Garage Slab Repair

July 28, 2023 Sydney Eyster

Are you tired of looking at your cracked or uneven concrete garage slab? You may even have gaps between your walls and garage floor… Look no further because Baird Foundation Repair has the solutions for you! Although garages can be easily overlooked, they are an important part of our home because they play a crucial role: storing and protecting valuable belongings like our cars and vehicles.

Garage Slab Concrete Repair

If you have a modest-sized carport or a garage structure that is relatively small and or is not attached to the foundation of your home, then it is likely that experts would suggest a concrete repair solution to solve your problem. This is not always the case, but concrete repair is typically recommended for smaller concrete constructions and those detached from your home’s foundation.

Uneven or Cracked Concrete Garage Slab

When the soil underneath our concrete garage slab shrinks, settles, or erodes, it leaves an empty space or “void” underneath the slab, causing it to sink. This process often occurs unevenly, with one part of the slab sinking faster than another. Uneven sinking is especially troublesome because it adds stress which produces cracks in the concrete. To repair your sinking garage slab, Baird Foundation Repair can lift and level the concrete with our polyurethane foam injection solution: PolyLevel®.

PolyLevel® is a concrete leveling solution that is much less messy and much more durable than the traditional concrete leveling solution, mudjacking. To level and stabilize your garage slab, first our installation crews will drill small, pea-sized holes into the slab. Then, injection ports will be placed into the holes, so our high-density polyurethane foam, PolyLevel®, can be injected into the voids underneath the concrete. Once the voids are filled, all control joints and holes will be sealed, leaving your garage slab looking brand new. The best part is that – unlike mudjacking which has a much longer recovery period –your garage should be back in business in only 20 minutes after concrete leveling with our PolyLevel® solution.

Sometimes when part of the concrete garage slab has broken and began to sink into the voids, it does not require a full concrete leveling job. This is often the case when you catch cracks early before any of the damage is too severe or when your garage slab only displays thin, hairline cracks. If your garage slab is minorly cracked, then we would suggest our NexusPro solution to seal concrete cracks and joints.

NexusPro is our flexible and long-lasting silicone-based sealant that is super quick and easy to install! Our expert technicians first drill, smooth, and prepare the cracks with non-absorbent backer rod filler. Then, we apply NexusPro into the prepared cracks or control joints. Unlike other solutions, NexusPro only takes an hour to finish curing. Last but certainly not least, we detail the cracks with a thin layer of sand to give your garage slab a smooth and consistent finish.

Garage Slab Foundation Repair

If your garage or carport is a relatively large size and heavy structure, then it is likely that we would recommend foundation repair, especially if your garage is attached to your home and its foundation. Generally speaking, foundation repair is suited for large, heavy constructions and those attached to your home’s foundation.

Concrete Garage Slab Settlement

When the soil underneath your foundation fails to support the weight of the construction, the foundation will begin to settle which manifests as sinking, sagging, or cracking concrete. In some instances, you may also notice that the concrete slab is separating from the walls in your garage. This is because the slab is sinking downward away from the walls as the foundation settles.

push pier

Foundation settlement is serious and can cause future harm to your home. Luckily, we have an effective solution to lift your concrete garage slab to its original position! With our push pier system, we offer quick and efficient installation that poses minimal disruption to your property. First, we remove any necessary soil to access the foundation footing. Once exposed, we install a steel, heavy-duty bracket below the footing. Next, steel pier sections are hydraulically driven into the bracket until they reach the bedrock. Then, the steer piers transfer the weight of the garage slab onto the load bearing, stable soil. Finally, our skilled installation crews lift the concrete garage slab and securely elevate it back to its original, level position.

Street Creep Repair

If your expansion joints have been compressed or your garage floor is pulling away from the walls, then you may be burdened by street creep. This phenomenon occurs when the road expands out from the street and onto your property, pushing against your foundation and compressing your concrete.

Image of how street creep impacts your home

Street creep happens naturally with temperature changes as the concrete outside and around your home expands and contracts. During the winter when concrete shrinks, expansion joints expand and can fill with sand, gravel, or other materials. If the joints are filled with materials, then they cannot sufficiently contract and absorb the movement of the concrete when it gets warmer, creating a lot of pressure from the expanding concrete. But no need to worry because we have a solution that will keep street creep from damaging your garage slab and driveway for good.

CompressionGuard is an engineered, flexible expansion joint that can withstand even the most extreme temperature fluctuations. First, we cut and remove a section of your driveway at a safe distance from the street. Then, we insert CompressionGuard to protect your driveway and garage floors from the natural movement of concrete from the street. This is the most low-cost and environmentally friendly solution to street creep out there!