Concrete Sidewalk Repair: How to Repair an Uneven Sidewalk

dangerous uneven concrete sidewalk
  • 4-8 hours
  • Beginner
  • 20-500
What You'll Need
Safety eye goggles
Heavy-duty vibration-absorbing gloves
Masonry drill with a 1-inch bit
Grout formula
One bag concrete
Power drill
Masonry paddle
Aluminum containers to mix grout formula and concrete
Connected water hose
Grout pump with flexible hose
Putty trowel
Wire brush
An assistant
What You'll Need
Safety eye goggles
Heavy-duty vibration-absorbing gloves
Masonry drill with a 1-inch bit
Grout formula
One bag concrete
Power drill
Masonry paddle
Aluminum containers to mix grout formula and concrete
Connected water hose
Grout pump with flexible hose
Putty trowel
Wire brush
An assistant

An uneven sidewalk used to be a major concrete-repair job with a hefty price tag attached. Now, new technologies have enabled fast and simple sidewalk leveling through a technique called mud jacking. Follow the directions below to mud jack your uneven sidewalk slab back to its correct position.

Step 1 – Choose the Best Repair Conditions

Wait for a day with a temperature below 75° F to repair your uneven sidewalk. If the temperature is hotter, especially with humidity, the concrete will start to go rigid before you can get it into the sidewalk pump holes. Also, ensure that frost has left the ground before starting springtime repairs.

Step 2 – Prepare Sidewalk Slab for Grout and Concrete Injection

First, put on your safety eye goggles and gloves. Next, take the masonry drill to the low side of the concrete sidewalk slab. Drill three holes in the slab. They should be 1 inch in diameter and at least 3 inches away from the edge of the slab. Space the holes 6-8 inches apart in the slab, and drill through the concrete sidewalk material until you hit the soil.

Step 3 – Prepare the Grout Mixture

Mix the grout formula with water in an aluminum container, following the directions on the packaging. Stir it thoroughly with the masonry paddle attached to your power drill, operated at medium speed.

Step 4 – Lift the Concrete Slab With the Grout Mixture

Insert the end of the grout-pump hose into the center hole of the three you made in the sidewalk slab. Pump in the grout mixture until you see the slab start to rise. Move the hose to one of the holes beside the center one and continue pumping. Move the hose once more to the last hole and pump in the remainder of the grout, until the sidewalk slab is level with its neighbors.

While you pump, have an assistant mix up the bag of concrete to patch the holes. Use the masonry paddle powered by the drill to stir the concrete mixture.

Step 5 – Fill the Sidewalk-Slab Holes With Concrete

Using the putty trowel, scoop concrete into each of the three sidewalk holes. Fill the holes completely. Pack in the concrete firmly. Then, level off the tops of the holes so they are smooth and flush with the rest of the sidewalk slab top. Scrape over the top of the holes with a wire brush to blend in the concrete texture with the rest of the slab.

Step 6 – Check Other Sidewalk Slabs for Tilting, Settling, or Unevenness

Take the opportunity to check the rest of the slabs in your sidewalk for tilting or settling, which would cause them to be off-level with nearby slabs. You can also check them for any cracks, as these are also easy to fix. Repeat the mudjacking process to fix all other sidewalk slabs, ensuring a safe, level walking surface for everyone who uses the sidewalk.