expands (probably 1/4-1/2in if you fill it up to the point where it comes out the sides before your cans empty, if you did more, it could be sizable.). Make a mark on the cement so you know if it's lifting, it's really hard to tell. You don't need to cut the anchor, if you have a hammer drill just push it down, or a hammer and a punch (assuming no are running inches below your cement). Lastly, if you're dealing with overpoured cement, we used the SDS drill and a 12in drill bit to make the connected area into swiss cheese, I would make consecutive holes, then come from the sides making more holes at like a 45+° angle, both sides help. After that a thick carbide sawzall blade can cut through, but as said other options may make more sense.
I just did this fix using your video as a guide. Worked like a charm! put the spray foam into the cavity under the slab and will let it set up overnight before taking the jig off. thx for this GREAT video!
Thanks for a great informative video. It's perfect for a DIY'er that knows a hired out job like this would be 10X or more the money you spent. Sure, there are comments here that are "negative" in parts of your process but any DIY'er gets the basic concept of what and why you're doing it. You explained it well. Good Job!
I like your video. Simple & straight forward. This gave me some ideas on how to raise up my garage floor. I like the way you drilled & used anchors to help in lifting the concrete prior to filling the gap with foam. I may use a different type of foam but all in all a good idea. Thanks for posting. Nice job man!
Sidewalks are 31/2 to 4 inches thick, driveways should be at least 6 inches. Make sure your bit will be long enough. You can use backer rod or even sand to fill the gaps. Also if you sprinkle a little on the filler after about 10 minutes it makes it blend in better with the old concrete and also helps stop grass, leaves, or twigs from sticking to it as it dries.
Sweep the concrete dust after drilling the holes into a dustpan. Then lightly dust the self leveling sealer with the "dust" so the repair blends in with the original concrete
@@jcx5659 my father had our house built in 1965. He was friends with contractors that built floors in the automotive assembly plants. They had extra concrete and they poured our driveway. 8 to 12 in thick because they did commercial work. It was quite a surprise to the gas company when they want to do with the gas line that was under the driveway. They had to bring in an excavator with a jackhammer and because I hand operated Jackhammer wouldn't penetrate the concrete. We had commercial HVAC as well. There are always exceptions to the norm
BEST technique I've seen thus far! I would have never thought about using the concrete bolt as an anchor point. The other techniques wouldn't work for me on my old sunken in porch. It's cracked in several places. I might give this a try!
This is a great solution if you don't mind drilling through the slab. This will leave noticeable drill holes on the surface of the slab. If you don't want those and you have access to one of the sides of the slab, another option is to clear out the dirt along the side and then dig under the slab a foot or so. Then you can slide your jack under the slab directly. Use some rock shims to place the slab at the level you want and then you can use your spray foam to fill in the rest of the voids.
I like this process better for sunken sidewalk slabs better than the process of jacking using the large, 8" "C-clamps" as it does not require as much digging nor expense to purchase those clamps plus chain & other hardware. Both processes require drilling holes to then fill with expanding foam for the gap created under the slab.
Wish I saw this a hour ago, I dug under my slab in two spots and used to jacks to raise it up, but I have a big patio that has pillars that hold some of the roof up over the patio but will be using this idea to do the rest of the patio
I've done this a couple times. I thought I invented it. I dug out some of the dirt or gravel on the outside of the concrete pad and used a HI-LIFT jack to get under the concrete pad and lift it up. You might have to put a 1' x 1' +/- piece of plywood under the bottom of the jack to keep it from pushing into the ground. Worked great!
@@jackofalltrades7822 save the dust from drilling, then throw it back on top of the sealer. itll have the same color too. works great for brick as well
Just my $ 0.02 - don't bother with a wire brush around the holes, that just makes them more noticeable. Just brush the inside of the holes before you seal them up. For sealing the crack, use 'Crackstix ' for cement (availing for asphalt too). These are hot fill rods and melt with a torch. It's superior to sealant which will shrink and open up again. Also use your sawzall to remove the foam inside of a putty knife.
I was wondering if you remember as to how long was the 2 x 4 that you used as the lifting device ? For I am guessing that either a too long, or a too short board may have an effect on the amount of lifting force that can be exerted without cracking. If I follow your video, I would rather avoid doing it twice as was ultimately needed in your case, and if possible avoid adding that second vertical 2 x 4 and the necessary additional drilling and screws needed to bond the two lifts together. But overall, it definitely was a more clever way of lifting a slab that using the large C clamps on each side of the slab. Thanks for taking the time to document you procedure.
How about using small amounts of hand mixed concrete and cushed rock to cover the holes better and and use a brush to copy the same lines used when the original brushed concrete was poured.
what i normally do is keep the dust from drilling the holes then caulk or cement the holes then put the drill dust back on top. It usually matches the concrete
@@jaystengel7511 there was nothing wrong with the slab, it just sunk. So a few dollars I was able to level it and saved a ton of time and a trip to the chiropractor. Thanks for watching.
