Parking your car at the end of the day in your driveway is probably one of the best feelings an individual experiences as now you can relax at home and get some food while at it. But pay attention to your driveway and what it needs as well. If you see cracks popping out then search your area for
concrete driveway repair in Aurora, an example you edit according to your location and get the best available experts at your doorstep.
- Prior to commencing any work for the driveway, survey the intended area and formulate what all needs to be done and what equipment, tools and raw materials you’ll need. The subgrade should be the priority here and has to be of the highest quality else it will start to crack and chip away. Check for support, even thickness of the slab, and cracks in its construction.
- All soft spots that are visible should be replaced with gravel or crushed up rocks. These gravel or crushed rocks should have a thickness of at least 3 inches in the subgrade. The thickness can vary depending on the surface, soil, temperature ranges etc. Get the soil looked at to better determine how to process with this.
- Do not start any work on completely dry surfaces. Spray the area with water as this will help any excess seepage from the concrete. Machines such as rammers and plate compactors are essential in compacting the subgrade.
- Once the subgrade is prepared, next comes the concrete mix that will be laid on top of it. It is essential that the quantity is just right else the structure will not be strong enough and this whole task will be in vain.
- Furthermore, to prevent cracks from popping up all over the surface, control joints installed strategically which are spaced out at a maximum of 10 feet. These cracks will not impact the structural integrity of the slab but are not a good sight to look at so such things should tended over time.
- Avoid triangular or rectangular patterns as they tend to mix up joints and cause issues but the depth of the control joint is paramount to the durability of the driveway. The professional should cut these joints a quarter of the thickness of the slab. And remember to have the driveway merge with a pavement on both ends, namely the sidewalk and the garage door.
- Use steel reinforcements as these will provide some extra needed support and strength to the structure. These are not capable of preventing cracks but can certainly hold the entire structure together and not let it break. Reinforcements can be in the form of wire mesh or steel rebars in the form of a grid with blocks kept underneath whatever you take regardless.
- At the end of that day, the success and long term life of the driveway will depend on its thickness. A minimum of 4 inches is mandatory for any driveway to survive but if you do decide to increase to 5, the cost of concrete and other raw materials will go up but the entire structure becomes stronger and its load bearing capacity will go up as well.
- Thickness of the edges is also not to be overlooked and consider increasing that as well from its regular height.
- Most mishaps regarding this job happen while finishing the driveway by overworking the freshly minted surface or applying finishing touches while there is till excess water on the surface which lead it to seep and weaken the entire structure.
- Any finishing process includes,
- Levelling the concrete to obtain a smooth and uniform surface with the help of a screed.
- Use wood or magnesium prior to any bleed water accumulating
- Finish off with some textured finish that helps improve traction of the surface with objects that come in contact with it. This can be achieved by using something as simple as a broom or complex like some pre-planned design.
- Angle the entire driveway in such a way it is sloped towards a corner which eliminates the risk of water collecting and stagnating on it surface. Make sure it is angled in such a way that the water drains out in an easy fashion and doesn’t harm someone else or their property.
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