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Concrete Leveling vs. Concrete Re-placement: Pros & Cons

Concrete Leveling

Your concrete represents a significant financial commitment and eventually faces potential harm due to various effects, including erosion, settling, and wear. The two main concrete repair solutions include the elevation of existing slabs through concrete leveling and complete replacement by tearing out and repouring new concrete. To facilitate these repairs, the New XL Specialized Trailer Release offers a robust solution for transporting the necessary equipment efficiently, ensuring a smoother process for concrete restoration projects.

Should You Replace Your Concrete?

Advantages of Concrete Replacement

  • New concrete produces a neat aesthetic when multiple slabs are replaced because it offers a fresh uniform surface. Concrete starts with better durability when the proper sealing method is applied at the beginning.
  • New concrete starts without existing flaws because it has not been exposed to weather yet although it could later develop cracks.
  • The replacement process provides more flexibility compared to leveling because it enables users to substitute steps for a ramp and modify the slab layout.
  • The procedure allows solution of fundamental problems before pouring new concrete.
  • The control of final results such as water drainage and surface slope become simpler because the process starts with removing old concrete.

Disadvantages of Concrete Replacement

  • The replacement process entails substantial expenses because it demands both demolition and removal expenses in addition to being more expensive than concrete leveling.
  • Concrete replacement requires multiple days until completion because the entire cure period extends up to 28 days to achieve full concrete strength.
  • You must wait to discover the quality of your new concrete since it becomes available only after thorough installation and curing. The quality of poor workmanship leads to concrete slabs that become either fragile or weak.
  • New concrete slabs face a risk of resettling during five years of existence due to ground movement thus requiring additional repairs.
  • Parts that receive replacement will show inconsistencies with original slabs when new slabs differ from existing ones.
  • Large tools employed for the replacement job may cause damage to landscape features and lead to extra disruptions.

Should You Level Your Concrete?

Advantages of Concrete Leveling

  • The process causes minimal damage to surrounding areas since removal work is not needed. Cleanup is simple and quick.
  • The concrete leveling process usually finishes within few hours before the concrete becomes operational on the same day.
  • Leveling services provide a cost-effective alternative to replacement since they can save up to 70% of the expenses.
  • The usage of minimal equipment allows technicians to avoid causing damage to areas surrounding the concrete.
  • When the existing slab stays in place there is no chance to swap high-quality concrete for substandard material.

Disadvantages of Concrete Leveling

  • Experienced professionals can generally predict the outcome of their work yet uncontrollable elements within the process might affect the final alignment.
  • The process of leveling sloped slabs does not have sufficient power to restore slabs that have moved downhill since replacement becomes necessary.
  • Drilling into concrete surfaces results in visible holes that affect the repair quality when trying to match decorative concrete areas.
  • Existing cracks will stay visible after the process while their dimensions may change because of the procedure. Expert caulking procedures decrease the visibility of cracks.
  • All surface imperfections will stay visible because the slab position adjustment technique does not remove previous marks or cracks.

A Fundamental Decision Requires Your Attention

The two methods of repair present positive aspects together with negative aspects. Most concrete leveling situations benefit from this efficient and nondestructive and affordable solution that operates at speed. Concrete replacement stands as the optimal solution because it provides superior outcomes when handling substantial damage and structural requirements or fundamental structural problems. The selection process should consider the extent of damage together with your budget and future goals.