DIY products resurface or fill concrete; they don't lift it. Self-leveling compound fixes small, stable dips indoors, and resurfacers smooth a worn surface, but neither fills the void under a sunken slab. For a slab that has dropped, a professional lift with mudjacking ($4–$9/sq ft) or foam ($8–$25/sq ft) is the fix that addresses the cause.
New Orleans Concrete Leveling is happy to tell you when you don’t need a contractor. Here’s what DIY products actually do.
What DIY products do — and don’t
| Product | What it does | What it can’t do |
|---|---|---|
| Self-leveling underlayment | Flattens small, stable dips on interior floors before new flooring | Lift a slab or fill a void under it |
| Concrete resurfacer | Smooths a worn or scaled surface | Fix a drop, a lip or lost support |
| Crack filler and joint sealant | Keeps water out of cracks and joints | Close a gap caused by movement |
| Small DIY foam kits | Fill a small, accessible void | Control a lift across a whole panel |
The common thread: a sunken slab has lost support underneath. Toppings sit on top; the void stays, the slab keeps moving, and the topping cracks.
Where DIY is the right call
- Water control. Extend downspouts, regrade soil away from slab edges, clear drains. This is the single most useful thing you can do in New Orleans, with more than 60 inches of rain a year (NWS).
- Sealing joints and cracks with a flexible sealant.
- Small interior dips before flooring, if the slab isn’t actually settling. For a settled slab, see floor leveling before tile installation.
Where DIY usually backfires
- Toppings over sunken outdoor slabs. They add weight, hide the void, and crack.
- Trying to lift with consumer foam. Over-lifting cracks slabs; under-filling leaves voids; foam in the wrong place can push up nearby slabs.
- Anything near foundations, pools or plumbing without knowing what’s underneath.
The professional options and their costs
Mudjacking runs about $4–$9 per square foot and polyurethane foam about $8–$25, with a $300–$700 minimum (HomeGuide). For small jobs the minimum dominates, so bundle every sunken area into one visit. See the cost guide.
Bottom line
DIY can control water and smooth surfaces; it can’t lift a sunken slab. For a real lift, call (504) 517-8336 — free estimate within 24 hours.
Quick answers
Can I use self-leveling compound on a sunken driveway?
It won't fix a sunken slab. Self-leveling compound is mostly an interior underlayment; outdoors, a topping over a sunken panel adds weight, leaves the void, and tends to crack as the slab keeps moving.
Are DIY foam leveling kits worth it?
Small consumer foam kits exist, but controlling a lift without the right equipment risks over-lifting, cracking the slab or filling the wrong space. For anything larger than a small void, the risk usually outweighs the savings.
What can I do myself?
Extend downspouts, regrade soil away from slab edges, seal joints and cracks, and fill small interior dips with self-leveler before flooring. Those steps also help a professional lift last.
Get a written price for your slab
Free estimate within 24 hours. Two quick steps — or call (504) 517-8336.