Fill the Void Before the Concrete Falls, Foam Injection Stops Settlement at the Source
Voids beneath concrete slabs cause collapse and cracking. Polyurethane foam injection fills those voids completely without excavation, preventing future settlement before it occurs.
On cost: $300 to $2,500+ for most residential and light commercial applications depending on void volume
Overview
Foam Injection for Concrete Voids
Foam injection for concrete void filling is a targeted, preventive application of polyurethane foam used to fill sub-slab voids before they cause visible settlement or slab failure. While polyjacking uses foam to actively lift an already-settled slab, void-filling foam injection is used where ground-penetrating radar or hollow-tap surveys have located a void beneath a slab that is still at grade. By filling the void while the slab is still level, we prevent the sudden drop that occurs when remaining support fails. This application is common beneath garage floors, interior concrete slabs, warehouse floors, and any flatwork area where a hollow sound is detected during inspection. The injection process is nearly identical to polyjacking: small holes are drilled through the slab, foam is injected to fill the void, and holes are patched. Because the slab is not being raised, the process requires precise foam volume control to fill the void without over-lifting.
Sub-slab voids are located through a combination of hollow-tap survey (walking the slab and listening for the change in sound from solid to hollow) and visual inspection for hairline cracks, surface depressions, or settlement indicators at joints. Once void locations and approximate extent are mapped, 5/8-inch holes are drilled through the slab at intervals across the suspected void. A foam gun is inserted and a controlled shot of two-component polyurethane foam is injected. The foam expands from liquid to fill the void space and cures into a rigid cellular structure that provides continuous support across the previously unsupported area. Because the slab is already at grade, injection continues only until the void is filled, not until lift is detected. Drill holes are patched and the surface is ready for use immediately after the foam cures, typically within 15 to 30 minutes.
Wondering if this is the right fix for what you are seeing? Learn more about the warning signs: Cracked Concrete Driveways and Patios and Cracking or Failed Expansion Joints . Or browse the full Problem Signs library for concrete repair.
Installation Process
How we install foam injection for concrete voids
Void Detection Survey
The slab is walked in a grid pattern while tapping the surface to identify hollow-sounding areas that indicate voids beneath. Areas of concern are marked and, where needed, a ground-penetrating radar scan or probe confirms void depth and extent.
Injection Point Planning
Based on the void map, injection holes are planned at intervals that will allow foam to reach all portions of the void from each port location. Larger voids require more injection points to ensure complete fill coverage without under-filling far edges.
Core Drilling
5/8-inch holes are drilled through the concrete slab at the planned injection points. Drilling is controlled to penetrate only through the slab without displacing remaining sub-base material that is still intact.
Controlled Foam Injection
Foam is injected in measured quantities at each hole. Because the goal is void filling rather than slab lifting, the technician monitors for resistance indicating the void is full and stops injection to avoid over-pressuring the slab and causing unwanted lift. Ports are worked in sequence to ensure foam coverage reaches all areas of the void.
Cure Verification and Port Patching
After a brief cure period, the area is re-tapped to confirm the previously hollow zone now registers as solid. Drill holes are cleaned and filled with concrete caulk. The surface is ready for normal use immediately.
Void filling is the most underutilized concrete repair service we offer. Most homeowners don't think about it until the slab has already dropped. If we catch the void first, the repair is simpler, cheaper, and the slab stays level. A hollow tap test during any concrete inspection costs nothing and can save thousands.
Why Ground Up
The difference is in the diagnosis
Get several quotes and you'll see a wide range of prices. The gap isn't luck. It's whether the contractor finds the actual cause and stands behind the work.
- In-house certified crews: we never subcontract your repair
- Optional independent third-party engineer review on larger jobs
- Honest three-tier triage: we tell you what can wait, in writing
- Family owned from the same Shelbyville Highway address since 2009
FAQ
Foam Injection for Concrete Voids questions
The most reliable field indicator is a hollow sound when tapping the slab surface, solid, well-supported concrete sounds different from concrete spanning a void. Other indicators include hairline cracks at the slab surface, small depressions or dips in the surface, and joints that feel springy or flex slightly under foot traffic. Our technicians conduct a void detection survey as part of any concrete repair inspection.
A concrete slab spanning a void is unsupported across that area and is acting as a bridge. Under normal loading, vehicle weight on a driveway, foot traffic, or floor loads, the slab will eventually flex and crack, then drop into the void suddenly. Filling the void while the slab is still level prevents that failure mode entirely and avoids the more expensive repair of a post-failure settlement.
Polyurethane foam used for void filling is waterproof and does not degrade in soil. Once cured, it provides continuous support to the underside of the slab indefinitely. If the mechanism that created the original void, such as ongoing soil erosion from a water source, is not corrected, new voids can form adjacent to the filled area. We address contributing drainage or erosion issues as part of a complete repair recommendation.
Yes. Foam injection is well-suited to interior slabs where excavation is impractical: basement floors, ground-level interior slabs, commercial warehouse floors, and factory floors. The small drill holes are patched and the surface is ready for use the same day. There is no need to remove floor coverings in most cases beyond the immediate injection area.
