As fall and winter close in once again, you maybe eyeing your driveway dubiously in your peripheral vision every time you walk to your car, wondering if the concrete work will make it through another winter. We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but chances are if your “repair concrete driveway” internal alert systems are buzzing, it’s probably long past time that you call up the concrete driveway contractors or start a DIY project. If you’re loathe to spend money on concrete driveway contractors full time but are unsure of where to start, we took the liberty of surveying a few for free advice. Below are tips from the concrete driveway contractors we deemed experts:
1.Build from the base up.
By this we mean, it’s important to have at least a foot of base materials to work with as well as a solid setting bed of sand before trying to install a concrete driveway. If this seems excessive, just ask yourself how insidious water can be as it worms its way into the cracks of your driveway. And speaking of water…
2.Point the pour downward.
Flat concrete pours result in potholes and a lot of stagnant, standing water. To eliminate this, make sure to pour your new driveway at a downward angle away from the house and towards the street’s drainage system. A 1/8 inch angle usually does the trick.
3.Install your driveway sooner rather than later.
As it turns out, the muggy humidity and high temperatures that characterize August are ideal for pouring concrete. These factors all contribute to the concrete bonding sufficiently and there’s less chance of precipitation that can ruin the blend, so if you were toying with the idea of pouring a new driveway, seize the day! Finally…
4. Don’t forget the finishing touches.
A lot of people look at DIY projects as a “get this unpleasant thing done as soon as possible for the cheapest amount and then move on.” But this is a bad ethos to adopt when you’re pouring a new driveway. For example, it is very important to allow a good curing time of 24 to 48 hours where there is little to no interference with the concrete. This is also the time to add any detail work you might have been thinking about, such as texture via concrete stencils or cement stain.
We hope this is enough to get you started. Please comment below with any tips we may have missed and pictures of your triumphant driveway creations.