Unmasking 3 Problems With Foam Concrete Leveling

Foam concrete lifting might sound like the perfect fix, but does it live up to the hype?

Since its debut, foam concrete leveling has gained popularity thanks to bold claims and clever marketing. But while it can work wonders for certain applications, foam has a few quirks that might make you think twice.

Don’t get us wrong – foam can be an excellent option (in fact, many A-1 Concrete Leveling locations offer foam services for certain situations). But we believe in giving you the full picture, including some of its challenges, so you can decide if it’s the right fit for your repair.

1. Sensitive Chemical Reactions Can Have Varied Results

The creation of foam is chemistry in action. Chemical reactions are very sensitive – if the ratios of chemical components, the temperature, or even the pressure vary, it can result in changes to how the foam is created.

How the Chemistry Affects Foam

If the foam is mixed incorrectly or the chemical ratio is off, the foam can turn out weak, brittle, and/or soft. Alternatively, if it’s too cold, or the pressure isn’t right, the foam will expand inconsistently and risk unexpected results or combine out of ratio.

Too hot is equally problematic, especially when a lot of chemical is injected all at once. The reaction that creates the foam releases a lot of heat. Overheating foam can damage itself from within and lead to shrinkage or scorching, which reduces the overall durability and strength of the material holding up your concrete.

2. Expanding Foam = Lack of Control

It’s mesmerizing to watch the two-part chemical foam expand and lift concrete slabs right before your eyes! But this quality of foam can make it hard to control where and how much the foam lifts the concrete.

Expansion After Pumping Stops

Even after technicians stop pumping the chemicals under the slab, the foam continues to expand, which can make it tricky to know when to stop adding foam.

Comprehensive training can help guide technicians to make accurate, educated guesses. But at the end of the day, expanding foam can be unpredictable – and once the concrete is lifted, there’s no going back.

Uneven Void Filling

A strategy often used to manage the risks of overlifting is injecting foam in small increments. However, when technicians inject the foam and it only spreads out in a small area immediately below that hole, they often have to inject more on top of each layer to continue lifting the slab.

This creates a “pancake stack” effect and creates weak points between where the individual “pancake stacks,” or pillars, hold up an entire slab of concrete.

The mechanics of this process can make it hard to fill all the voids and empty spaces below a concrete slab without significant risk of overlifting. This makes it easier for water to infiltrate under the slab and erode the soil under the repair, and runs the risk of the slab cracking where it remains unsupported.

Cost

Getting past the chemistry, cost can be a significant factor in making your decision. While all concrete leveling repairs will cost you money, expect to spend 20-50% more for the same repair when using foam rather than an alternative leveling method.

This is because the synthetic chemical materials used to make the foam are far more expensive than the natural alternatives used in stone slurry grout leveling and mudjacking.

High Costs for Large Projects

For larger projects, the higher cost of foam often outweighs its benefits. For example, residential foam concrete leveling jobs can range between $875 and $8,100+, while similar stone slurry grout leveling jobs typically cost between $750 and $6,000+, or between $1,100 and $1,500 on average.

Foam Concrete Leveling: Is It Right for You?

Foam leveling is like magic, except when the magic doesn’t go as planned. However, while it may be harder to control and present some challenges, in the hands of a highly trained technician it’s still an effective solution for many applications. In fact, when applied correctly, foam leveling repairs can last for decades.

Before deciding for or against foam, be sure to learn about all of your concrete leveling options side by side. But if you do decide to go with foam, many A-1 Concrete Leveling locations provide this service.

Related Resource: The Pros and Cons of Foam Concrete Leveling

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