I used my impact driver and had no problem drilling through 6+” of concrete. No need for the big hammer drill. Your mileage may vary. A 6” bit was not long enough for me. Had to go back for a longer one. Choices are 6” and then 12” or 13”; just go with the 12”-13” to start and save a trip to the big box store. My problem was I didn’t have an expansion joint; mine was just a standard control joints. So they were pretty well locked together because of the jagged cracking and then settling.
I've been looking at different types of foam. I found there is Open Cell and Closed Cell foam. It's hard to find the difference, it isn't really listed on the product. I have seen a few videos using Secure Set foam. Froth-Pak IS available near me but I can't tell if it's closed cell like Secure Set. Thanks for your video. I need to lift a section of driveway.
Tip… Save as much as you can of the drilling overburden. Use this to disguise the filler at the top of the holes. Also, measure the holes evenly. It will look more intentional than a later repair.
How do you keep the foam from expanding so much it lifts the concrete too high? Guess you have to kind of estimate it as it expands to 3 x and I've seen other videos where it actually lifted the concrete.
It kind of settles itself. I sprayed in enough so that it was just a little higher than needed and it settled. The expanding is not that strong to provide a ton of lift. That’s why you have to Jack it up. Thanks for watching.
I get the concept but unless there’s rebar of some sort then more often than not that anchor will break off a chunk as for digging underneath and jacking it up you’ll need a hardy portion of plywood to help ease it up At the end of the day you do what you can with what you have. I also give props to the video for simply trying to bring a solution to the table
thank you for the effort of making that video, very helpful. One question to everyone, how long is that gap filler supposed to last in the wild, ie outdoors under small slab in texas clay? anyone know of have info? Company didn't respond to my queries.
Mine is 1.5 years old and has not moved with ND winters and is still holding the slab up. I am not sure how long it will last but I know when I use it to seal up cracks in the house the stuff lasts a long time. Thanks for watching.
Expansion joint foam should’ve been completely removed, and filled with fast setting cement like quikrete.. then put a thinner controlled joint. Since the small slab isn’t supported on the edges, it’ll just sink again.. it needs support from the rest of the slab
How long do you think it will take the foam to break down and the slab to sink again? Were you concerned about cracking the slab with drilling so many holes in it?
@@JoeHagedon no concern about cracking. 1/4” holes so far apart didn’t seem to be an issue. I have no idea how long it will last. So far so good. Thanks for watching.
The filler is too too noticeable due to its distinct grey colour. How can one match the filler to the old concrete? My expanding concrete filler says you cant mix anything with it and also crack is fairly wide so I have no extra concrete dust due experiment with to match filler to slab.
Absolutely! I use backer rod plus high-flex self leveling sealant to keep water out of my control joints. A bonus is I don't get weeds & debris in those areas.
I owned a concrete leveling company for 10 years. If their estimates are that high you must have a completely empty porch. You could possibly replace the concrete for that price
Same question. I'm assuming mine is dirt filled with slab on top. Downspout discharging next to one corner for a couple of years caused movement. One corner of the slab is lower than the top brick step to the porch. Rain gets trapped on porch & often goes in seams between house & slab where I obviously don't want it.
@@dantrumphour3068By empty, do you mean that nothing is under the slab? I have a raised slab porch with about 3 steps to access it. From the crawlspace, I see CMU / stem walls. I'm assuming my porch is filled with dirt (or something). But one porch slab corner is lower than the top brick step. A downspout discharged in the soil at that corner. I've remedied that, but want to correct the slope of the slab so rain doesn't continue being trapped inside.
I've used sand under the sealant, conforms to the varying widths of the joint. I've also used backer rod for the wide areas, followed up by sand to seal it up.
A year later, his is this repair holding up? I need to do something on a “rocking slab” it’s not cracked or anything yet just rocks when you drive over it. I ask because the Big Gap stuff is not recommended for ground contact.
So far so good. It survived the winter and is still level. I have done this before and it seems to hold up pretty good. The key is to use a lot of foam to get even coverage across the whole slab.
How does it hold up after a year? Another guy from another channel tried and it drop back down so I am not sure if this DIY foam really hold up the cement.
@@jackofalltrades7822 thank you for your reply. th-cam.com/video/5U63uGKCvLQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=g1MPU5ne2ve5a_mY is the link that I watch the review of the fix. At about minute 2:18 is when he said that the slap sank back down. At about minute 1:15 is when he reviewed his fix from the previous video.
@@jackofalltrades7822 I have a small slap that sink probably due to the tunneling for the sprinkler valve lines so I am torn between your foaming method or just try to lift the slap and pack as much dirt back in.
