Over the years, you may begin to notice small cracks forming along the concrete surfaces on your Houston property. While normally minor in size and depth, these damages may be a warning sign of future problems. Many Texas homes experience some issues with uneven concrete surfaces, as long-term use and seasonal changes can wear down your slab and cause it to shift with no discernable pattern. Instead of watching this settlement grow worse, you can invest in concrete-leveling services to restore the beauty and uniformity of your slabs!
Tilted Concrete Solutions is proud to be your source for Top Rated Local® cement leveling in Houston and the surrounding areas, delivering amazing results with our unique polyfoam material. Our leveling contractors have the experience to provide the perfect finish for every home and business, providing complete service to ensure complete satisfaction.
While many Texans deal with sinking slabs, garages, and sidewalks, few know the causes behind this stressful problem. Today, we’ll discuss a few of the top reasons why your concrete is likely sinking. If you’re ready to restore your surfaces to their original beauty, be sure to contact our concrete levelers today!
Incomplete Soil Conditioning
In many cases, the long-lasting support of your subgrade will play the biggest role in keeping concrete in place. Earthwork crews need to have a working knowledge of the materials being used in construction to ensure that every soil is properly treated before placement. Your Texas home will have one of two (or both) materials beneath the foundation:
- Native soils, which consist of the materials available on the jobsite. Texas soils are unique in comparison to other parts of the country, which is why our personalized concrete leveling services are in such high demand!
- Imported soils, which often include clean fill materials from a nearby source. In many cases, the pit this dirt is sourced from will provide proctor results (refer to ASTM standards) to highlight the ideal levels of moisture and compaction.
Part of “reconditioning” your soil includes excavating down to the required depth and backfilling the space after changing the moisture content of the materials available. The soils on your property will have an optimal moisture content, allowing for a certain amount of variation on either the wet or dry side before things go south.
Expansion Problems
Expansive clays need to be conditioned before being used in construction, as the Houston area is comprised much of clayey soils that have a very high shrink-swell potential. This means that leaving your clay too dry (say, 14 percent moisture when the design spec calls for a minimum of 19 percent) can create a huge swell potential. When water is introduced, these clays will begin to expand, causing the concrete above to crack and heave. Upon losing this moisture, clay will begin to shrink and contract, causing the concrete to sink.
Our concrete-leveling pros can help you to find fast, affordable solutions for your sinking slab. Contact us today to learn more about the relationship between moisture and soil, and be sure to ask about our cement leveling services!
Insufficient Compaction
Soil is used in most construction projects, and is often required to undergo earth compaction techniques to ensure that the materials are cohesive and sturdy. Failing to properly compact your dirt will allow for more pore space, creating a number of concerns. Most construction applications will require your soil to be compacted to at least 95 percent of its maximum density. By compacting materials, your crew will help to reduce water infiltration, soil degradation, and more. Failure to put in enough compaction efforts may leave your materials soft and open to future compaction and settlement, leaving concrete unsupported and primed for failure.
While the soil that sits beneath your concrete may often feel out of sight and out of mind, it’s important to remember that this material can play an important role in the long-term durability of the surface on top. Even if your soils are treated properly, long-term degradation, erosion, and settlement can all play a part in impacting the quality of your slab.
Next time, we’ll continue on this topic by highlighting the factors inherently present in the environment that can affect the smoothness of your surfaces. Homeowners in need of concrete leveling in Houston can benefit from reaching out to Tilted Concrete Solutions for the best resolution for their unique problems. Our cement-leveling experts have the training and equipment needed to deliver long-lasting results that restore your slab to its near-original condition, saving you big on services such as driveway replacement. Call us today to learn more about our unique polyjacking blend, and be sure to ask for a quote for your property!
