How Thick Should You Pour Your Own Concrete Driveway To Withstand Heavy Vehicles?

Posted by elsina.jenkins@yahoo.com on in concreting, exposed aggregate drivewats

Without a doubt, a new concrete driveway or driveway replacement is a great investment for your home or business property. Concrete has great curb appeal, lasts almost forever, needs very little maintenance, is easy to clean, and incredibly strong as well. If you have never poured your own concrete you would be surprised to know that is fairly easy and most of the work is done in the preparation phase getting everything ready. Here are some tips you can use if you’re interested in pouring your own concrete driveway.

Take the Time Prepare Everything In Advance

Everything in the preparation phase can be taken slowly, done right, check and rechecked since there is no hurry. The first step is to measure out the area where you wish to pour your driveway and dig it out to a depth of about 5 inches. You can pour a driveway that is only 4 inches thick and as long as no heavy vehicles use it you’ll never have a problem. But a 5 inch thick concrete slab driveway can handle nearly any vehicle possible without a problem.

Once the entire area has been excavated down you’ll need to box it in using forms that will be used to hold the concrete in place as it sets. Make sure that there is some slope to driveway, to one side or the other, so that rainwater won’t puddle in the middle. Use a hand compactor to tamp down any soft soil to prevent the soil from settling in the future and causing cracks in your driveway.

When pouring your driveway, it’s important to have at least one or two experienced people that have done a concrete pour in the past because they know just what to do and how to do it without being told. In addition to that, you should have plenty of helpers on hand that know how to use a wheelbarrow, shovel, rake, and other hand tools to help to get the job done in a timely manner. Have all the tools that you need ready beforehand so that you aren’t left scrambling when the truck full of concrete
arrives.

Order the Concrete That The Manufacture Recommends

When you talk to your concrete supplier he will most likely recommend a 4000 psi concrete with 4.5 slump for your driveway. This is the especially strong mix that will be able to withstand heavy vehicles without cracking. Once the truck arrives at your home have them back as close to your pour as possible and get your helpers ready to wheelbarrow the mix into all parts of your forms.

Then take a 2 x 4 that can stretch between the forms and use it to level out the concrete from edge to edge leaving no gaps or spaces. You can also use the 2 x 4 to help push the gravel lower and leave the sand-cement mixture on top in order for it to be finished when it’s ready.

Up until now, almost anyone can do the job of pouring their own concrete driveway. However, the final finish is something that should be done by someone with a little bit of experience and the right tools. If you already know someone be sure and invite them over to help you finish your driveway in a manner that you can be proud of for the next 50 years. Otherwise, you can hire professional concrete finishers to come and do just that portion of the job.

Estimating The Cost Of Concrete Driveways

Posted by elsina.jenkins@yahoo.com on in concrete, concreting, exposed aggregate drivewats

 

If you are planning on building a driveway there are several factors you need to consider with the type of primary material to be used being the most important. Nowadays, there are several options available; however, most people will narrow the choice to one between concrete and asphalt. As price tends to be a significant issue, you will need to estimate the cost of each type of driveway. This article will provide information on how to effectively determine the overall cost of concrete driveways.

The biggest aspect to consider when estimating the cost of a new concrete driveway is the amount of concrete to be used. This may be a fairly simple point to examine as all you need to do is figure out how many square feet the driveway will be. It is basic mathematics in the majority of cases, but if you have an oddly-shaped driveway the estimate may be more complicated. You can check out Concreters Melbourne Website

It is also important to take into account how thick you will need the driveway to be. The standard thickness for concrete driveways is four inches; however, if you will be parking heavy-duty vehicles such as trucks on the driveway, it may be better to opt for six inches. Using simple math, this is a simple calculation – all you need do is multiply the square footage of the concrete driveway by its overall thickness in feet. The result will be the amount of concrete you will need in cubic feet. Due to concrete being normally priced by cubic feet, you will need to divide the number by 27.

Of course, there is far more to building a concrete driveway than the cost of the concrete material; You need professionals check out Concreters Melbourne website, you will also need to take into account the cost of the sand. Sand is necessary as a base material on which the concrete will be poured and typically three inches of sand is required for an average driveway. The standard cost of sand is $15/cubic yard, so the average price would be approximately $275. Furthermore, you should consider the cost of the cement used to combine the concrete and sand, with the delivery service if you are not fetching the sand yourself.

So far, in the estimation of concrete driveway costs, it has been assumed that you will be building the driveway independently. This means that the forms, mixing the cement, and pouring the cement will be completed by you. If, however, you have chosen to hire a professional to complete these tasks, it is recommended that you take the cost of this service into account. This additional expense will affect the price of the concrete driveway dramatically.

In addition to the laying of cement, sand, and cost of services, the amount of base building needs to be taken into account. Before a person can begin to pour concrete for a driveway, it is necessary to lay a base. This base needs to be excavated to an average depth of 8-20 inches, but the depth will depend on the climate and then you will need to place gravel on top to compact the area. The average cost can be between $1,500-$5,000 according to the depth and if any pipes need to be moved.