@@jackofalltrades7822 @GotthilftIMMER Great Stuff also makes a green colored can called "PestBlock". It has something mixed into it to deter pests from digging through it. Might be helpful to prevent ant colonies and other insects from turning it into swiss cheese.....just a thought. Loved the process btw....thanks for posting the video!👍
I tried that and it didn’t hardly move. Even the Jack struggled. I have done it with out the Jack on other slabs and it did work. Thanks for watching and the comment.
Next time don’t use an expansion anchor/red head. Use a Hilti or Simpson titan screw. That way you don’t need to cut off your red-head and stare at a piece of all thread cutoff.
I believe the foam with work but next time you back over with something heavy I think it will sink again. I though you were going to lift it with the foam.
Did you Jack up the slab first and the let it sit for a while to let the foam cure before removing the Jack? Nothing should come out of the drilled holes.
gotta say like that technique, will keep it in mind I think I prefer to use the great stuff profesional can and sprayer, though I do a fair amount of spray foaming, I find the product and the reusability of the can great, do not though do not try to remove a full can it does not self seal once open. WTF?
@@gabrielkoncowski1403 it was a fraction of the time to pour a new slab, materials were minimal, I didn’t have to dispose of the old concrete & it is still holding up. I am sure one day I will have to re pour the slab but for now it is not a concern. Thanks for watching.
Why not lift the slab, create a form along the side and use self levelling concrete underneath or even just pushing soil underneath? Foam is going to compress over time and is only a temporary solution...
@@jackofalltrades7822 Give people what they pay for, if they want foam or w/e.. There are other alternatives.. but whatever.. I don't think the soil was compacted enough, nor was self levelling(wet) concrete used underneath.. A lot of times it is rats building nests underneath that cause sink holes to form amplified by water erosion... I would not be surprised if you get call backs after more time passes... I do hope you don't though and all is well... just spitballing ideas and glad you at least consider them.. thx 4 reply.. Some people try to criticize a "Jack of All Trades, Master of None" but before they finish I correct them and say that a Jack of ALL Trades is called an Engineer! 8D
@@maxmanx1294 Can not post links or comments get deleted. The foam method in this video works well enough but you should explore all your options. I am no pro at this.. but you can use a carjack or boatjack to lift the cement pad a bit over what you need to give space for settling.. You can use "wet" cement so it flows easy & self levels or you can overfill with compacted dirt allowing cement pad to settle on top..
Since there was nothing wrong with the slab this was the easiest and cheapest option. Breaking it out, hauling more sand for the base, rebar, mixing in a wheelbarrow, pouring, screeding, finishing, and clean up would have taken several hours. This took me less than 1 hour. More than 1 way to skin a cat I guess.
@@johnbeckwith1361 It was so small🤣 he paid 11 bucks per tube on loctite , 13 bucks on gap filler etc etc.....few swings of the maul , tamp in a bag of gravel and a few bags of quickcrete...roughly 30 or 40 bucks and have it look new!!! Versus something that looks like pure crap "IMO" and more $ plus time. That caulk will not ever look good nor be as good as a solid slab, But if swinging a maul and breaking a sweat isnt your thing...spend more and have it look like 💩!! I wasnt stirring the pot , but its people like you that brings real people like me to the front!!!! Thx for doing that . Do it right 1 time. Now you can return to your easy chair, have a great day!😉
@Rob Turner Why so passed when someone, like u did, expressed their opinion on the matter? What is the cost to dispose of the 400lbs of broken concrete?
Great instructions. Normally videos only show the final success, but you showed a hiccup and corrected it. Thanks again
Thanks for watching.
I love seeing dyi! I do this professionally with poly foam injection.
For your holes it's also easy to just use Portland cement and sand and water to patch your holes and have it match closer. Also to seal cracks just get some play sand from your local hardware store to mostly fill the cracks then use your self leveling caulking. Great video! Josh-Stable Concrete Lifting.
Great tips. Thanks for the comment and for watching.
Thanks man, this worked. I did definitely overfill shit, apparently acetone can help in that situation, it'll eat up the foam before it cures. I put my car on the corner of the slab that's high and jacked up the back end, which has held it from expanding too much. I think the actual cost would have been like $400+ from any shop, but materials for this was like $50.
My only tip is to buy a square washer, they have them at home depot, they're very thick, no need for a secondary board to strengthen things. They're like $5, apparently they're called bearing plates. Additionally, if you have a gap you can wedge in a prybar, I used that + the jack, I'd get the jack tight, prybar it up a little, tighten jack, so on and so forth.
Thanks again! Gl everyone.
Edit - For those who come later. I apparently leveled the wrong thing, so I had to level 3 sidewalk squares. I learned a few things, which are very useful.
