Page 9 Fall Home Improvement 2026 Lincoln Daily News Though doing the job yourself may cost less than hiring a professional, the repair will likely not last long if the causes of these problems are not addressed. The Foundation Specialists say, “if the soil beneath your slab is still eroding or settling, any patch or overlay will eventually crack, crumble, and sink along with the original concrete.” In many situations, it is probably best to hire a professional. When dealing with a sunken driveway, uneven sidewalk, or settled patio, you have several repair options including polyurethane foam injection, mud jacking, and complete replacement. The Yard Guys Services (TYG), based in Lincoln, can help with both minor and major concrete issues. Owner Darrin Watkins says TYG repairs driveways, patios and sidewalks by using either polyurethane foam injection or concrete lifting in addition to completely replacing the concrete. To determine which of the methods is best, Watkins and other concrete specialists look at how far the concrete has sunken or how badly it is cracked. If the driveway, sidewalk or patio has settled less than two inches, polyurethane foam injection is a good method. In this method, lightweight foam injected through small holes lifts and stabilizes concrete in just hours. Steps for polyurethane foam injection include drilling small holes and injecting the foam through the holes. As the article, “Sunken Concrete Solutions: From DIY Fixes to Professional Techniques” says, “Upon injection, the liquid foam quickly expands and cures. This expansion fills any voids beneath the slab, compacts the loose soil, and gently lifts the concrete back to its original, level position.” When the slab is leveled, “injection holes are patched, leaving a clean, almost invisible repair.” Polyurethane is one of the quickest repair methods, but if the concrete has settled more than two inches, mudjacking is the better alternative. Mudjacking works only if the sinking is less than eight inches. Mudjacking is also known as slabjacking. Roger Cook of This Old House says, “this process involves pumping a grout mixture beneath the slab to lift it back to its original position.” Steps in the process include preparing the grout mixture and using a hydraulic pump to “inject the grout mixture through the core-drilled holes.” Finally, “as the grout is pumped beneath the slab, it fills voids and exerts upward pressure,” which lifts the sunken concrete. Cook calls mudjacking a “less invasive alternative to replacing the entire concrete structure.” The whole process can often be finished in one day. Other advantages of mudjacking are that it is much less costly than completely replacing the patio or driveway and it causes little damage to the area surrounding. Additionally, the repair should last many years if it is done well. Jack-A-Slab Construction, Inc., which does work around Lincoln and surrounding areas, specializes in mudjacking, concrete raising and slab leveling. Their website says, “their skilled team uses advanced techniques and industry-leading materials to lift and stabilize settled driveways, sidewalks, patios, steps, and
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