Polyurethane Foam And Foundation Crack Repair
Posted on: 10 June 2020
Cracks in the foundation are extremely common and occur most often as the concrete structure settles. Settling cracks are typically not serious, but they are prone to leaks and should be inspected and filled in as soon as they are noted. A basement waterproofing professional can make the fix for you and there are a few different options that you can pick from. Polyurethane repairs are one choice. Keep reading to learn about how this repair is done and why it is advantageous over other types of materials.
Benefits of Polyurethane
When you think of polyurethane foam, you probably think of the fast-expanding material used for insulation purposes. Well, the same type of polyurethane is used for the process of filling in foundation cracks. For this reason, you can see many of the same benefits as you would with the insulation. Specifically, the foam expands to fill in cracks completely to create a repair where other materials may leave gaps. Also, once cured, the foam is able to expand and contract a bit to ensure that the crack remains closed even as the weather changes.
Polyurethane foams cure quickly as well to ensure a complete repair in a matter of hours. Other materials may take days to cure, which may lengthen the repair time and may leave you from using your basement.
The material is also lightweight, helping the repair to stay strong against the effects of gravity. And, the new material can be added to older repairs and layered on top of fixes that have already been made.
How Is Polyurethane Foam Spread In Cracks
The polyurethane foam has a unique ability to expand into openings. However, the foam does need an access point to reach into the crack. For this reason, your foundation repair specialist will need to create a pilot opening along the middle or end of each crack. A small port is secured in the opening and then the foam is sprayed into the crack. Before the spraying can be completed, the foam is mixed since many products are a two-part compound.
As the foam is sprayed, the cracks are overfilled to allow the material to spill out of the opening. This ensures proper filling and the overflow is trimmed after the foam is left to cure. Curing usually only takes an hour or two, but your contractor may allow the material to sit overnight. He will return the next day to trim the foam and also inspect the cracks to see if any additional material is needed.
Looking for more basement foundation repair ideas? Talk to a local expert today.
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