How Polyjacking (Slab Jacking) Restores Uneven Foundations Quickly

You’ve noticed parts of your slab are tilting or sinking, and you’re wondering what to do about it. It’s confusing . . . you’ve seen some ads talk about “polyjacking” or “slab jacking” as an amazing fix, and you’re wondering if it actually works and how or if it’s any better than other foundation repair methods.

At Anchor Foundation Repair, we’ve seen many homes in the Brazos Valley since 1985 with uneven slabs and foundation issues, and we understand how different repairs operate and perform over time. We’re not here to hype a quick fix; we’re here to help you figure out what works, what doesn’t, and why. We don’t do polyjacking ourselves, but see its merits and have considered adding it to our services (and may someday do so).

In this article, you’ll learn more about what polyjacking (aka slab jacking) really is, delve into the upsides and downsides, and consider whether it’s a solution that might meet your needs to address your home’s foundation problems.

What Is Polyjacking and How Does It Actually Work?

When a slab (driveway, patio, garage floor, or even a foundation) sinks or tilts, the way to address the issue is to lift it back up with some type of foundation repair. Polyjacking (sometimes called slab jacking, polyfoam injection, or poly-leveling) is one method that’s available to homeowners.

Here’s how it works in simple terms:

• Small holes (½ inch to ~⅝ inch) are drilled into the slab.
• A high-density polyurethane foam is injected under the slab through the holes. The foam expands within the empty space and pushes against the soil beneath, which lifts the slab back toward level.
• Once the slab is raised to the desired elevation, the holes are patched with concrete.
• Since the process is relatively fast and less disruptive than major excavation, you can begin using the surface again without much downtime.

For example, if your patio or driveway is uneven, polyjacking is great for bringing it back up. But just because it works well for flatwork and can theoretically be used under foundation slabs too, doesn’t always mean it’s the right fix for a home built on expansive Texas soil.

What’s the Upside – Why Do People Choose Polyjacking?

Polyjacking appeals to homeowners for a few good reasons. It offers speed, simplicity, and affordability—all things that sound great when you’re staring at a sinking slab and big money repairs. Compared with more traditional slab foundation repair methods, polyjacking feels like the easy button: no huge crews, no torn-up interior, and minimal downtime.

Here are the key benefits that draw homeowners toward polyjacking:

• Quick turnaround: Since the holes are small and the foam lifts fast, the job can often be completed in a day (for flatwork), and the area becomes usable quickly.
• Minimal mess and disruption: Compared with tearing out concrete or doing deep pier work inside your home, you’re drilling small holes rather than ripping up large slabs or doing massive excavation.
• Lower upfront cost: For many smaller uneven slab issues (driveways, patios, sidewalks), polyjacking tends to cost less than more involved foundation repair or full concrete replacement.
• Good for flatwork and lighter applications: Driveways, sidewalks, patios, pool decks, and in some cases, lighter interior slabs are good candidates for polyjacking.

In many cases, if your concrete problem is relatively modest (just a few exterior panels, no major cracking or structural issues), polyjacking gives you a fast lift and gets things back to usable condition with less hassle.

What’s the Downside – What Problems Come With Polyjacking?

Before you decide, it’s important to understand the limitations and risks of polyjacking. While the process might sound like a miracle lift, the results depend heavily on soil type and underlying conditions. 

In expansive clay soils common in Texas, that’s where things get tricky. Even though polyjacking can make your concrete or slab feel level again, it doesn’t always solve the deeper issue that caused it to sink in the first place.

