Bowed foundation walls are a scary sight for homeowners. The structural integrity of your foundation walls is nothing to take lightly — basement walls collapse all too often, and your family’s safety could be at risk.
StayDry® Waterproofing serves all of Michigan, as well as Northern Ohio and Indiana. Our team has more than 100 years of combined experience and a five-star reputation for customer service.
If a wall or walls in your home are bowing, you can call 1-800-STAY-DRY® or request a free, no-pressure consultation online today. We can assess the cause of the damage and give you the best options for repair.
Bulging or bowing foundation walls happen when pressure is placed on your foundation by freezing or evaporating moisture in soft and clay soils around your home. As the soil outside your basement walls absorbs water, it swells. This pressure can eventually cause a wall to crack or, in more serious cases, start bowing.
The best repair method for your bowed foundation wall will depend on the severity of the issue. A slightly bowed wall can be straightened with shear reinforcement or stabilized with carbon fiber/kevlar straps. Moderate to severe bowing, on the other hand, may require reinforcement with steel beams or even need to be rebuilt completely.
Our team of experts will assess your foundation problems for free and offer a range of options for repair. Contact us at 1-800-STAY-DRY® for a no-pressure consultation today.
This is a smart, affordable repair option that can return a wall to its original plumb state. After securely placing thick wood posts and blocks, our professionals drill holes into the blocks and reinforce them with 16-inch steel rebar. Finally, the cores are filled with concrete to the height of the drilled holes, and the holes are filled with cement. This comprehensive reinforcement is ideal for foundation walls with only a slight curvature.
This bowed wall repair method uses advanced technology that stops the wall from shifting without the need for outside excavation. The high-strength materials present minimal obtrusion or obstruction.
For moderately to severely bowed walls, less-invasive techniques such as carbon fiber strips won’t work and will require a more robust solution. Our StayWall™ technique is much more effective for this issue. We attach heavy-duty steel I-beams to the floor joists and either bolt them to or set them beneath the concrete foundation floor.
The beam helps counter the outward hydrostatic and soil pressure that’s pushing on the walls and causing them to bow. While they do create some obstructions in the basement, they can be the perfect solution for more serious problems. This method is backed by our 10-year warranty.
This foundation repair method is recommended for walls that are too far gone to correct with other methods - typically anything that’s more than 2-3 inches of deflection or if there are any areas that are heavily cracked, displaced, or sheared. Any other method would just be a temporary fix and put your home at risk.
If your home is one of these extreme cases, we recommend a complete or partial black wall rebuild as the most effective, long-term solution. It’s essentially building a “new” foundation wall. It provides the ultimate peace of mind and a brand-new look for your basement.
We start with a structural assessment and shoring so your house is secure during the repair process. If we’re doing a partial rebuild, we’ll carefully remove the damaged section; for complete rebuilds, our team will put in temporary supports and remove them carefully and in controlled sections. New, high-quality concrete blocks will then be laid and reinforced with mortar and rebar (where needed).
How much it costs to repair a bowed foundation wall will depend on a number of factors, including the severity of the bowing, the method used to repair it, and the number of labor hours required.
Our experienced team members can assess your bowed wall(s) and give you a free estimate for repair.
The StayDry® team has 100+ years of combined experience with basement waterproofing, foundation repair, crawl space repair, wall repair, and mold control. Give us a call or fill out the form here and we’ll get in touch to schedule your free inspection.
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