Cut a 2x4 to 2ft long, Drill a hole in the mid for a concrete anchor (3/8ths worked, 5in length), hammer in anchor, put board on anchor, put bearing plate on, tighten nut. That's really all there is to it, just tightening the nut is enough to lift the concrete, no jack necessary, and much less work than building a thing. If necessary, do one more to give yourself extra strength, you could even do 3 if you had to, but I'd assume your slab is overpoured and connected to nearby concrete if ,2 isn't moving it, so if you have a sawzall or something like that, you can go around the edges and make sure it isn't connected to other concrete.
If it is connected to nearby concrete, we used a SDS hammer drill, and sawzall with a thick carbide blade (12in 1/4in SDS bit) . I believe there may be circular saw blades, or angle grinders that may do a superior job for cutting through the concrete, I'm no mason.
To be clear, you just tighten the nut to lift the concrete, if you're doing 2 then alternate, tighten one then the other because when one gets tighter the other should get looser. Also expect the concrete to lift up a little bit more than you have it set to once the foam fully expands (probably 1/4-1/2in if you fill it up to the point where it comes out the sides before your cans empty, if you did more, it could be sizable.). Make a mark on the cement so you know if it's lifting, it's really hard to tell. You don't need to cut the anchor, if you have a hammer drill just push it down, or a hammer and a punch (assuming no are running inches below your cement).
Lastly, if you're dealing with overpoured cement, we used the SDS drill and a 12in drill bit to make the connected area into swiss cheese, I would make consecutive holes, then come from the sides making more holes at like a 45+° angle, both sides help. After that a thick carbide sawzall blade can cut through, but as said other options may make more sense.
Great tip and glad it worked for you.
Thanks for watching.
Had no idea this could be done without cracking the slab. Great job and thank you!
@@brendantully1950 and thank you for watching.
I just did this fix using your video as a guide. Worked like a charm! put the spray foam into the cavity under the slab and will let it set up overnight before taking the jig off.
thx for this GREAT video!
Thanks for watching. Glad it helped.
This video saved my day and probably thousands of dollars hiring it out. Thanks! Needed a 4x4, 2x4 snapped like a twig.
@@mferrante3 glad to help.
Thanks for watching.
Thanks for a great informative video. It's perfect for a DIY'er that knows a hired out job like this would be 10X or more the money you spent. Sure, there are comments here that are "negative" in parts of your process but any DIY'er gets the basic concept of what and why you're doing it. You explained it well. Good Job!
Also his matter of fact narration and explains his errors with the fix which is a rare pleasure. Decent fellow.
did this to a sinking sidewalk 5 years ago...still doing fine👍👍
@@pufferlump outstanding. Thanks for watching.
I like your video. Simple & straight forward. This gave me some ideas on how to raise up my garage floor. I like the way you drilled & used anchors to help in lifting the concrete prior to filling the gap with foam. I may use a different type of foam but all in all a good idea. Thanks for posting. Nice job man!
Thanks for watching.
Sidewalks are 31/2 to 4 inches thick, driveways should be at least 6 inches. Make sure your bit will be long enough. You can use backer rod or even sand to fill the gaps. Also if you sprinkle a little on the filler after about 10 minutes it makes it blend in better with the old concrete and also helps stop grass, leaves, or twigs from sticking to it as it dries.
Good tip
Sweep the concrete dust after drilling the holes into a dustpan. Then lightly dust the self leveling sealer with the "dust" so the repair blends in with the original concrete
I've never seen a 6 inch thick driveway at a residential house in my life. I expect that is rare.
@@jcx5659 my father had our house built in 1965. He was friends with contractors that built floors in the automotive assembly plants. They had extra concrete and they poured our driveway. 8 to 12 in thick because they did commercial work. It was quite a surprise to the gas company when they want to do with the gas line that was under the driveway. They had to bring in an excavator with a jackhammer and because I hand operated Jackhammer wouldn't penetrate the concrete. We had commercial HVAC as well. There are always exceptions to the norm
@@stuartshomepc That should last a very long time. I bet they were surprised. Thanks for the story.
BEST technique I've seen thus far! I would have never thought about using the concrete bolt as an anchor point. The other techniques wouldn't work for me on my old sunken in porch. It's cracked in several places. I might give this a try!
This is a great solution if you don't mind drilling through the slab. This will leave noticeable drill holes on the surface of the slab. If you don't want those and you have access to one of the sides of the slab, another option is to clear out the dirt along the side and then dig under the slab a foot or so. Then you can slide your jack under the slab directly. Use some rock shims to place the slab at the level you want and then you can use your spray foam to fill in the rest of the voids.
I've never done this, but that's what I was thinking, I have to do this to my sidewalk
This comment just made some dots connect for me with an ongoing project. Thank you so much.
