Commercial Foundation Repair Helps Protect a Community Gymnasium in Ola, Arkansas

Friday, June 5th, 2026 by Keith Bryant

Challenge

Foundation Settlement Threatened a School Gym Used for Pee-Wee Sports in Ola, AR

A school gymnasium in Ola, Arkansas, was showing signs of worsening foundation settlement. Although the school district had moved to a new campus, the older gymnasium was still being used as an important community facility for pee-wee sports and local youth activities.

The building, constructed on a slab foundation in 1996, had become a concern for school decision makers. The southwest corner of the gym appeared to be pulling away from the main structure, and the damage had become noticeably worse over the previous year. With grant money available for facility improvements, the school board needed to decide how to address the foundation problems before the damage continued to spread.

Signs of Foundation Problems in the School Gymnasium

During the inspection, several structural warning signs were documented throughout the gymnasium and surrounding rooms.

The most significant settlement was found along the west wall, from the first set of double doors to the southwest corner. This section had dropped a little over an inch and a half. The same low area was also visible on the interior of the building, confirming that the southwest corner was the lowest point of the structure.

Additional signs of foundation movement included:

The southwest corner pulling away from the main building
Interior window separation
A large crack between the concession area and the men’s bathroom
Wall separation between the concession area and the gymnasium
Bowing along the south wall near the front of the building
Interior slab voids near the men’s bathroom and concession area

The customer believed water flowing down the hill on the east side of the school was getting underneath the slab and washing soil away. That type of soil erosion can create voids beneath a concrete slab, leaving parts of the structure without proper support.

Why an Exterior Foundation Repair Solution Was Needed

Two competitors had inspected the building before Redeemers Group, but they did not provide an exterior foundation repair solution. That was a major concern because the visible damage was not limited to interior slab issues.

When a commercial slab foundation is settling and an exterior corner is pulling away from the building, simply filling interior voids may not be enough. The structure needs proper stabilization where the settlement is occurring. Without addressing the exterior foundation movement, the building could continue to shift, crack, and separate over time.

For this project, the repair plan included both foundation pier installation and interior void filling with PolyLevel. This combination was important because it addressed two different but connected problems: the settling structure and the unsupported slab areas.

Solution

Commercial Foundation Pier Installation Stabilized the Settling Gym

The first phase of the repair involved installing foundation piers along the affected area. The crew excavated 11 holes around the building to access the foundation and prepare for pier installation.

During excavation, the soil was soft and easy to dig, which supported the concern that the ground around the building was unstable. Each pier location required approximately four to five sections of pipe. Because of the weight of the commercial structure, there was limited movement during the lift process, but the crew was able to achieve between 1/16 inch and 1/8 inch of lift during pressurization.

The goal of foundation pier installation is not always dramatic lifting. In many commercial foundation repair projects, the most important goal is stabilization. By transferring the weight of the structure to more stable supporting soils, foundation piers help reduce the risk of continued settlement and further structural separation.

PolyLevel Filled Interior Voids Beneath the Concrete Slab

The second phase of the project involved using PolyLevel to fill voids beneath the interior slab. PolyLevel was applied in the area from the men’s bathroom to approximately five feet into the concession area.

PolyLevel is a high-density polyurethane foam used to fill empty spaces beneath concrete slabs. Once injected, the material expands to help support the slab, stabilize the affected area, and reduce the risk of further cracking caused by unsupported concrete.

For this gymnasium, PolyLevel was an important part of the solution because the suspected water-related soil washout had likely created voids beneath the slab. Filling those voids helped restore support beneath the interior concrete without requiring major demolition inside the facility.

A Field Challenge Was Handled Quickly and Professionally

During the first phase of the project, the crew encountered an unexpected issue while opening the fourth pier hole. A drain line for the men’s restroom in the gymnasium was damaged during excavation.

After discussing the situation with the customer, the crew determined that the best solution was to repair the line directly. On the final day of the project, the team picked up 4-inch PVC and two rubber couplings from a local hardware store and repaired the drain line in about an hour.

Commercial foundation repair often requires problem-solving in real time. In this case, the crew was able to address the issue quickly and keep the project moving.

The Result: A More Stable Foundation for a Valuable Community Facility

After the foundation piers were installed and the interior voids were filled with PolyLevel, the gymnasium had improved structural support in the areas of concern. The southwest corner was stabilized, interior voids were addressed, and the customer was pleased with the results.

This project helped protect more than a building. It helped preserve a local gymnasium used by children, families, and the pee-wee sports community in Ola, Arkansas.

By choosing a repair plan that included both exterior foundation stabilization and interior slab support, the school district received a more complete solution for the building’s foundation problems.

Commercial Foundation Repair in Ola, AR

Foundation settlement in a school, gymnasium, church, municipal building, or commercial property should not be ignored. Cracks, wall separation, sinking floors, and slab voids are often signs of deeper soil or structural support problems.

Redeemers Group provides commercial foundation repair, slab stabilization, foundation pier systems, and PolyLevel concrete void filling for properties in Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi.

Schedule a Commercial Foundation Inspection

If your commercial building, school facility, gymnasium, or community center is showing signs of foundation settlement, Redeemers Group can help identify the cause and recommend a permanent repair plan.

Contact Redeemers Group today to schedule a commercial foundation inspection and learn how foundation piers and PolyLevel can help protect your building from further damage.