Pool Deck Lift and Level, Bolton, MA

Friday, July 7th, 2023 by Niles Erickson

Challenge

Pool patios are designed to be a safe place to walk for friends and family during the summer. For this home in Bolton, MA, unfortunately their concrete pool deck had become uneven and cracked, and developed an unsightly trip hazard. For years, their patio was in good shape and they had no concerns. However, after a garden project near the edge of one side of the patio, a project that involved some excavation and digging, a large void began to form beneath the slab. This allowed water to flow through and into the soil, washing it away even more. As the void grew and soils shifted, the concrete had less support, and eventually it settled, creating cracks and a sloping effect.

Our design specialist, Tom Armano, tested and inspected the slab and the soils around it, ultimately determining the concrete had settled up to 4 inches at it worst point. Through Tom's conversations with the homeowners, the last thing they wanted to do was completely replace the concrete patio. Their concerns were;

demolishing the existing concrete would be a messy process
tearing out and replacing would be expensive
new concrete would not match the color and texture of the remaining, existing patio
water would flow beneath a new slab and cause a similar settlement problem in the future

These were all valid concerns, and Tom was able to design and propose an alternative solution for them, one which would not require removal of any concrete.

Solution

To avoid having to demolish any of the settled and cracked concrete, Tom proposed PolyLevel to lift and level the sunken slab. PolyLevel is a polymer foam product, and as the material is injected beneath the concrete and into the voids, the concrete lifts back up in a controlled manner. The goals of the project were;

lift and level the sunken concrete
stabilize the concrete (prevent wobbling or uneven surfaces)
protect against future settlement
seal cracks, holes, and joints in the patio surface

As mentioned, the concrete pool deck had settled up to 4 inches. The crew, Tyler and Kris, began their work in this location, and started by setting up several slab jack devices. The jacks allowed them to lift the sunken slab up to the desired, level position (within an 1/8 of an inch). Since they were only lifting one side of the slab, the jacks were used to help avoid any unwanted new cracks from forming while PolyLevel was injected. Once the jacks were in place and the edge of the slabs lifted, PolyLevel was injected into port holes which were pre-drilled. The foam expanded quickly and completely filled the exposed voids. The added benefit of PolyLevel, is that it cures within minutes, and so the concrete was instantly stabilized.

With the sunken concrete lifted, the next phase of the repairs involved stabilizing and protecting. What Tom pointed out to the homeowners, was while the concrete had visibly settled badly in one section, the potential for similar voids and settlement to occur in other areas was also high. With this in mind, the crew proceeded to inject PolyLevel through port holes throughout the entire patio. This ensured ALL voids were filled, even if lifting was not required.

One of the main culprits to settlement in any patio is water. As rain water flows over and beneath the slabs, it gradually erodes away the soil beneath them. To help protect the concrete and soil against this flowing water, Tyler and Kris then sealed all the joints, cracks, and port holes with NexusPro. This silicone based caulking is specficially designed for outdoor, concrete applications, and is guaranteed to stand up to the elements throughout the hot summers and cold winters. With all these areas of the concrete properly sealed, water will now flow off the concrete to the edges, rather than beneath it and into the stabilizing soils.

All goals for the project were completed in just a single day, and the homeowners were thrilled with the results. Not only was the sunken section of concrete raised back to a level position, but they also have the peace of mind knowing the pool deck is protected against future settlement concerns as well.