I like this process better for sunken sidewalk slabs better than the process of jacking using the large, 8" "C-clamps" as it does not require as much digging nor expense to purchase those clamps plus chain & other hardware. Both processes require drilling holes to then fill with expanding foam for the gap created under the slab.
Thanks for watching
Wish I saw this a hour ago, I dug under my slab in two spots and used to jacks to raise it up, but I have a big patio that has pillars that hold some of the roof up over the patio but will be using this idea to do the rest of the patio
Ya, I don't think this fix would be load bearing but it is still holding up since I did it about a year ago.
Thanks for watching.
@orangetracktvhotwheels6635 be sure to use square tube steel instead of lumber with all that weight.
Be sure to use square tube steel instead of lumber for all that weight.
I've done this a couple times. I thought I invented it. I dug out some of the dirt or gravel on the outside of the concrete pad and used a HI-LIFT jack to get under the concrete pad and lift it up. You might have to put a 1' x 1' +/- piece of plywood under the bottom of the jack to keep it from pushing into the ground. Worked great!
Thanks for watching.
This turned out great! Thanks for the detailed video and explanation on this!
No problem. Thanks for watching.
Great video! I have a sidewalk that did the same thing... next weekend's project! Thank you!
Mine is still holding up.
Hope it works for you.
Thanks for watching.
Sprinkle a little sand on the self leveling sealer. It will make the joint look more like concrete.
I have to fill the gap on the driveway. I will try that.
@@jackofalltrades7822 save the dust from drilling, then throw it back on top of the sealer. itll have the same color too. works great for brick as well
@@royrock413excellent idea!
I love the intro, cool channel.. I need my sidewalk lifted so I’m looking for ways to lift it myself
@@casper2yall thanks for watching.
Just my $ 0.02 - don't bother with a wire brush around the holes, that just makes them more noticeable. Just brush the inside of the holes before you seal them up. For sealing the crack, use 'Crackstix ' for cement (availing for asphalt too). These are hot fill rods and melt with a torch. It's superior to sealant which will shrink and open up again. Also use your sawzall to remove the foam inside of a putty knife.
Pls explain this "Also use your sawzall to remove the foam inside of a putty knife?"
@@euphoricmonk Probably meant to say *instead of" Thats my guess.
Great job, thanks!
I was wondering if you remember as to how long was the 2 x 4 that you used as the lifting device ?
For I am guessing that either a too long, or a too short board may have an effect on the amount of lifting force that can be exerted without cracking. If I follow your video, I would rather avoid doing it twice as was ultimately needed in your case, and if possible avoid adding that second vertical 2 x 4 and the necessary additional drilling and screws needed to bond the two lifts together. But overall, it definitely was a more clever way of lifting a slab that using the large C clamps on each side of the slab. Thanks for taking the time to document you procedure.
@@RonGJX it was probably about 4’. I didn’t measure it as it was just lying around.
Thanks so much for watching.
How about using small amounts of hand mixed concrete and cushed rock to cover the holes better and and use a brush to copy the same lines used when the original brushed concrete was poured.
what i normally do is keep the dust from drilling the holes then caulk or cement the holes then put the drill dust back on top. It usually matches the concrete
That grasshopper in the beginning definitely got dared by its friends to go 'F' around and find out.
@@nickhammond1692 ya, he was brave. I didn’t notice until I was editing.
Thanks for watching.
Great video. But for a pad that small it seems just breaking the old out and repouring would be a better option.
@@jaystengel7511 there was nothing wrong with the slab, it just sunk. So a few dollars I was able to level it and saved a ton of time and a trip to the chiropractor.
Thanks for watching.
I used my impact driver and had no problem drilling through 6+” of concrete. No need for the big hammer drill. Your mileage may vary. A 6” bit was not long enough for me. Had to go back for a longer one. Choices are 6” and then 12” or 13”; just go with the 12”-13” to start and save a trip to the big box store. My problem was I didn’t have an expansion joint; mine was just a standard control joints. So they were pretty well locked together because of the jagged cracking and then settling.
@@jeffpicken5057 thanks for the comment and for watching.
I've been looking at different types of foam. I found there is Open Cell and Closed Cell foam. It's hard to find the difference, it isn't really listed on the product.
I have seen a few videos using Secure Set foam. Froth-Pak IS available near me but I can't tell if it's closed cell like Secure Set. Thanks for your video. I need to lift a section of driveway.
Tip… Save as much as you can of the drilling overburden. Use this to disguise the filler at the top of the holes. Also, measure the holes evenly. It will look more intentional than a later repair.
Good tips and thanks for watching.
How do you keep the foam from expanding so much it lifts the concrete too high? Guess you have to kind of estimate it as it expands to 3 x and I've seen other videos where it actually lifted the concrete.
