Settling porch

Tinkerer

I built my house 13 years ago and there is a small covered cement porch on the front (approx 4' x 10') As I was pressure washing the siding, I noticed that water is pooling on the backside toward the house and see that the porch has settled about 3/4". Does the porch have to be torn up and re-poured or can I etch the concrete and pour more over it to bring it to level?

oh'mike

You may want to call a mud jacker--They drill a hole(s) and pump concrete under the slab. The cost may be to high on a little slab like that--might be about the same as breaking the old and replacing--if you do the work. Overlaying concrete on top of an existing slab almost always fails--especially in a frost area like Pennsylvania.--Mike--

jklingel

I've been told the same thing, by concrete companies, about pouring over concrete. Any way you can jack it up yourself, drill a few holes, and pour through them, like the pros would do (maybe not as well, but I'm sure w/ care the deck will be there for 13 more years)? The big question is, though, why did it settle in the first place? Pouring more concrete sounds like a band aid. Maybe you need to jack the pad up, dig out, and get some kind of support under the slab that goes down to solid ground. 4' x 10' is really a pretty little thing to jack up, if you are careful and use lots of jacks. Maybe 3 or 4 block foundation walls, set on small footers, would easily support the pad. Shoot, maybe 9 or 12 posts of 4x4 all-weather wood would work. Otherwise, can you build a plywood platform on top, and support the plywood w/ strips of wood glued to the concrete and plywood? If you are not rock and rolling out there all the time, it won't take much to hold the plywood still, and it is cheap. Just food for thought. j

oh'mike

The porch slab was poured on the backfill around the foundation--that's why it sank--the back fill always settles in during the first few years.

A mud jacker pumps concrete under great pressure--that is what does the lifting.

I don't think there is a great way for you to lift the slab yourself----

If you re-pour a new slab--add a footing at the house to support the back of the slab.--Mike--

nateo

"mud jacker" near me charges $400 min. If it's a small job it'll probably cost $400-500