Cracked, sunken or heaved concrete in Dallas-Fort Worth can often be lifted with cement slurry or foam, ground, sealed or resurfaced. Heaved slabs usually need grinding or replacement. Because expansive clay moves with moisture, a good repair also fixes the water problem, and cracks in the house itself call for a structural evaluation first.
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Cracked and uneven flatwork is everywhere in Dallas-Fort Worth, and not every damaged slab needs to come out. Depending on the cause and condition, concrete can often be lifted, sealed, patched or resurfaced. The key is understanding why it moved, because North Texas clay can push slabs up as well as let them drop, and a repair that ignores the cause tends to fail again.
Why concrete cracks and moves in North Texas
- Expansive clay. Blackland Prairie clays swell markedly when wet and shrink and crack when dry. A slab can rise at one end after a wet spring and drop during a summer drought.
- Uneven moisture. Sprinklers watering one side of a walk, a downspout dumping on a driveway edge or a leaking line under a slab all create wet and dry zones.
- Settling backfill. Soil placed against foundations and along driveway edges during construction can compress over time.
- Erosion. Heavy spring and fall storms can wash soil out from under slab edges, leaving voids.
- Tree roots. Roots lift walks and driveways and can dry out the soil around them.
- Heavy loads. Roofing dumpsters and delivery trucks, common after hail season, can crack a driveway that wasn't built for that weight.
- Shrinkage. Some cracking is normal as concrete dries, especially where joints are too far apart.
Repair options
- Slab lifting (mudjacking): a cement-based slurry is pumped under a sunken slab through drilled holes to raise it and fill voids.
- Polyurethane foam lifting: expanding foam is injected through smaller holes. It's lightweight and cures quickly.
- Crack and joint sealing: flexible sealants keep water from reaching the clay below, which slows further damage.
- Grinding: a raised edge can be ground down to remove a trip hazard.
- Patching and resurfacing: repair mortars and thin overlays can renew a scaled or worn surface on a sound slab.
- Section replacement: badly broken panels are cut out at joints and repoured.
Lifting on expansive clay
Lifting works best when a slab has sunk as a unit, is mostly intact, and the soil beneath has stopped moving. In Dallas-Fort Worth, a panel that is low after a dry summer may come partly back up when the clay rewets, so timing and diagnosis matter. A slab that has heaved up can't be lifted down; it is usually ground or replaced. Fixing the water problem, such as adjusting sprinklers, extending downspouts or regrading, should be part of any plan.
Trip hazards
An offset joint on a walkway or driveway is a common cause of falls. Contractors can lift the low side, grind the high edge, or replace the panel. If the hazard is on a public sidewalk, check with your city about who is responsible and whether a permit is needed first.
When it might be foundation movement
Foundation problems are common in North Texas, and cracks in flatwork sometimes sit next to them. Cracks in a driveway, patio or walk are usually not structural. But diagonal cracks in brick or drywall, doors and windows that suddenly stick, or a gap opening between a patio and the house can point to foundation movement. Many North Texas homes sit on post-tensioned slabs that should never be drilled or cut without locating the tendons. In those cases, a structural engineer or foundation repair specialist is the right first call.
Questions to ask
- What do you think caused this, and how will the repair address it?
- Will you lift, grind, patch or replace, and why?
- How will the holes or patches look afterward?
- Is there a warranty if a lifted slab settles again?
For help deciding, read our guide to North Texas clay and concrete. Have a trip hazard? Mark your request as urgent and request a concrete repair contractor in Dallas-Fort Worth.
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Frequently asked questions
Is mudjacking or foam lifting better?
Both can lift sunken slabs. Cement-based slurry is a long-established method; polyurethane foam uses smaller holes, is lighter and cures quickly. The right choice depends on the slab, the voids and the contractor's experience.
Should I wait to lift a sunken slab until after summer?
It can be worth asking. On expansive clay, a slab that dropped during a dry spell may partly rebound when the soil rewets. A contractor can look at whether the movement is settlement or seasonal shrink-swell.
Are cracks in my driveway a sign of foundation trouble?
Usually not. Flatwork cracks are common. Diagonal cracks in brick or drywall, sticking doors and windows, or a widening gap between the patio and house are more likely signs of foundation movement and worth an engineer's look.
Sources and further reading
- Texas Water Development Board: Houston Black, the Texas state soil
- National Weather Service Fort Worth: Dallas/Fort Worth climate narrative
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)
- Texas 811: call before you dig
- City of Fort Worth: Residential Permitting
- City of Fort Worth: Parkway standards
- City of Dallas: Development Services forms (paving permits)
- City of Frisco: Right-of-Way
- City of McKinney: Right-of-Way Permits
- City of Plano: Building Permits
- City of Arlington: Do I Need a Permit? A DIY Guide
- North Texas Municipal Water District
- American Concrete Institute (ACI)
- Portland Cement Association (PCA)