It kind of settles itself. I sprayed in enough so that it was just a little higher than needed and it settled. The expanding is not that strong to provide a ton of lift. That’s why you have to Jack it up.
Thanks for watching.
This is awesome. Thanks for making this video!
@@jeffallen6828 no problem. Thanks for watching.
I get the concept but unless there’s rebar of some sort then more often than not that anchor will break off a chunk as for digging underneath and jacking it up you’ll need a hardy portion of plywood to help ease it up
At the end of the day you do what you can with what you have. I also give props to the video for simply trying to bring a solution to the table
Thanks for the comments and for watching.
Ed
All I'll add is to use loctite foam. It's a lot more dense than great stuff.
Really wish to know how long this lasted? Bonus if the person experienced freezing temps and potentially water going under the slab.
@@-Tac0caT- It is still holding strong and I live in North Dakota so after 2 winters and almost 2 years it has not moved.
Thanks for watching.
3/8 or 1/2” foam backer bead works good for cracks and joints.
It does but I didn’t have any and Home Depot was out.
Consider using tile in that section/nice looking doormat for a cleaner look.
Great job, I have a little project like that , perfect time
Great video Ed, thank you
Thanks for watching
Great tips! Thanks for the video.
Thanks for watching.
thank you for the effort of making that video, very helpful. One question to everyone, how long is that gap filler supposed to last in the wild, ie outdoors under small slab in texas clay? anyone know of have info? Company didn't respond to my queries.
Mine is 1.5 years old and has not moved with ND winters and is still holding the slab up.
I am not sure how long it will last but I know when I use it to seal up cracks in the house the stuff lasts a long time.
Thanks for watching.
@@jackofalltrades7822 Well ND is a good test bed for extremes lol. Thanks for the feedback!
Thank you for your video. I will try it your way
Nice job. I have a couple of sections of concrete I am going to do that to
After filling with foam how long did u wait before letting jack down? Thx great vid
I let it sit for about 3 hours if I remember correctly, just to be sure it was set.
Thanks for the video put me on the right track to level my slab🤙🏽
Expansion joint foam should’ve been completely removed, and filled with fast setting cement like quikrete.. then put a thinner controlled joint. Since the small slab isn’t supported on the edges, it’ll just sink again.. it needs support from the rest of the slab
It hasn’t sunk yet.
Great to know. Probably better to remove slab, tie in with existing slab, and re-concrete - maybe even cost wise(?)
It seems like that would be more expensive financially & time wise.
How long do you think it will take the foam to break down and the slab to sink again?
Were you concerned about cracking the slab with drilling so many holes in it?
@@JoeHagedon no concern about cracking. 1/4” holes so far apart didn’t seem to be an issue.
I have no idea how long it will last. So far so good.
Thanks for watching.
The filler is too too noticeable due to its distinct grey colour. How can one match the filler to the old concrete? My expanding concrete filler says you cant mix anything with it and also crack is fairly wide so I have no extra concrete dust due experiment with to match filler to slab.
You should use backer rod in the crack before filling it with sealant.
Absolutely! I use backer rod plus high-flex self leveling sealant to keep water out of my control joints. A bonus is I don't get weeds & debris in those areas.
We have a concrete slab that is so old one side has sunken in. There are small cracks should we try this method or just redo it all new
I would replace it. This slab is fairly new.
Curious if the foam held the weight of the concrete. I believe there are different grades of spray foam. Isn't this just for insulation?
So far so good. It made it through a winter and the slab is still level.
Brush some sand over the poly sealer to help hide it.
@@randallsemrau6911 Thanks for watching.
Lever the slab into place and wet pour morter, this method doesn't last it eventually collapses the foam and you have to do it again.
How do you go about lifting a front porch concrete slab? Poly level or other type lift like mud jacking was an estimate from $5000-over $8,000 😮
I have only done this with small slabs.
Look up secure set
I owned a concrete leveling company for 10 years. If their estimates are that high you must have a completely empty porch. You could possibly replace the concrete for that price
Same question. I'm assuming mine is dirt filled with slab on top. Downspout discharging next to one corner for a couple of years caused movement. One corner of the slab is lower than the top brick step to the porch. Rain gets trapped on porch & often goes in seams between house & slab where I obviously don't want it.
@@dantrumphour3068By empty, do you mean that nothing is under the slab? I have a raised slab porch with about 3 steps to access it. From the crawlspace, I see CMU / stem walls. I'm assuming my porch is filled with dirt (or something). But one porch slab corner is lower than the top brick step. A downspout discharged in the soil at that corner. I've remedied that, but want to correct the slope of the slab so rain doesn't continue being trapped inside.
Is that easier than lifting the slab and using a cement pad underneath?
In this case yes. The pad is tied to the garage slab with rebar. If it was floating it would be better to do as you said.
I have a quarter of a driveway that is sinking. Can you show up how to up scale that?
