Patio concrete that tilts, sinks, or cracks can be a headache for Alabama homeowners. Apart from the obvious maintenance and appearance problems, damaged patio slabs can also be a serious safety hazard, especially for kids, seniors, or anyone with vision or mobility issues. It’s also hard to enjoy your patio when it’s cracked or uneven.

Fortunately, there are affordable repair options available for property owners in Alabama that work faster and last longer than older patio leveling methods. We’ll cover a few basics on patio leveling here so you can make an informed decision about your individual situation.

What makes patio concrete sink and tilt?

Depending on the age and location of your home, the soil under your patio may not be native to your area. Sometimes, especially on multi-home development jobs, contractors truck in fill dirt from other locations. Unless this fill dirt is properly treated, compacted, and graded during construction, it may erode faster than surrounding soil. Over time this can create voids below your patio that leave parts of the concrete unsupported.

Even if your property sits on 100% native soil, the local mix of loam, clay, and other coastal plain components in Alabama can gradually erode and sink for a mix of common reasons:

1. Extreme weather conditions or seasonal temperature swings
2. Changes in moisture due to drought or excessive storm runoff
3. Poor site drainage that allows water to collect nearby
4. Unusual seismic or flooding events
5. Improper grading and compaction during construction

If these voids form for any reason, especially near a seam or expansion joint, your slab is vulnerable to collapse in that spot. This can happen by itself if the void is big enough, or it can be caused by excessive loads from heavy patio accessories or vehicles like a trailer or RV.

What can be done to repair a damaged patio slab?

In the past, a process called “mudjacking” was popular not only for leveling patios, but also for restoring other residential or commercial concrete surfaces.

• Driveways
• Garage floors
• Sidewalks
• Pool decks
• Parking areas
• Warehouse, pole barn, or storage area floors
• Supporting slabs for temporary outbuildings

Older mudjacking repairs used a common variety of concrete slurry that could be pumped into the voids and gradually force slabs back into position. This process was noisy, dirty, used a lot of heavy equipment, and could disrupt a homeowner’s life for days, weeks, or more waiting for the mixture to cure. Because of the large crew involved, mudjacking could also be expensive.

Modern technology has introduced a specially developed polyurethane foam that cures to full load-bearing capacity minutes after installation. A couple of technicians can quickly locate the problem area(s) under your slab, and by drilling small, precisely placed holes, inject the foam where it’s needed to gently lift the concrete back into “like new” alignment.

This process is economical, reliable, fast, non-invasive, and works on virtually any kind of residential or commercial concrete surface.

What should I do if my patio starts to crack or sink?

If you catch these issues early, restoration can often be simple and relatively inexpensive. The added benefit to early corrective action is that you can prevent additional and more costly damage before it happens. The best thing to do is to immediately reach out to a reliable patio leveling expert for an inspection and evaluation. The most reputable companies will do this for you free of charge and explain your restoration options without high pressure sales tactics.

SouthernDry is a family-owned business that specializes in all forms of concrete and foundation repair. We’re just large enough to have the resources you need for any restoration job, but small enough to give you the personalized service you won’t get from one of the “big box” companies. We pride ourselves on doing it right the first time, but in the unlikely event that any issues arise, you can rely on us to stick with you until the job is done to your satisfaction.