How to Install a Concrete Driveway

Concrete does not need a lot of maintenance and is one of the most durable construction materials available for building a driveway. Installation of a concrete driveway adds not only function, but also value to your home. When correctly installed, a concrete drive can last for years with minimal maintenance. However, it is important to prepare the area before beginning the installation.

Supplies:

• Hammer


• Wooden stakes


• String


• Shovel


• Rake


• #57 stone


• Tamper one-by-six inch lumber


• Saw 


• #three rebar


• Wire ties


• Cement


• Two by four screed


• Bull float


• Expansion strips


• Concrete jointing tool


• Trowel


• Broom

Base

1. Determine the size and placement of the driveway and stake it off using wooden stakes. A new stake should be placed at any change in elevation. The first 10 feet of a driveway must slope away from any structures for proper drainage. Tie a piece of your string on the stake nearest the building. Level the line with the surface of the new driveway. Dig out the driveway to the required depth. The minimum thickness is eight inches, four inches for stone and four inches for concrete.


2. Install the stone base in the excavated area with #57 construction stone. Level out the stone with your shovel and rake. Employ a Bobcat for larger jobs.


3. Use a compactor to compact the stone.

Concrete

1. Build the concrete forms out of one by six-inch lumber. Line the top edges even with the string installed earlier. Add wood stakes to the outer side of the form about every four to six feet to hold it securely in place. Nail the form boards to the stakes using drywall nails.


2. Install the expansion strips at five foot intervals.


3. Install the #three rebar. It should be laid out in a grid every six to eight inches. Use wire tires to secure the rebar at the cross joints. Place the rebar in the center of the pour.


4. Call the local cement company and have the concrete delivered as it is poured. Rake and shovel it to even it out as much as possible. Screed the concrete with a two by four board to level it. This is done with a sawing movement. Use the top of the forms as the guide for the screed.


5. Use the bull float to work the surface of the concrete.


6. Transfer any high spots of concrete with a shovel to low spots while the mixture is still wet.


7. Install expansion joints with a joint cutting tool, if pre-made expansion strips were not installed prior to the pour. These control joints can also be cut later after the concrete dries with a concrete saw. These are necessary as they prevent cracking when the concrete is under stress.


8. Trowel off the surface of the concrete to smooth it. As the concrete dries, pull a stiff broom across the wet concrete to create what is known as a broom finish. This will add traction to the driveway by creating a rough surface.


9. Cover the concrete with burlap and allow it to cure. Once it is dry, remove the forms and use the removed topsoil to fill around the new driveway. This can take several days, depending on the weather conditions.