I only use this for small slabs with lighter loads. Large slabs that will be driven on I would hire a mud jacker.
Thanks for watching.
I'm getting ready to do this. How has your foam held up since you did it? Did it settle any?
It has settled a little…1/2” maybe. I would fill it so the slab is a little higher than needed but it will settle a little.
Thanks for watching.
>
L
Use loctite foam. It's more dense
Thank for this informative video.
Thank you for watching.
Great video thank you
Thanks for watching.
Was that Johnny Smith on jazz guitar? If so, kudos to you sir!
Nice! But, how do you fix a raised slab?
i imagine you have to remove it and level out the ground beneath it.
Why is it raised? What happened?
Tree roots are pushing it up.@@maxmanx1294
Jack of all Trades You LEVELtated me to the next LEVEL.! THANKS.
Can I cut out any roots. It's caused by a big tree. Sure don't want to damage or kill it.
would this work on driveway slab? was comparing this to 'mudjacking" which is going to be $1K.
I only do this on small slabs. Sidewalk sections & such.
For the driveway, do the mud jacking.
1k doesn't sound unreasonable for mud jacking a driveway.
Why not use backer rod in the expansion joints before using the self-leveling sealer?
Because I didn’t have any and Home Depot was out.
Fair question though.
I've used sand under the sealant, conforms to the varying widths of the joint. I've also used backer rod for the wide areas, followed up by sand to seal it up.
Raising a slab is easy. Lowering it is another story.
A year later, his is this repair holding up?
I need to do something on a “rocking slab” it’s not cracked or anything yet just rocks when you drive over it.
I ask because the Big Gap stuff is not recommended for ground contact.
It is still like the day I did it but I don’t drive on it, it only sees foot traffic.
Thanks for watching.
Yea, that is less harsh. I would definitely feel comfortable with using this product with walking slabs but not driveway.
@@jackofalltrades7822
Nice. Thanks man.
@@KEIKUSTOMS thanks for watching.
How does the spray foam hold against all the pressure?
So far so good. It survived the winter and is still level. I have done this before and it seems to hold up pretty good. The key is to use a lot of foam to get even coverage across the whole slab.
hey, very nice video and info.
great t shirt as well!! but i can't read the rules>> thank you
How does it hold up after a year? Another guy from another channel tried and it drop back down so I am not sure if this DIY foam really hold up the cement.
It’s is still holding. Hasn’t dropped at all.
Do you remember the other video? I would like to see it.
@@jackofalltrades7822 thank you for your reply. th-cam.com/video/5U63uGKCvLQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=g1MPU5ne2ve5a_mY is the link that I watch the review of the fix. At about minute 2:18 is when he said that the slap sank back down. At about minute 1:15 is when he reviewed his fix from the previous video.
@@jackofalltrades7822 I have a small slap that sink probably due to the tunneling for the sprinkler valve lines so I am torn between your foaming method or just try to lift the slap and pack as much dirt back in.
4x4 post would not break
Probably not but I didn’t have a 4x4 post.
Thanks for watching.
I would have taken in a little bit further resurface the whole slab and that wood blend everything in
How long, until the foam is rotten?
Fair question. I guess we will find out.
@@jackofalltrades7822 @GotthilftIMMER Great Stuff also makes a green colored can called "PestBlock". It has something mixed into it to deter pests from digging through it. Might be helpful to prevent ant colonies and other insects from turning it into swiss cheese.....just a thought. Loved the process btw....thanks for posting the video!👍
No need to jack up the foam will lift for you..i have done it many times
I tried that and it didn’t hardly move. Even the Jack struggled.
I have done it with out the Jack on other slabs and it did work.
Thanks for watching and the comment.
Good job
Will the foam shrink over time?
It hasn’t so far and shouldn’t.
Thanks for watching
My ? Is how will foam hold up to wet ground
We have got a ton of rain this year and no issues.
Thanks for watching.
Next time don’t use an expansion anchor/red head. Use a Hilti or Simpson titan screw. That way you don’t need to cut off your red-head and stare at a piece of all thread cutoff.
Next time you should watch the whole video. I make the RedHead anchor disappear.
Thanks for watching.
@@jackofalltrades7822 you still had to cut it off and make it disappear. With a Titan you could’ve just backed it out and reused it.
I believe the foam with work but next time you back over with something heavy I think it will sink again. I though you were going to lift it with the foam.
It never sees anything heavier than foot traffic. It sank because the dirt washed out beneath it.
Thanks for watching.
Nice!
Thanks
Great info!
Thanks, & thanks for watching.
How long does the foam last?
Don’t know but it is still holding with no issue.
@@jackofalltrades7822 Thank you. I just know I've used Great Stuff around new windows and I've seen it dry out and lose its size.
i tried this. but i do not have that finer board.
no movement on the slab. the foam just squirted back out the hole when i pulled out the straw.