Here are some of the common drawbacks to watch out for:

• Shallow fix / direct-soil only: Polyjacking typically addresses the space immediately beneath the slab and lifts it back up, but it doesn’t reach deep down to stabilize problematic soils or address broader foundation settlement causes.
• Doesn’t stop future soil movement: If your home sits on expansive clay (which swells when wet and shrinks when dry), or you have ongoing soil shifting, the lift may hold for a while—but the root cause remains, and the slab may drift again.
• Less proven longevity in certain soils: While the foam itself may last, its effectiveness depends on what’s under it. If voids remain, or erosion and undermining continues, the slab may settle again.
• Not always best for full home foundations: For foundation settlement (especially under a slab-on-grade foundation home), where loads are higher and soil movement more aggressive, polyjacking may act more like a band-aid than a full solution.
• Costs can rise for large jobs: Although polyjacking may be cheaper for small projects, the material cost (foam) can add up quickly for larger slabs, sometimes making it comparable to more substantial repair methods.

So while the upside is attractive—fast, less invasive, and lower cost—the downside is that you may be leaving key issues unaddressed. Over time, that can lead to more settling and more expense later.

What Foundation Situations Are Appropriate for Polyjacking?

A polyjacking contractor might tell you this method works for any sunken concrete slab—driveways, patios, even full home foundations. But that’s coming from someone trying to sell you their service, so take it with a grain of foam.

Not every foundation problem is a good match for polyjacking, but sometimes it’s exactly the right call. We’ve recommended it to homeowners before when it truly meets their needs. We think it’s great when it fits, and we’re happy to send folks elsewhere if another method makes more sense.

Polyjacking can work well for home foundations with interior settlement issues—when the middle of the home’s slab sinks instead of the edges. This type of issue is less common, but in some cases, polyjacking can be a viable repair option.

We often suggest polyjacking when homeowners are dealing with interior settlement and are worried about the cost or disruption of deeper repair methods. Correcting interior areas with piers or pilings usually means opening floors, moving out, and higher costs.

When that feels overwhelming, polyjacking can be a faster, easier, and less invasive way to get relief. It’s not a forever fix, but for some homeowners with interior settlement, it’s a practical short-term option that restores comfort without major upheaval and expense.

Is Polyjacking a True Foundation Solution or Just a Band-Aid?

Here’s the bottom line: polyjacking can restore uneven slabs quickly, and in the right situation, it serves as a solid solution in the short term. But for many homeowners (especially on Texas soil), it’s more of a temporary fix than a long-term guarantee.

If your issue is largely surface-level (just a few sunken exterior panels, good concrete condition, minimal structural load, soils relatively stable), then yes—it may very well be a true solution and get you back to level, usable concrete quickly for things like sidewalks and driveways.

But if the problem stems from deeper foundation issues, like shifting expansive soils, plumbing leaks under the slab, or significant loads (with a full-home slab), then polyjacking alone does not address the root cause of the foundation issues. In those cases, it functions more like a band-aid: it lifts the slab, makes things look better and work again for now . . . but you still have underlying movement that may continue.

The trouble with polyjacking is that it doesn’t move your foundation base deeper into stable, non-reactive soil. Regular foundation repair methods are designed to reach those deeper layers, reducing how much your home moves with changing soil conditions going forward.

Polyjacking, on the other hand, only fills shallow gaps and lifts the slab back up. Your home still rests on those same expansive Texas clay soils that swell and shrink with rainfall and drought. In short, it makes things look better on the surface without addressing what’s happening underneath.

At Anchor Foundation Repair, we believe in helping homeowners understand when polyjacking fits and when it doesn’t. In many Texas homes, particularly when soils or foundations are challenged, a deeper repair (our drilled piers, or some form of pressed pilings, etc.) is the more robust choice.

What Other Options Are Available to Handle Interior Settlement?

Now you know what polyjacking (or slab jacking) really is, how it works, what the upsides are, what to watch out for, and whether it’s a true solution or more of a short-term patch.

At Anchor Foundation Repair, we’ve been helping Brazos Valley homeowners for decades. We want you to make an informed decision that matches the age, soil, foundation type, and condition of your home—and we’re ready to help with honest recommendations.

Curious about deeper, longer-lasting foundation repair options for Texas soil? Check out our article “What Are the Foundation Repair Alternatives to Interior Piers?” on our blog to keep learning and move toward the right, longer-term repairs you’re looking for.