mud pump concrete slab in stock

Black-Jack Grout Pumps, Inc. offers more than 50 years of combined experience in Slabjacking, Mudjacking, Foundation Pier Repair, grout mixing, and grout pumping.

Through our experience and technical expertise within the grout pump and mortar pump industry, we offer the latest solutions in Grout Pumping, Mud Pumping, and Concrete Pumping across a large variety of applications.

From the most versatile grout pumping system on the world-wide market, “The Black-Jack Grout Pump,” to all the necessary training and advice to make your company successful in the industry, Black-Jack Grout Pumps, Inc. has the equipment, supplies, and training you need.

Mudjacking, also referred to as slabjacking, concrete raising or pressure grouting, is the process of raising concrete slabs by hydraulically pumping a grout mixture, usually sand based material infused with Portland cement, under the slab of concrete.

Mudjacking is typically less expensive than polyurethane foam concrete raising. While the process of mudjacking appears simple, it should only be completed by professionals so further damage does not occur.

The first step in the process requires the drilling of one to two inch (in) diameter holes, which are drilled directly into the concrete slab, after which the grout mixture is pumped in.

Mudjacking Material Options:Pond sand, fly ash, sandy loam, limestone, and top soil mixtures can be mixed with Portland cement for mudjacking material. Choosing a material will be based on cost and geographic availability. Material characteristics should include high compression strength and good material flow.

The Pumpmaster MJ-17 is a self-propelled grout pump designed for mudjacking/slabjacking, void fill and general pressure grouting applications. The MJ-17 features a hard-chrome long-life material cylinder, Subaru key start gasoline engine, 6 cu ft. material hopper, open throat manifold system and plunger-type piston, pivoting front axle, construction grade remote, joystick operated self-propulsion and the Airplaco exclusive hydraulic flow control valve.

Built from over 60 years of manufacturing experience and on-the-job mudjacking experience, the Airplaco PumpMaster MJ-17 is one of the most durable pumps available in the industry and is backed by superior customer service. Airplaco offers the PumpMaster MJ-17 slabjack / mudjack pump as part of an all-in-one trailer–for details call 630-766-3498

Concerned about your loved ones tripping on your uneven sidewalk, patio, or pool deck? Replacement may not be necessary. Keystone Gun-Krete, LLC can use their slabjacking equipment to raise or lift your concrete back up without the mess and cost of replacement. Small holes are drilled through the slab allowing us to insert our slab jacking foam below the slab to raise the concrete back to its original location.

In most applications, we use our polyurethane foam concrete raising equipment to complete the concrete leveling, which establishes a firm foundation below the slab preventing future settling. The concrete lifting foam provides a more permanent solution than typical mudjacking at a competitive price. Most customers find that slab jacking costs are 1/3 of the price of replacement depending on the project. Get your free estimate today by calling (717) 768-3641.

Historically, mudjacking or slabjacking has been about half the cost of replacement. Repair options have been chosen more frequently due to the lower cost.

Because we raise the existing concrete, we do not have to tear out the old concrete, takel it away, grade the area, set the forms, lay any wire mesh, pour or finish, wait for the concrete to cure, tear off forms and replace landscaping. We are done in just a fraction of the time. Usage of the area is only interrupted for a very short period of time.

There are a few factors that could cause a sidewalk to need repairs. Rain can wash away the dirt underneath the concrete sidewalk slabs, causing them to sink or settle. In dryer months, the soil can dry out and shrink. This can cause concrete to crack and potentially become a trip hazard.

Tri-State Concrete Services Inc has helped countless business and homeowners by lifting their sunken sidewalk slab, repaired their cracked driveway, and, ultimately, restored their curb appeal and safety around their home. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation inspection. 717-880-5636

Most people assume that if they have dropped concrete slabs, they have no choice but to replace the entire slab.  Unlike cracks, which may be able to be repaired, most people assume that if an entire concrete slab has dropped, then the entire slab needs to be replaced; a very expensive proposition.

However, there is a procedure for repairing dropped concrete slabs called “mudjacking” (some people spell it “mud jacking” – same thing!). Mudjacking for concrete slab repair is definitely one of the expense-efficient approaches to effectively raise and level up concrete sidewalks, floors, pool areas and more back again once more to their original height or grade. This can be done for homes, commercial or industrial locations alike, and can be a significant cost savings if done correctly.

So what exactly is mudjacking? Also referred to as “slabjacking”, mudjacking is a specialty concrete repair technology. In essence, it attempts to lift a sunken concrete slab by pumping a grout through the concrete, effectively pushing it up from below.  More specifically, this distinct process is composed of drilling holes through the skewed cement slab in order to raise it. With pressure, the grout is then pumped through the access holes in order to raise the submerged slab. The holes are then patched with a quick setting cement.

This process, however, should be left to concrete repair professionals. Done correctly, this process is extremely effective in addressing the issue and repairing the problem. Done incorrectly, the process could cause further damage. Look for a company with a proven track record that can non-invasively fix the problem that has occurred over time.