Did you Jack up the slab first and the let it sit for a while to let the foam cure before removing the Jack?
Nothing should come out of the drilled holes.
how do you keep it ( the foam) from being too much and raising slab up too high?
I guessed. You actually want to be a little high as it will settle a little.
@@jackofalltrades7822 maybe that’s something you can amend or address w the video
a little high?
can you use a metric like 1/8, 1/4, etc?
@@brucemontgomery8136 a few cunt hairs
@@brucemontgomery8136 🤣
gotta say like that technique, will keep it in mind I think I prefer to use the great stuff profesional can and sprayer, though I do a fair amount of spray foaming, I find the product and the reusability of the can great, do not though do not try to remove a full can it does not self seal once open. WTF?
With that time I already should replace the square
Hi with all the time and tools and materials surely better to take out and reconcrete area
@@gabrielkoncowski1403 it was a fraction of the time to pour a new slab, materials were minimal, I didn’t have to dispose of the old concrete & it is still holding up.
I am sure one day I will have to re pour the slab but for now it is not a concern.
Thanks for watching.
Why not lift the slab, create a form along the side and use self levelling concrete underneath or even just pushing soil underneath?
Foam is going to compress over time and is only a temporary solution...
I did the pushing soil thing and it sunk again the next spring.
I have used foam before and this stuff is dense enough to hold up.
@@jackofalltrades7822 Give people what they pay for, if they want foam or w/e.. There are other alternatives.. but whatever.. I don't think the soil was compacted enough, nor was self levelling(wet) concrete used underneath.. A lot of times it is rats building nests underneath that cause sink holes to form amplified by water erosion... I would not be surprised if you get call backs after more time passes... I do hope you don't though and all is well... just spitballing ideas and glad you at least consider them.. thx 4 reply..
Some people try to criticize a "Jack of All Trades, Master of None" but before they finish I correct them and say that a Jack of ALL Trades is called an Engineer! 8D
Qq2sx add
Do you have a link to your video of that process being used? I have a porch slab to raise.
@@maxmanx1294 Can not post links or comments get deleted. The foam method in this video works well enough but you should explore all your options. I am no pro at this.. but you can use a carjack or boatjack to lift the cement pad a bit over what you need to give space for settling.. You can use "wet" cement so it flows easy & self levels or you can overfill with compacted dirt allowing cement pad to settle on top..
Did I miss the lifting/leveling part?
Yup. It’s in there. I didn’t use a level, just lined it up with the slab that didn’t move but I did show the lifting.
@@jackofalltrades7822 Ill have to watch again...😁...Thank you.
Hope that is a hard hat reinforced skimmer.
1/2 backer rod is cheap.
Post the link to your cheap 1/2 inch backer rod then
@@krismarsh8130 HD sells MD 1/2” backer rod foam under $5
For what like 50 ft?😂
Use backer rod comes in different sizes looks like a mini pool noodle
They were out at Home Depot.
Thanks for watching.
You keep mentioning this boat.. I didn't see "aboat" anywhere..
Ha! Ladies and gentlemen, the comic relief has arrived.
Thanks for watching.
@@jackofalltrades7822 I kid, I kid
Smart🤩
Name the foam and how many years does it stand up.
The foam is “Great Stuff” which I stated in the beginning of the video.
It is still hold up.
As small as it was , seems breaking it out and using a few bags of quick-crete may have been easier and def less expensive.🤔
Since there was nothing wrong with the slab this was the easiest and cheapest option. Breaking it out, hauling more sand for the base, rebar, mixing in a wheelbarrow, pouring, screeding, finishing, and clean up would have taken several hours. This took me less than 1 hour.
More than 1 way to skin a cat I guess.
Um no. Removing that slab is more work than what this guy did. Jeeze.
@@johnbeckwith1361 It was so small🤣 he paid 11 bucks per tube on loctite , 13 bucks on gap filler etc etc.....few swings of the maul , tamp in a bag of gravel and a few bags of quickcrete...roughly 30 or 40 bucks and have it look new!!! Versus something that looks like pure crap "IMO" and more $ plus time. That caulk will not ever look good nor be as good as a solid slab, But if swinging a maul and breaking a sweat isnt your thing...spend more and have it look like 💩!! I wasnt stirring the pot , but its people like you that brings real people like me to the front!!!! Thx for doing that . Do it right 1 time. Now you can return to your easy chair, have a great day!😉
That slab of concrete is at least 400 lbs or more.
@Rob Turner Why so passed when someone, like u did, expressed their opinion on the matter? What is the cost to dispose of the 400lbs of broken concrete?
Maybe put some backing rod in the cracks first then add your sealant
❤
Thanks, and thanks for watching.
Audio was missing or very weak
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