Concrete Driveways: How It’s Made

Concrete Driveways: How It’s Made

Concrete driveways have become increasingly popular among many homeowners due to not just the durability but the versatility and style they offer as well. There are many ways you can make your driveway your own by using different colors, textures, and patterns to achieve many different looks to compliment your home and bring out your personal style. Concrete driveways are a perfect way to greet your guests with style while also having peace of mind that your driveway will be strong and last for years to come. While there are many benefits and looks to be achieved with concrete for driveways it leaves one to wonder, how are they made? It may seem like a simple process of just pouring some concrete, throwing on a design, and letting it dry but there is much more that goes into the process of a concrete driveway that makes it not only strong and durable but beautiful as well.

The First Phase

While there are many steps in pouring the perfect concrete driveway there are different phases that include different step for your dream driveway to come to life. Within the first phase you will find it is centered around the planning of your driveway. This includes many different steps that you take in order to achieve the perfect driveway that will last you for years to come. WIth the first phase, you will need to check all your local ordinances and building codes to obtain the appropriate building permits so that you’ll have a driveway up to code. Some areas may not require building permits but even some home owner associations require building permits just to cover all bases so it is best to check your cities local website to see if a permit is required.

Within this first phase is also where you will do a drawing or the general planning of your concrete driveway. In this step you will begin to take measurements on how tall you want your driveway to be as well as how long and wide. This is the time to measure the area for how many cars you want to fit in the driveway and decide if there will need to be additional space for turning around or if you want a design that wraps around rather than a straight shot. Making this plan and deciding what you want or need is what is going to give a good idea of not just materials needed but also the price you can expect to pay because even increasing the driveway by a foot will increase your expense.

The final step in the first phase is calling around for quotes and interviewing professionals for the installation of your concrete driveway. At this stage you and your concrete contractor can discuss the process in which your driveway will be poured and discuss things such as sizing and the design you want to have for your driveway. Once you have everything laid out for your concrete contractor you can expect a quote and a timeline of how long you can expect the process to take before moving forward.

The Second Phase

The second phase includes getting everything ready for the instalaltion of your concrete driveway. It is in this phase that your hired concrete contractor will take over for the installation process. This is the stage where everything is prepared and set in place for the main event to happen. The first part of this phase is going to include the “outline: of your driveway. At this point some wooden stakes will be placed in the shape of your driveway to match up with the design that you created and showed your concrete contractor. Additional soil may be added at this point to give a nice firm and even layer for your concrete driveway to be installed. After the stakes are set in place for the shape and size of your driveway, the forms are added. These forms are used for exactly what they sound like, forming the driveway. After the forms are added, a fill material is added to make the base thick enough.

For the base you can expect at least a 4 inch thick base. This base material is made of crushed granite and gravel to give a stable and even layer for your concrete. This not only creates more stability for your driveway but ensures a smooth and even surface. At this stage a compactor will be used to create a smooth and evenly compacted surface for the reinforcements to be installed. Mats of reinforced steel can be installed and while they are optional it is best to have these reinforced bars to guarantee even weight distribution of your cars and significantly increase the stability of your driveway as a whole. Rebar and heavy duty mesh are great options for reinforment of your driveway to make sure it stays structurally intact.

The Third Phase

In the third and final phase this is where things become more real. This is the part of the installation process that the concrete is brough in and poured. Concrete can equally be a difficult and easy material to work with because of the process the installation entails. Having all the preparation work done and ready to go is an important part of guaranteeing the ease of the installation process for the perfect concrete driveway. This third phase is the homestretch to enjoying a beautiful new concrete driveway!

In the first part of this phase the concrete is poured. When the concrete is poured it is important to faltten and level the concrete. While the concrete may not be perfectly level and may even slope it is still important that it gets as flat as possible so to avoid future issues like standing water. The next step while the concrete is still wet is adding in the contraction joints. These joints need to be around 1 inch deep and every 4 foot or so to help prevent the concrete from cracking. These joints can be added later if the concrete becomes too dry, but htey are much easier and better when added while wet.

While the concrete is still damp enough to add texture and can properly accept the texture this is the time to add either your broom finish or stamped design. It is at this point you can choose a design to make your driveway personal to you or even use it as an opportunity to bring out the style of your home with a matching ot complimenting texture. At the end of this final phase is the curing process. You should not park your cars on the driveway until it is fully cured. You should wait a minimum of 3 days before parking vehicles on your new concrete driveway. After 30 days you can choose to have your driveway stained and have a protective coating added.

There are a lot of steps involved in installing the perfect concrete driveway but in the end it is worth the beauitful driveway you are left with. Concrete is a great material that will give you a beautiful look as well as strength and durability for years to come!