Dropped concrete slabs are not only a cosmetic issue, but can be a safety hazard as well. If homeowners or businesses have a situation where their concrete slabs have dropped, it’s imperative to address the cause and lift the concrete back to an acceptable height. To learn more about mudjacking for a dropped concrete slab, do your research and find a company with experience in this repair process. The end result will save you a significant amount of money over replacing the entire slab.

If your concrete is sinking, there is a very good possibility that the concrete slab was installed on poorly compacted fill dirt. Sub-surface erosion and shrinking soils are also possibilities.

If you are fortunate enough to have a slabjacker in your area, you should not have to replace the concrete. These contractors can lift a slab back to its original level by pumping a grout mixture or foam beneath your slab. This process of concrete raising is also sometimes called mud jacking.

They simply drill strategically placed holes into the settled slabs. Using a portable pump and flexible hoses, they fill these holes with the special mixture. Lifting a slab using this method can often be accomplished in a few hours.

Soils consist of solid particles and the spaces (voids) between these particles. However, void spaces in soil can cause big problems for buildings and concrete slabs. Concentrated loads, such as buildings or slabs can literally squeeze air and water from soils.

Sunken concrete slabs can be avoided. Instead of installing fill dirt, a builder should install granular fill such as sand or a sand and gravel mix. These materials can be compacted quite easily with a hand held vibratory compactor.

No loss of use: Traditional mudjacking allows the client to use the slab immediately. If the slab is replaced the concrete has to cure for a minimum of 28 days.

A grout mixture is pumped under the slab with our specialized equipment. Once any void is filled, the grout becomes pressurized, hydraulically raising the slab to the desired height.

Next, a grout mixture is pumped under low pressure (about 10 PSI) under the slab using a 2-inch hose with a nozzle that fits into the holes. Once any cavities or voids are filled, the grout becomes pressurized, hydraulically raising the slab to the desired height. The grout is typically comprised of water, Portland cement, Bentonite or flyash and sand. Additives are used to prevent shrinkage.

The number of drill-holes needed depends on the size of the slab. A smaller slab, such as a sidewalk slab no more than four feet on a side, may only require pumping grout through one or two holes in the middle of the slab.

Larger slabs may need three holes, arranged in a triangular pattern. Spacing, roughly related to slab thickness, determines the total number of holes. The thicker the slab, the farther apart you can drill the holes.

In most operations, the holes are drilled three to eight feet apart, but no closer than 1 foot from the edge of the slab. Unless there"s a reason not to, holes should be drilled at distances approximately equal from each other.

Pumping the grout should begin at the lowest point of the slab, on most jobs. At the areas in which the grout will do the most lifting, a heavier grout is used. The operator moves from hole to hole as the slab rises about inch to inch. He then moves back and repeats the process.

Additional holes may have been drilled as "support" holes, to be filled in order to support the slab as it rises. These holes usually are filled with a less dense, more fluid grout, so it flows easily into the smaller voids.

This is the final step in the slabjacking process. First, any remaining grout in the drilled holes is removed. The holes are then filled with a stiff mortar mix, striking the surface off cleanly.

Remember that patched holes are often the most noticeable feature of a lifted slab, but they can be made less noticeable by drilling cores instead of holes, coding the cores, and gluing then back into the same holes after slabjacking. However, this process is much slower, and thus more expensive.

Make sure to keep all equipment in good working order and regularly maintained. Equipment failure during the slabjacking operation can result in project complications.

Grout mixers are often the weak link in the operation, causing a great deal of maintenance problems and downtime. They are most often high-speed colloidal shear mixers or the equivalent, being capable of producing a consistent and homogeneous mixture free of lumps. Smaller jobs may require only a mortar mixer to adequately mix the grout. The mixer should have at least a 7-cubic foot capacity with about 10 horsepower engines, and be built to withstand heavy use. The consistency of the grout has to permit a consistent flow of material under the slab to ensure spread of the grout and even lift.

Grout pumps are typically either positive displacement hydraulic piston pumps; air-operated, double diaphragm pumps; or hydraulically operated progressive cavity pumps. The output of single-cylinder hydraulic piston pumps is up to 110 cubic feet per hour, and a 180 cubic feet per hour output from dual-cylinder models. Which ever pump is chosen for the job, it should be capable of delivering variable pressures from 1 to 100PSI, and be able to deliver the grout in a uniform and consistent manner. The pump should also be able to deliver a minimum 60 GPM. The pump control is placed at the injection nozzle.

Slabjacking units are available that are a combination of a paddle-type mixer and a piston pump. However, these higher-end, high-output units are usually most suitable for high production jobs, such as highway construction, where they can pump several cubic yards of grout per hour at line pressures up to 600 psi.

A Rock drill or Coring machine that prevents excessive dust and breakout at the bottom of the slab is typically needed. The drill bit should have four points, and maintained to ensure that the holes are not " out-of-round". A gas-powered rotary percussion drill with a 2- or 2 -inch diameter bit is a common tool for this application.

The Grout used in slabjacking is a mixture of water, Portland cement, and some combination of limestone dust, fly ash or sand as well as additives. The consistency has to be of a homogeneous paste with sufficient slump to ensure that all voids are filled to prevent undue stress on the slab. The comprehensive strength needs to be 5 Mpa minimum.

