Black Dog ExteriorsStart with what failed
A driveway is two things: the slab you see and the base under it. Most of the decision comes down to which one has the problem. If the slab is fine and it just dropped, you have options. If the base is gone, anything you put on top is borrowed time.
Here in North Texas the base problem is usually the soil. Our Blackland Prairie clay swells when it's wet and shrinks when it dries out. Trees pull moisture out of it. Bad drainage washes it out from under the edges. So before you price any fix, walk the driveway after a rain and after a dry spell and see what's moving. Our soil section in the concrete guide goes deeper on this.
The four fixes, briefly
Crack sealing
A flexible sealant goes into the crack to keep water and weeds out. It's the cheapest fix, and it counts as maintenance. It makes sense for hairline and small cracks on a slab that's otherwise flat and level. It won't close a crack or level anything.
Foam or mud leveling
Holes get drilled in the panel and material is pumped underneath to lift it. Mudjacking uses a cement slurry. Foam jacking uses an expanding polyurethane foam with smaller holes. Both work best on a slab that sank as one piece and is still in good shape. Think of a panel by the garage that dropped an inch, or a sidewalk square that became a trip hazard.
Leveling costs well below replacement and you can usually drive on it the same day or soon after. The tradeoff is that it lifts the slab without fixing why it sank. If water is still getting under there, or the clay keeps shrinking, it can settle again.
Resurfacing or overlays
A thin cementitious or polymer layer goes over the old surface. It covers spalling, scaling, stains and an ugly finish. It's a cosmetic fix. It adds no strength, and it bonds only as well as the surface under it. Over a slab that's still cracking or moving, the cracks usually telegraph through and the overlay can delaminate and peel.
Full replacement
Tear out the old concrete, fix and compact the base, and pour new. It costs the most and takes the longest, but it's the only option that deals with a failed base. Our standard build is a compacted base, 4" of 3,500 PSI concrete, rebar on 18" centers set on chairs, control joints, and doweled tie-ins where new meets old concrete that stays. More on that in what a good spec looks like.
Side by side
| Fix | Best for | Relative cost | How long it lasts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crack sealing | Small cracks on a flat, sound slab | Lowest | A few years, then reapply |
| Foam or mud leveling | One or two intact panels that sank as a unit | Low to moderate | Can last years if the cause (drainage, washout) is fixed; can resettle if not |
| Resurfacing / overlay | Surface wear on a slab that isn't moving | Moderate | Depends on the slab under it; fails early over active cracks |
| Full replacement | Base failure, widespread cracking, heaving, many panels settling | Highest | Decades with a good base, steel and drainage |
Relative costs only. Leveling, overlay and sealing prices vary by contractor and job size, so get quotes from people who do that work. Our replacement numbers are below.
Signs that point to each
Seal it
- Hairline or narrow cracks with no height difference across them
- Slab drains fine and doesn't rock or sound hollow
Level it
- One or two panels dropped, but each is still in one piece
- The drop is near a downspout, the garage, or an edge where water collects
- You can fix the drainage that caused it
Resurface it
- Flaking, scaling or a worn finish on a slab that's flat and not cracking much
- You mainly care about looks
Replace it
- Cracks running across many panels, or panels broken into several pieces
- Several panels sinking or heaving at different angles
- Soil washing out underneath, voids you can see at the edges
- Tree roots lifting sections
- It's been leveled or patched before and it's back
What replacement costs in DFW
Those are from our own quotes: 4" broom finish, tear-out and haul-off included. Smaller jobs cost more per square foot because setup, the truck and the crew day don't shrink with the slab. Under 400 sq ft ran a median of $16.28 per sq ft in our data. Try your own numbers in the driveway cost calculator.
How to decide
Ask three questions in order.
Is the base sound? If you see washout, voids, or many panels moving in different directions, the answer is no, and replacement is the honest fix. If it's one panel next to a bad downspout, the base is probably fine and the water is the problem.
Is the slab in one piece? Leveling lifts panels. It can't glue a shattered panel back together. Broken pieces lift unevenly and keep cracking.
Is the problem structural or cosmetic? If the slab is flat and solid and just looks rough, a resurface or simply living with it beats tearing out good concrete.
A word on clay: nobody in Texas can warranty expansive soil, and that's true for every fix on this page. Good drainage, gutters that discharge away from the slab, and watching big trees near the drive help every option last longer. Our warranty page spells out what we cover and what soil movement does to that.
We don't do leveling, overlays or patching. We replace concrete. If you send us photos and leveling looks like the right call, we'll say so and point you to someone who does it. If replacement is the answer, start an estimate and we'll measure from aerial imagery and your photos and get you a written, itemized number, usually within one business day.
Questions people ask
Can a sunken driveway be leveled instead of replaced?
Often, yes. If the panel is still in one piece and sank as a unit, foam or mud leveling can lift it back into place for less than replacement. If the slab is broken into pieces or the base has washed out, leveling usually doesn't hold.
Is resurfacing a good fix for a cracked driveway?
Resurfacing is a cosmetic layer. On a sound slab with surface wear it can look good. Over a slab that is still cracking or moving, the cracks tend to come back through the overlay and it can peel.
Does Black Dog Exteriors do leveling or resurfacing?
No. We replace concrete. If leveling fits your driveway better, we'll tell you and point you to someone who does it.
How do I know if my driveway needs full replacement?
Look for cracks across many panels, panels broken into pieces, several panels sinking or heaving at different angles, and soil washing out underneath. Those point to a base problem, and only replacement fixes the base.
Get your driveway priced
No sales visit to get a number. Most people have a written estimate within a day.
Or call or text (903) 418-2989