Cost is determined by the volume of foam required to fill the void, which depends on the void's size and depth. We provide a quote after the on-site void detection survey. In most cases, foam void filling is significantly less expensive than alternative approaches such as slab replacement or conventional underfilling with grout or slurry.
More Solutions
Other solutions we offer
Polyurethane Foam Concrete Lifting (Polyjacking)
Polyurethane foam concrete lifting (also called polyjacking or foam jacking) is the modern replacement for traditional mudjacking. Where mudjacking injects a heavy cement-sand slurry that adds weight and can wash out over time, this method uses a two-component polyurethane foam that is injected as a liquid, expands to fill the void completely, and cures into a rigid, waterproof cellular structure that permanently supports the slab from beneath. At Ground Up Foundation Repair, we use polyurethane foam lifting for driveways, sidewalks, pool decks, patios, garage floors, and interior concrete slabs that have settled due to soil voids, erosion, or inadequate compaction. The foam is injected through 5/8-inch holes drilled through the slab at strategic locations. Once injected, the foam reaches working expansion within seconds and lifts the slab to the target level within minutes. Injection ports are patched with concrete caulk and the surface is ready for use immediately, no cure time required. Polyurethane foam is waterproof, does not wash out, does not add meaningful structural load, and does not compress further under normal loading conditions.
Concrete Joint Sealing
Concrete joint sealing is the process of filling and sealing the planned control joints, expansion joints, and construction joints in concrete flatwork to prevent water, debris, and vegetation from entering beneath the slab. Every concrete driveway, patio, and sidewalk has joints, either cut into the slab at installation to control cracking, or formed between pours on different days. These joints are intentional features of the slab, but they must be maintained. When joint sealant deteriorates, cracks, or was never installed in the first place, the open joint becomes a direct pathway for water to enter and erode the soil beneath the concrete. In Middle Tennessee, with roughly 47 inches of annual rainfall and expansive red clay soils that are easily destabilized by water, open concrete joints are one of the primary drivers of the slab settlement and cracking that Ground Up is called to repair. Sealing joints proactively, or resealing them when deteriorated, is the most cost-effective maintenance a homeowner can perform to extend the life of their concrete.
Mudjacking (Cement Slurry Lifting)
Mudjacking, also called slabjacking or pressure grouting, is the traditional method of lifting settled concrete slabs. It works by pumping a slurry mixture of water, soil, and cement beneath the slab through holes drilled in the concrete. As the slurry fills voids and builds pressure, it lifts the slab. Mudjacking has been used for concrete lifting since the 1930s and is widely available across the country. However, it has significant limitations compared to modern polyurethane foam lifting methods. Ground Up Foundation Repair primarily uses polyurethane foam lifting for concrete lifting in Middle Tennessee because of its superior weight-to-strength ratio, faster cure time, and longer-term stability. We explain mudjacking honestly so homeowners can make informed decisions about their concrete repair options.
NexusPro Concrete Crack Sealing
NexusPro is a professional-grade, flexible polyurethane joint and crack sealant engineered for concrete flatwork. Unlike rigid fillers and hardware-store caulks that crack and debond with the first seasonal freeze-thaw or thermal expansion cycle, NexusPro remains elastic after curing, it flexes with the concrete rather than fighting it. This flexibility is especially valuable in Middle Tennessee's climate, where concrete surfaces experience wide temperature swings between winter freezes and summer heat, and where red clay soil movement causes slabs to shift slightly across every wet and dry season. NexusPro is also UV-resistant, meaning it does not degrade, yellow, or become brittle from sun exposure, a critical property for outdoor applications in Tennessee's sunny summers. Ground Up uses NexusPro to seal control joints, expansion joints, random cracks, and the joints between adjacent slabs on driveways, patios, pool decks, sidewalks, and garage floors.
Polyurethane Foam Concrete Lifting
This polyurethane foam is a two-component, high-density system used to lift and stabilize sunken concrete slabs. Developed specifically for slab lifting applications, it expands when its two components mix beneath the concrete, filling voids and gently raising the slab back to its original position. Because the cured foam weighs only about 2 lbs per cubic foot, compared to the 100+ lbs per cubic foot of traditional mudjacking slurry, it adds virtually no load to the soil beneath the slab. This lightweight property is one of the key reasons foam-lifted slabs are far less likely to re-settle than slabs lifted by mudjacking. Ground Up Foundation Repair uses polyurethane foam lifting across Middle Tennessee for driveways, patios, garage floors, sidewalks, pool decks, and other residential concrete flatwork.
Slab Jacking (Mudjacking)
Sunken concrete slabs, driveways, sidewalks, patios, garage floors, and steps, are one of the most common concrete problems in Middle Tennessee. When the soil beneath a slab erodes, settles, or washes away, the unsupported concrete sinks. Slab jacking, also called mudjacking or concrete lifting, addresses this by pumping a fill material, either a cement-soil slurry (traditional mudjacking) or expanding polyurethane foam, through holes drilled in the slab. The material fills the void beneath the slab and generates enough pressure to lift it back toward its original elevation.
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