Solution: Usually a problem with technique: pumping too much grout into one hole, using grout that is too stiff, or pumping holes in the wrong sequence. Rule of thumb: don"t lift a slab more tha an inch while pumping at one hole.

Solution: Grout may be flowing beneath an adjoining slab, use a thicker grout. You can also relieve binding by chipping concrete the edge of the slab, sawing a relief slot all the way through the slab, make sure joints and cracks are clean before starting to pump grout.

Your driveway, sidewalk, patio, and front porch provide an important first impression to guests and potential buyers. If your concrete has unsightly and potentially hazardous cracks, your home’s value will suffer. The easiest way to return your property’s ‘curb appeal’ is to level out those uneven surfaces and return your concrete to its original state. Mudjacking is the old-school solution for raising sunken concrete that you might have grown up hearing about from your parents (or grandparents). At TerraFirma, we level your concrete with modern techniques and materials, like polyurethane foam.

Before we talk about concrete lifting and leveling, let’s take a few moments to understand why concrete slabs sink in the first place. Concrete is strong, durable stuff, but it’s only as stable as the soil beneath it. Over time, soil can compact or even wash away due to factors including rain, drought, or poorly compacted backfill soil from before the concrete was originally poured.

When the soil beneath your concrete compacts or washes out, it leaves voids into which a heavy concrete slab will sink. These voids need to be filled to raise the sunken slabs back to level and provide ongoing support. It’s at this point that homeowners are faced with the choice of which method to use to fix the issue: Mudjacking or polyurethane foam injection.

At first glance, mudjacking seems like a common-sense approach. After all, if the soil has compacted or washed away underneath your concrete, doesn’t it make sense to simply replace that soil (or more accurately, a soil-like slurry of mud and/or cement) — under your slabs to replace it? It’s not a bad idea in theory, but in practice, it has several drawbacks.

In addition to being dirty, mud is, by definition, wet because it contains a lot of water. It’s what allows mudjacking contractors to pump it under your concrete slabs. But, just as with regular mud, when it dries, it shrinks as space once occupied by water becomes empty. This means that your slabs could sink back down again, sending you right back to square one. But that’s not all. What happens to dried dirt when it gets wet again? It turns right back into the mud. Unless your concrete’s joints and cracks are perfectly sealed, water can run underneath, turning that dry material right back to mud that can wash out, once again leaving you with voids into which your concrete can settle.

And, mudjacking slurry is messy when it shoots out from beneath the slab under pressure. Will you trust your contractor to clean up all the spattered mud when they’re done? Many don’t.

The second main drawback is how mudjacked concrete looks. To pump the Mudjacking slurry underneath your concrete, the contractor will have to drill a series of large ports into your slabs. These need to be wide enough — at least 2” in diameter in most cases — so they don’t restrict the flow of the material. When the job is done, these ports are filled in. It is virtually impossible to match this fill material with your original concrete. So, you end up with a driveway or patio with strange polka-dots. Improving your home’s appearance was one of the reasons you decided to repair your concrete in the first place, right?

The main problem with Mudjacking is that it doesn’t address the reason your concrete settled in the first place – Poorly compacted soil compressing, causes heavy concrete slabs to sink. What happens when thousands of pounds of Mudjacking slurry is pumped underneath already heavy concrete slabs? You’ve just compounded the problem by adding more weight on top of unstable soil. This can cause your driveway, patio or pool deck to sink even more!

At TerraFirma, we have a lot of experience with concrete lifting and leveling. For all the reasons listed above, we just knew there had to be a better way. It turns out there is, and the answer isn’t mud, it’s foam. Polyurethane foam, to be exact. You may have heard it referred to as polyjacking or foam jacking, or polyurethane concrete lifting.

Polyurethane is a lightweight, strong, high-density foam. It’s pumped beneath concrete slabs through tiny ports about the size of a penny. Initially, polyurethane flows like water, filling even the smallest cracks and crevices in the soil. It quickly expands and hardens, lifting the concrete slabs above it and compressing the soil around it at the same time. polyurethane is waterproof, so it will never wash out, and it won’t degrade over time due to temperature extremes. Best of all, polyurethane cures quickly, allowing your concrete to be used the same day.

Concrete lifting with polyurethane expanding foam not only raises concrete slabs but also compacts the soil around it, creating a stable environment that will ensure that your driveway, patio, or pool deck remains level into the foreseeable future. It is environmentally friendly because it doesn’t degrade over time or leach harmful chemicals into the surrounding soils.

The bottom line is, when you consider Mudjacking vs. polyurethane, there is no comparison — even when it comes to price. Mudjacking your concrete slabs once may cost less initially but can cause your concrete to sink and settle again over time, meaning you will likely have to pay repeatedly to re-lift it. Financially, and for your peace-of-mind, it pays to have it done once and never have to think about it again.

Mudjacking is messy, rough-looking, and may actually make the problem worse. Concrete lifting with polyurethane foam is clean, looks great, and addresses the underlying issues that caused your concrete to sink in the first place.