If you want to know how much driveway leveling costs, you’re in the right place! This article will explain what type of driveways can be leveled, how much it costs, the benefits of leveling, and more. Concrete driveways are usually separated into different slabs and divided by expansion joints. So you might notice one slab is lifted higher than another. This could affect walking, parking, and the general look of your home.
How Much Does Driveway Leveling Cost?
Driveway leveling in the Chicagoland area usually starts at around $1,500. Experts will then calculate the total cost based on how large your driveway is, how much of your concrete needs to be lifted, and how large the void is under your slab.
How Does Driveway Leveling Work?
Experts level driveways using a process called polyjacking. This is when a special polyurethane foam is pumped underneath your concrete until your driveway is lifted back to where it’s supposed to be. It’s important to note that polyjacking only works on concrete driveways. Unfortunately, asphalt, brick, paver, and gravel driveways cannot be lifted using polyjacking. Here’s how the process works.
- Dime-sized holes are drilled into your driveway.
- Polyurethane foam is injected into the holes under your concrete.
- Once your driveway is lifted and level with the rest of your concrete, experts stop pumping the foam.
- Once the foam hardens, you can use your driveway in just 15 minutes! That means you can immediately park your car over your concrete.
Why Is Your Driveway Sinking?
The main reason your driveway is sinking is because the soil under your concrete isn’t strong enough to support its weight anymore. This could be due to multiple factors.
- The soil is eroding – If your property is sloped toward your driveway, water could be washing the soil out from under your concrete. This can cause it to sink and become unlevel.
- The soil wasn’t appropriately compacted – This particular issue might date back before your driveway was even poured. Properly compacted soil prevents voids from forming in the dirt under your driveway. If your driveway installers skipped this process or didn’t do a very good job, your concrete might sink over time.
- The soil under your slab is expansive – Expansive soil shrinks and grows based on how much water saturates the dirt. The more it swells and shrinks, the more your driveway will become unlevel.
- The soil is filled with tree roots – If tree roots start infesting the soil underneath your driveway, they can cause loads of problems, including sinkage. If the roots absorb all the water in the soil, they can cause voids to form. If the roots begin to die, they can disintegrate and leave behind pockets, which will cause your driveway to sink.
Benefits Of Driveway Leveling
Driveway leveling comes with many benefits. Some of those include,
- Speed – Driveways leveled using polyjacking can be used just 15 minutes after the foam hardens.
- Clean – Driveway leveling using polyurethane foam requires minimal cleanup and no excavation.
- Lightweight – The foam used in polyjacking only weighs between 2.5 and 4 pounds per cubic foot, preventing it from increasing the pressure on your soil.
- Non-toxic – Polyurethane is inert, which means the foam won’t shift or crumble and leech chemicals into your soil.
- Cost-effective – Polyjacking levels your concrete and solves the underlying problem in the soil. The foam we use will fill the voids in the dirt and create a solid foundation. This prevents you from replacing the driveway or repeating the leveling process. We recommend also fixing any drainage issues that are allowing water to pour near your driveway, such as improperly placed downspouts and clogged gutters.
- Waterproof – Polyurethane foam is hydrophobic. This means the foam will harden and stay hard if water is present in the soil.
- Lasting – Polyjacked driveways stay level indefinitely.
Read more – How Much Does Concrete Leveling Cost?
Can You DIY Driveway Leveling
Unless you have access to polyurethane foam and injection pumps, it won’t be easy leveling your own driveway. Some articles talk about mixing portland cement and other natural materials together to create what’s known as a slurry. These articles don’t mention that this slurry is temporary and will wash away if it comes in contact with water. Overall, we do not recommend any form of DIY concrete leveling.
Who Offers Driveway Leveling Near Me?
If you have a concrete driveway that needs leveling in the Greater Chicago area, call The Real Seal. Since 2011, we’ve been lifting and leveling thousands of concrete driveways, sidewalks, slabs, patios, and more. Call today, and we’ll come out and inspect your concrete, find out how much lift is needed, what’s causing it to sink, and give you a free estimate. We also offer foundation repair, basement waterproofing, and more.
