Install a concrete driveway
Concrete driveways are low maintenance and create permanent additions to your home that not only add to its appearance but give a safe place to ride and park vehicles. A concrete driveway will look good for many years and how good the driveway looks will rely on the quality of material used to create it and the kind of workmanship. Without proper construction and installation, one only lowers the look and life of their Concrete driveways.
Concrete Driveway
What makes a concrete driveway strong? Well, there are certain tips and guidelines to follow when you install a concrete driveway.
Make the driveway plan- Start with a plan for your driveway to make it durable, functional and aesthetically pleasing. For example, if your home is near a blind corner, you would want a circle drive so as to make the driveway wide enough for the car. If the driveway is sloping, one needs to pay special attention to drainage in order to prevent moisture build up and soil erosion. There might be obstructions are in the way of your project such as the rocks or trees. Thus, it is essential to curve around those obstacles and plan beforehand. Check with the local jurisdictional bodies and do a cost estimate of the driveway before you apart with the actual project.
Inspect the soil characteristics of the site – It is observed that soft, loamy soils and sandy soils need more support for the driveway. One can add sand or gravel to loamy material and clay to sandy soils to build to their strength. There should be a uniformity, in soil composition and compaction in order to create a properly prepared subgrade. Uniformity in soil composition and compaction will create a good subgrade that will provide the adequate support and prevent slab settlement or any structural cracking,
Good material and quality of workmanship – how good will the driveway look and how long will it last will rely on the material you use and the workmanship quality. Use the right and correct concrete mix as the quality will impact the performance and longevity of the driveway. Make sure that the driveway is placed at a spacing of 10 feet and the joints are placed correctly in order to prevent random cracking. Cracks are not only damaging to the surface of the driveway but are an eyesore too. Do not go for joint patterns that create rectangular or triangular sections. Pay attention to the depth of control joints which is also critical. An isolation joint should be placed where the driveway meets the garage floor slab, the sidewalk or any other existing pavements.
Many contractors use steel reinforcement to provide additional structural capacity. This is very essential for those driveways that are exposed to heavy traffic. While the reinforcement technique will not stop cracks, but can hold them together if they do occur for a longer time. Synthetic fibers used in the driveways have proven to be beneficial as they lower the shrinkage cracks. The thickness of the concrete is a major factor and the minimum thickness recommended is of 4 inches. The biggest mistake one makes when installing a concrete driveway is overworking the surface and performing finishing operations which can damage the surface.
