Mudjacking vs Polyjacking: Cost and Method Compared

Mudjacking: how it works and what it costs

Mudjacking -- also called slabjacking -- pumps a cement-based slurry (sand, cement, and water, sometimes with additives) through 1-to-2-inch holes drilled in the slab. The slurry fills the void underneath and hydraulically lifts the concrete back toward level. At $3 to $9 per square foot it is the budget method, and on large, straightforward areas it is often the economical choice by a wide margin. The trade-offs are physical: the slurry is heavy -- roughly 100 pounds per cubic foot -- which can stress weak or saturated soils and invite future settlement. Cure time is 24 to 48 hours before heavy use. And the 2-inch holes need patching afterward, which is cosmetic work on a driveway but visible. The slurry can also erode if water keeps moving through the soil beneath it.

Polyjacking: how it works and what it costs

Polyjacking injects a two-part polyurethane foam that expands on contact, fills the void, and lifts the slab -- all through holes about the size of a penny (roughly 5/8 inch). At $5 to $15 per square foot, reaching $25 on complex jobs, it costs roughly double mudjacking per square foot. What the premium buys: the foam weighs about 2 to 4 pounds per cubic foot -- a tiny fraction of slurry weight -- so it does not stress weak soils. It cures in about 15 minutes, so most jobs are drive-on the same day. It resists water instead of eroding, and the penny-size holes patch nearly invisibly. The premium is real money, but so are the advantages -- particularly where water or weak soil is part of the problem.

Head-to-head: the honest comparison

Put side by side, the methods differ on five axes. Price: mudjacking $3 to $9 per square foot; foam $5 to $15 (to $25 complex) -- mudjacking wins on pure dollars. Hole size: 1 to 2 inches versus penny-size -- foam wins on cosmetics. Cure time: 24 to 48 hours versus about 15 minutes -- foam wins on speed. Weight: heavy slurry versus featherweight foam -- foam wins on weak or saturated soils. Water resistance: slurry can erode under persistent water flow; foam resists it -- foam wins where drainage is the cause. Longevity: both last when the underlying water issue is addressed; neither lasts when it is not. The table below compresses the comparison; the sections after it say when each method is the right call.

When mudjacking wins

Mudjacking is the right call in three situations. First, budget-first jobs on large areas: a big driveway or patio where the per-square-foot gap compounds into thousands -- mudjacking's $3-to-$9 band against foam's $5-to-$15 is the difference between a $1,500 job and a $3,000 one. Second, stable, dry soils where weight is not a concern and water is not the cause -- the slurry's weaknesses never come into play. Third, cosmetic tolerance: on plain concrete where patched 2-inch holes are acceptable, the hole-size advantage of foam is worth little. In these lanes mudjacking is not the cheap compromise -- it is the rational choice, and paying the foam premium would buy advantages the job does not need.

When foam wins

Foam earns its premium in four situations. First, water-driven settlement: where irrigation, drainage, or groundwater caused the void, foam's water resistance protects the lift in a way slurry cannot. Second, weak or saturated soils: the featherweight material does not add load to ground that is already struggling. Third, speed: same-day drive-on matters for commercial entries, shared driveways, and anyone who cannot park elsewhere for two days. Fourth, cosmetics: decorative, stamped, or exposed-aggregate concrete where 2-inch patched holes would scar the surface -- penny-size holes all but disappear. When two or more of these apply, the foam premium is money well spent; when none apply, it is money spent on nothing.

Mudjacking vs polyjacking compared (2026, informational ranges)

DIY vs. hiring a pro

Owner-done lanes: noting which method each bidder proposes and why, asking how they handle the water or soil cause behind the settlement, and checking whether patched hole size matters on your concrete finish -- the questions that separate a method recommendation from a method habit.

What drives the price up or down

• Method -- foam costs roughly double mudjacking
• Void depth -- deeper voids need more material
• Soil and water -- the cause behind the settlement
• Cosmetic finish -- stamped/decorative favors foam
• Access and scheduling -- same-day vs 48-hour cure
• OC market -- top half of every band

How to keep the cost down

• Ask each bidder WHY their method fits your soil and water situation
• Get hole size and cure time in writing with the price
• On decorative concrete, price the cosmetic difference explicitly
• Compare two quotes when the price beats the local average

Frequently asked questions

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