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When you opt for concrete for your driveway, you can expect it to be long-lasting, attractive, and affordable, and it will only be after decades that you have to start looking at concrete driveway repair as concrete is a lifetime driveway material.
The primary question in opting for a concrete driveway over other kinds of driveways is what will it cost? Will it last? Will you be spending all your days on concrete driveway repair? What do you need to know about a concrete driveway?
These days cost is an important deciding factor when choosing what kind of driveway you want. Concrete is going to last for many years with very little maintenance. It is also popular for different commercial and domestic projects. Ideally, when you choose to install a concrete driveway, it will last you a lifetime and concrete driveway repair will be something that you don’t have to often think about.
Elements That Jeopardize Your Driveway
As with any kind of driveway you install, there will be conditions that can jeopardize its lifespan and result in discoloration and cracking. Every driveway is going to be subjected to weather conditions, and in some countries, these can be severe.
With a concrete driveway, even a structurally sound, strong driveway like this may well require some repairs over its lifetime. Some small cracks and holes aren’t going to mean that you have to take up your entire driveway. There are fillers and patches that every DIYer will be able to apply to fix these imperfections and restore the driveway to its beautiful look.
Serious cracks will need to be repaired as water can seep in and cause further damage. With a concrete driveway, if you spot standing water, it may well be a sign that the concrete foundation is failing.
Unfortunately, the water will cause more damage the longer it stands there. If you see standing water like this, it is, unfortunately, a sign that your concrete needs to be repaired or replaced as soon as possible.
Concrete Driveway Repair
With concrete driveway repair, large cracks and holes, as well as discoloration, can be repaired simply by resurfacing or applying a concrete overlay over the existing concrete.
With this resurfacing, you can still add your decorative finishes such as colored concrete or stamping. So you can repair your concrete driveway to ‘like-new without installing an entirely new concrete driveway. Sometimes concrete driveway repair will require recoloring to restore your concrete to its original beautiful colors. There are a few things that can cause your concrete to discolor.
These can be –
- Weathering
- The wrong color application in the first place. That is why it is so important to choose an expert concrete driveway specialist in the first place. You want to choose an accredited concrete expert that is fastidious when it comes to the detail with concrete. These experts know how to produce a uniform concrete surface for driveways. Their expertise allows them to install your concrete driveway correctly the first time around. The best concrete paving contractors finish the surface to job specifications. The best ones have a bachelor’s degree and are always licensed. They have professional knowledge of concrete as well as project management and have completed all kinds of courses in concrete paving design, structural evaluation, and rehabilitation. When it comes to concrete driveway repair, they have already worked on many job sites. They also belong to organizations such as the American Concrete Paving Association (ACPA) and others.
- Sun exposure
- Grease and oil stains from vehicles parked on it.
Avoid Structural Damage
If your old concrete driveway is showing signs of aging and is in a state of disrepair, you’ll notice holes, cracks, and stains. These cracks and holes could spell structural damage.
If you want to ensure that your concrete driveway always looks its best, it is important to rather do a simple concrete driveway repair job than wait for it to become a major costly replacement job.
A concrete driveway repair job will involve grinding down the top of the concrete that is there and then adding a new top. Concrete driveway repair is the perfect way to tackle cracks, holes, and stains. With a driveway replacement, it will mean the removal of the entire driveway and then replacing it with a new one.
You can just imagine that replacing a concrete driveway instead of a concrete driveway repair can be time-consuming and expensive.
Cost To Repave Driveway
Repaving is a much more expensive way to fix a driveway. It will require the services of a professional paving contractor and this can be costly. Repaving becomes a necessity when your driveway has been damaged badly over the years.
It will require ripping open the old concrete and laying a new one. There are lots of awesome concrete driveway ideas for a new modern concrete driveway but the soil below the removed debris will need to be leveled to form a smooth, even base.
A layer of gravel will be laid on top of the soil. The cost to replace the old concrete driveway and to install a new one will be roughly between $2 000 and $8 000. The cost of a regular concrete driveway is between $4 and $13 dollars per square foot give or take.
Stamped concrete is always more and it will be roughly $18 per square foot.
If you are wanting to avoid a replacement job, go outside and have a look at the cracks. There is every chance you can get away with a repair job if the cracks turn out to be surface-level. This kind of driveway damage indicates that the damage is just on the surface and that it hasn’t affected the underlying foundation.
Time For Concrete Driveway Expert
If you find that the cracks do in fact go to the foundation, then it may mean a replacement. Unfortunately, if you dilly dally, the cracks can get larger. Once again, as already suggested, it is best to first get advice from a reputable concrete driveway expert.
Most of the best ones offer free estimates. It can give you peace of mind regarding your driveway. You will know once and for all whether it’s a concrete driveway repair job or a full replacement job.
