How to Choose the Best Concrete Driveway

31 July 2015

Eugene Vargas

Choosing a concrete driveway for your property is an excellent idea due to its versatility, durability and aesthetically pleasing appearance.  Whether you want a driveway for your new home or you want to demolish the existing one and have a concrete driveway set up, there are various factors that you should consider when approaching a company for concrete driveway services.

It is important to have in mind what you want for your driveway so that you may receive satisfactory concrete driveway services from the company. These tips will help you to decide on the best concrete driveway.

Consider the purpose

It is important to determine what the driveway will be used for. This will determine its location and size. Will it be used as a parking for your cars or as a passage to get to the garage? Will you need a turning area? In some cases a driveway can double up as a play area too. These factors will help determine the best width for your driveway. If you have a new driver in your household, you might need a bigger driveway to facilitate easy turns. If you need your driveway for other uses, you should ensure that there is enough room.

Prep your landscape

Ensure that the ground where your driveway is to be built on is on uniform support. For newly constructed homes, there may be fresh and dirt on the driveway area. If this dirt is not properly compacted before placement of the concrete, it will cause the concrete to sink within a few years. This could end up costing you more for demolition and replacement.

Determine the strength of your concrete

The size and type of vehicles that will use the driveway should help you determine the strength of the concrete driveway. If it will be used by heavy and large automobiles such as trucks, you will need a concrete that can withstand the weight. The concrete used should be thick enough to prevent it from wearing out as a result of high pressure exerted on it. If you have standard size vehicles, you do not need to worry about the thickness of the concrete used.

Type of concrete mix

The type of concrete mix used will determine the strength and durability of your driveway. Ask the type of mix that your contractor uses. Do not be talked into cheap mixes that might lead to cracking of the concrete driveway within a short time. A good concrete mix should include fly ash and water-reducing admixtures that will provide workability of the concrete without addition of water and increase strength and durability of the concrete. Quality is essential; therefore, ensure you get the best.

Style and design

You should decide whether you want a plain broom finish or decorated finish for your concrete driveway. Choose the type of finish and color that best suits you depending on your style. A textured finish is suitable for traction and safety. Over-finishing your concrete driveway can increase the chances of surface problems such as delamination and scaling. You don't want to incur more costs in future remodeling your driveway as a result of using too much finish.

Once you have your expectations, ensure you share them with your potential contractor. This will help them prepare a reasonable proposal and quotation of the cost of services. Remember, selecting contractors like Jetline Kerbing Contractors could be your best assurance of getting a durable and well laid concrete driveway.

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