# sunken sidewalk to raise



## D270 (Mar 27, 2011)

Hi,
If I try to raise these with a Dingo, possible with forks, should I rent a concrete saw to proactively cut the control joint. The two blocks are currently one piece...the 2nd and 3rd block has already cracked in the joint.

If heard of someone trying to raise this with a 4x4 beam above with a car jack at one end as well.

I won't repour this...the concrete IMHO would be ugly. Mudjacking is $400 minimum....why put that towards a brick walkway?

That is my thinking anyway....
Any suggestions how to lift it with minimum of cost effort, please chime in.

I will be renting a dingo for some other work I have to do around the yard.

(Of course I pointed the washout of gravel to the #$%^& foreman when the house was built, the lyin' SOB said that it was fixed when the sod was laid...I could put my hand under the sidewalk during construction...fast work over good work)

Thanks!


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## epson (Jul 28, 2010)

Rent a concrete saw and cut it in manageable peaces for you to pick up and dispose of with minimal cost to you. Everybody has a wheel barrel.


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## D270 (Mar 27, 2011)

I want to RAISE it up and fix it....not break it up and re-pour.

Is raising it with a Dingo, tipping the block on its side maybe then putting gravel bricks...do-able?

Thanks


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## epson (Jul 28, 2010)

D270 said:


> I want to RAISE it up and fix it....not break it up and re-pour.
> 
> Is raising it with a Dingo, tipping the block on its side maybe then putting gravel bricks...do-able?
> 
> Thanks


Remove the slab and repack the entire area with a plate compactor. Your base materials should be compacted in six inch (or less) lifts. In other words, don’t try to compact a lot of fill all at once do it in layers. If your soil is too wet and or too dry will not compact very well a good rule of thumb is that the moisture content of soil when it is finally dry enough to first be worked is in the spring its about perfect for maximum compaction.


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## jomama45 (Nov 13, 2008)

IF you can get on the right side of the first pic with the Dingo with forks, it should be able to raise that side high enough that you can "pour" a weak mix of portland & sand underneath. I've done it in similar applications in the past to avoid the inevitable color variation that you're trying to avoid. The secret is to mix the cementicious mix extremley wet so that it flows most of the way through. This can get messy if not careful.......

On a side note, this would have been a great place to use two small diameter rebar along the length of the sidewalk to keep this problem at bay for may more years to come, even if the rebar "wouldn't be in the perfect plane of the pour"...............:whistling2:


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## D270 (Mar 27, 2011)

So you are saying lift one edge a bit, the side that has sunken most...versus tipping the whole thing up? Unfortunately the porch..is justout of frame...so it might be tight.....I was thinking about xoming at it from the left and getting the forks all the way under the sidewalk.

Eitherway....Jomama...could you explain what you meant about the rebar?
Is that something I can do now...or that shouldhave been done by the out-of-busness builder?

Thanks


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## robut (Aug 22, 2007)

*sunken Small slab lift 3' x 3'*

My Sister called to have me look at her sidewalk slab where it meets the porch step this has about 7" drop Riser.
The slab had dropped to about 3" raising the outer edge towards the street about 2" This was a tripping accident waiting to happen.

I could break up and replace the slab but the slab is old with all those little stones and the match would be an eye sore like a hugh bug on a white wall.
A mud pump would work but she's on a very fixed income. 

You can do what you want but this is how I fixed hers.

I laid two 2" x 4"x 8' along each side of the slab.
I then borrowed a steel 6 foot pry bar and some old pipe I started to pry and lift each side of the slab up, a little at a time on the street side, until I had the slab up about 4" and blocked. Then I used old pipe slid under the back edge on the street side, raised the slab a little higher and added another pipe,
next. The slab was now movable, I set a wood block against the porch cement face,so as not to cause damage to it's face. I now put the pry bar against the wood with the tip between the porch butting the slab and very slowly wiggled a little at a time then using a prying pressure I was able to get the slab to start rolling on the pipes back away from the porch I then was able to pry up the front section of the slab, then added a third pipe under the front part and very carefully rolled the slab back towards the street side moving each pipe as needed.
Just like the Egyptians move their blocks on rollers.
Now, with the slab moved back. I added black bedding slag sand, tamped it down level. double check this very careful. ( I had to re do mine twice ) for a perfect leveling job.
I now rolled the slab back into position and removed each pipe until the slab was resting in it's original spot.
The job came out great. No odd looking white slab inserted. original looking finish. She made us the best lunch ever.
Time was about two hours.With Two guys and three 1 1/2 or 2" six foot pipes 1 0r 2 6 foot pry bars I only had one pry bar two would work best. Ask around and you will have friends who have these bars and pipes in their garage to barrow 
Of course you will need to buy the 2x4's and a bag or two of bedding slag
( not sand ) from HD or Lowe"s or store of your choice. 
I have never done this before so many people may have a better way.
So please don't Rag on my way. add some advice this is a DIY help Page.

Deck hand :thumbup:


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