When you need a driveway made from concrete, you need to look into the local concrete driveway contractors. Find one who has a lot of experience with local concrete pouring and make sure they understand your concrete driveway scope of work. When you need to find concrete power washing and sealing companies near me, look through the business listings and find one that has good reviews.
When a contractor is pouring a concrete driveway, they will have to do it on an area that has been prepared for the concrete. This often means that the contractor has to level out the area to be poured on. This can entail using a number of techniques to get the area ready for the concrete. Sometimes, that’s the biggest part of the job, depending on the scope of the job and the way the land is situated.
Make sure you have any questions to ask the concrete driveway contractor ready before they get there. You may have a lot of questions about exactly what they can do and how the project will turn out. Some people want to get stamped concrete, and this can be done by many concrete contractors to give the surface a texture or pattern.
There are three main types of material used to build driveways: gravel, asphalt, and concrete. Gravel can cause dust and scratches to damage your car, and will need to be periodically replaced. It’s also prone to mud and water buildup. And even though asphalt is used to pave the vast majority of roads and parking lots, concrete is still one of the most popular paving materials for driveways.
Before you move forward with a new concrete driveway project, there are some particulars you’ll need to understand. In this FAQ, we’ll try and cover the most basic questions homeowners have about paving with concrete.
How thick does a concrete driveway have to be?
In general, concrete driveways should be between four and five inches in thickness. In most cases, four inches will suffice. If you have heavier vehicles regularly using your driveway, then five inches might be more reliable.
How wide does a driveway need to be?
For a standard, two-car drive, most driveways are built 15 to 18 feet wide. For single-car drives, you only need eight or nine feet to accommodate your vehicle.
Does a concrete driveway need to be sloped?
If you don’t properly account for drainage, then standing water could start collecting on the surface. That means the driveway should be sloped about one-fourth inch per foot towards the street.
Can I use ice melt on concrete?
That depends on the ice melt. To ensure the longevity of your driveway, it should be properly sealed after installation. During the winter, ice melt made from Potassium Chloride can corrode and damage concrete, while ice melt made from Calcium Chloride and Magnesium Chloride are usually less harmful. As an alternative, you can put down cat litter or wood chips to increase traction.
If you have any more questions about concrete repair or installation, contact a driveway contractor in your area.