Many homeowners have also seen concrete sinking. Unfortunately, issues with the foundation of the driveway will require more than a simple concrete driveway repair. A specialized concrete paving expert with the right equipment can take care of your concrete driveway.
Certainly, if a part of your concrete driveway moves when you put pressure on it, it will require replacement. This shifting is telling you that there is underlying damage to the foundation.
The time it takes to repair a concrete driveway will depend on whether you need a repair or replacement. You always have to wait for the right weather conditions too. There are some concrete driveway repairs that can take just one day to repair.
A replacement will take a day or two longer. Whenever you do a driveway repair job or a replacement job, you have to wait a week or so before you drive on the surface. It is always a good idea to wait a while, even a month before you haul all your heavy vehicles onto the surface.
Lots Of Concrete Driveway Ideas
If you think of concrete as colorless, cold, and boring to look at, you will find that this is a total misconception. A modern concrete driveway can be colored to give you very attractive results. And you can give it interesting textures and a host of different patterns.
When concrete is used correctly and the DIYer understands how to level the ground and get the correct slope, it makes a good-looking, efficient driveway. If you rope in the services of a paving contractor, they are skilled and knowledgeable with all the most modern tools and equipment to give you concrete paving that will make you a proud
When it comes to concrete driveway ideas, concrete is amazingly versatile and can be made to resemble other popular products such as stone, slate, or brick. With a modern concrete driveway, you get to benefit from the look of real masonry combined with the durability of concrete.
Driveways always look fantastic with this unique printing technique on concrete. . The concrete surfaces are also sealed which assists in protecting the paving from weather and oil stains for instance.
With so many colors and patterns to choose from you can bet the imprinted concrete looks far more aesthetically appealing than standard concrete.
All concrete driveways will need control joints which are installed every few feet on all concrete jobs. This is to prevent cracks from appearing. With concrete pavers, you don’t have that problem because pavers have joints everywhere. With concrete pavers, if there is any kind of damage, you can easily dig up the area and fix the problem easily.
So Many Good Reasons To Choose Concrete
There are many benefits to be derived from going for concrete paving. One is its durability and its ability to cope well under all weather conditions. Maybe it’s due to concrete driveway thickness? How thick is a concrete driveway?
After all, you may have heard that a cracked driveway seems to be quite a very common problem with concrete. That is why when it comes to concrete driveway thickness, you are required to ensure that the concrete is a decent thickness to avoid this.
The contractor is always going to ask you several questions about your concrete driveway repair and how you intend to use the driveway. Are you looking to park a whole lot of cars on the driveway or just one or two?
To make certain your concrete driveway is in top shape and lasts well for a long time to come, concrete driveway thickness is a critical specification that your contractor will take into account.
Any problem-free concrete driveway has to start with solid and proper construction and from a reputable licensed paving company. Of course, there will be ground preparation too to ensure that the concrete isn’t weakened. Concrete is always stronger when it is thick.
So the short answer for how thick should a concrete driveway be – 4 inches is standard. If you want to use your driveway for heavier vehicles and it’s a commercial driveway then you will want more than 4 inches. You’ll need 5, 6, 7, or 8 inches.
The thickness of a concrete driveway plays a major role in determining its strength. Your paving contractor will make sure that there are concrete expansion joints included to help it offer more resistance to cracking.
When you move into a home that already has a concrete driveway, if it is showing signs of disrepair, you may wonder if it requires a repair job or whether you should replace your concrete driveway.
True, concrete is known for its durability and versatility and also for being totally customizable. You can give it exactly the looks you want.
At Some Time, Repairs Will Be Required
However, throughout the concrete driveway’s lifetime, at some or other time, concrete driveway repair will be required. Many homeowners believe that a concrete driveway is forever and that it can be abused because of its longevity.
However, because of heavy use, lack of maintenance, and exposure to the elements, it may need repair work sooner than you anticipated. Concrete is a porous material, and with severe weather conditions and the continuous weight of vehicles, cracks start to appear. Over time, if homeowners don’t tackle these minor damages, they become significant issues.
Once you have a concrete drive, look after it. It may be tough but it can last you many more years if you fix those small cracks and holes right away. Moisture is concrete’s biggest problem so your first step should be to simply avoid sprinkler systems constantly watering your concrete driveway.
That is useful for avoiding dampness below the surface. Beautiful though they are, you want to also avoid putting in large shrubs or trees near your concrete driveway that can upset your concrete. Palm trees are always a great option as their root systems are highly unlikely to damage concrete. Their roots are thin too.
There are a few things you can do to look after your beautiful concrete driveway. With these few tips, you can steer clear of a concrete driveway repair job and simply admire your good-looking driveway year after year, decade after decade.
