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Don’t Let Your Summer Fall Through the Cracks. Fix It With Concrete Lifting!

yellow rubber duck with sunglasses floating in a swimming pool next to the edge of a concrete pool deck

Sweet summertime. There’s nothing like lounging poolside on a sunny day or kicking back on the patio as a gentle breeze moves through the trees. But that easygoing feeling can quickly disappear when a flip-flop catches on a raised slab, a patio chair wobbles on uneven concrete, or a cracked pool deck turns your outdoor oasis into a safety concern.

Cracking and uneven concrete around pools, patios, and porches diminishes your home’s appearance and creates tripping hazards in your outdoor living areas. But the good news is that solutions like concrete porch repair, patio leveling, and pool deck lifting can help prevent concrete damage from spoiling the season.

Learn what’s causing your home’s problematic concrete, how to fix it, and how Groundworks’ concrete lifting solutions can help create a safer, more functional outdoor environment.

Table of Contents

Why Are Concrete Problems More Noticeable in Summer?

We’re outside more in the summer, making concrete damage more noticeable as we spend time around them.

Concrete issues aren’t limited to warmer months. Cracking and uneven surfaces are year-round problems, but we notice them more as we gravitate to outdoor living spaces for picnics, pool parties, sunbathing, and other summertime activities.

There’s more foot traffic from kids and guests, bare or flip-flop-clad feet, moving patio and porch furniture, grill stations, and water from pools or sprinklers, making areas slippery.

Uneven concrete has a way of showing up at the worst possible time, right when the burgers are on the grill, the kids are racing to the pool, or your guests are balancing paper plates and lemonade.

However, the more we’re out on pool decks, patios, and porches, the easier it is to spot damage and fix it before it takes a turn for the worse.

What Are Common Signs of Concrete Damage?

Cracking and uneven concrete slabs are telltale signs of concrete damage that may become more noticeable during summer. Other issues you might spot include:

cracked and uneven pool deck

Outdoor concrete damage often starts small and becomes more noticeable with regular use. Before the next cookout or pool party, take a quick walk around your outdoor living spaces and look for these signs.

What Causes Concrete Pool Deck, Patio, and Porch Problems?

Unstable soil is the primary cause of damage to concrete structures like patios, porches, and pool decks. Concrete is strong, but it depends on the soil beneath it for support. When that soil washes out, dries and shrinks, or was not compacted properly, empty spaces can form under the slab. Without steady support, sections of concrete can crack, sink, tilt, or pull away from nearby slabs.

Other causes include:

  • Soil washout from rain, poor drainage, or pool splash-out
  • Soil shrinking during dry summer weather
  • Poorly compacted fill soil beneath the slab
  • Erosion around patios, porches, steps, and pool decks
  • Freeze-thaw damage from previous seasons
  • Tree roots or changing soil conditions
  • Water collecting under or around slabs

Much like the rest of your home, ensuring the safety of your outdoor concrete living areas begins from the ground up.

The Importance of Summertime Concrete Safety

As you can see, concrete damage is common yet problematic, and it can put a real damper on summertime fun.

It could be a patio chair that wobbles whenever someone sits down, a raised pool deck edge that everyone has to step over carefully, or a porch slab that has gradually pulled away from the entryway. These small frustrations can make your outdoor space feel less relaxing, usable, and safe, right when you want to enjoy it most. 

Cracked and uneven outdoor concrete is more than a cosmetic issue. Raised edges, sunken slabs, and cracked walking surfaces can create trip hazards, especially around high-traffic areas like pool decks, patios, porches, and walkways. That matters because falls are a leading source of preventable injury, particularly for older adults.

The CDC reports that more than 14 million seniors in the U.S., approximately one in four individuals aged 65 and older, experience a fall annually. While these incidents do not always result in physical harm, roughly 37% of those who fall sustain injuries that require medical attention or lead to at least one day of limited activity, totaling about nine million fall-related injuries each year.

It’s worth keeping these statistics in mind if you see an area that’s not level. Your home should be a place for fun and relaxation, not a danger zone.

How Do I Fix My Pool Deck, Patio, or Porch?

The best way to address concrete porch repair, concrete patio leveling, and concrete pool deck lifting is with polyurethane foam. Unlike repouring or replacement, concrete lifting with polyurethane foam is a faster, less invasive, stronger, and longer-lasting solution. However, slab replacement may be necessary if the concrete is severely crumbling or large sections are missing.

Groundworks uses the engineered SettleStop™ PolyRenewal™ system to repair and enhance outdoor living spaces, including porches, pool decks, and patios, when the concrete is still in relatively good condition but has settled.

Our Trained and Certified crews inject lightweight yet durable foam beneath the affected concrete. The material quickly expands to fill voids and lift settled slabs back into place. It cures in 15 minutes, allowing you to use the concrete the same day as the foam installation. Our team also seals cracks and joints to protect the concrete and give it a smoother finish.

Repair Your Concrete Before the Next Splash

Many people anxiously await summer’s return every year so they can enjoy time outdoors with loved ones. It’s too short a season to spend stepping around cracked, uneven concrete. Whether your pool deck has settled or your patio or porch has become uneven, Groundworks can help restore safety, stability, and comfort to your outdoor living space.

Schedule a free inspection with Groundworks to learn more about our concrete repairs. Our Trained and Certified professionals will thoroughly inspect your property to determine whether PolyRenewal™ concrete lifting is the right solution for your home. Give guests something to talk about other than your damaged concrete.

Concrete Repair FAQs

You can help prevent a concrete porch from sinking by improving drainage, keeping water away from the foundation, maintaining proper soil grading, and addressing small cracks or gaps early. If settlement has already started, Groundworks installs PolyRenewal™ to fill voids beneath the porch and help lift the concrete back to a more stable position.

Concrete pool deck cracks should be evaluated to determine whether they are surface-level or caused by settlement beneath the slab. If the pool deck is sinking or uneven, Groundworks uses PolyRenewal™ polyurethane foam to lift and stabilize the concrete, creating a smoother, more usable surface.

Concrete patio repair costs depend on the patio’s size, the extent of cracking or settlement, access to the area, and the recommended repair method. Groundworks’s Trained and Certified professionals can inspect the patio and determine whether PolyRenewal™ concrete lifting is the right solution for the affected slabs.

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Holly Richards-Purpura

Holly Richards-Purpura

Content Writer

Holly is a Content Writer for Groundworks who has written and edited web content for the foundation services industry for over 10 years. With a background in journalism, her passion for the written word runs deep. Holly lives in Columbus, OH, with her husband. Along with educating homeowners, she also has a big heart for the Big Apple.

Disclaimer: “Concrete leveling” means the process by which cracked, uneven concrete is stabilized, and in many cases lifted, by means of PolyRenewal™ polyurethane foam. Groundworks does not guarantee that PolyRenewal™ can make your concrete perfectly level.