Concrete.??....

[JDGreenGrass]

I have a house with a detached garage. I am thinking about haveing concrete poured like 8' or 12' out from the garage and house and the area in between.

Knowing that the tractor and oil truck, as well as vehicles would be travelling and parked on the concrete....how thick should the cement be poured.?? The rest of the 150' driveway would remain gravel or rock or crusher dust.

I really like that look and I think it would keep the garage and entry to the house a lot cleaner.

Comments on concrete driveways and cost are welcomed.

Thanks.

 

[pitt_md]

There might be some people in here that can tell you for sure what you need but why not just call a masson or cement company?

 

[JDGreenGrass]

There might be some people in here that can tell you for sure what you need but why not just call a masson or cement company?

Will do.

Though it is more fun hearing it from the masses here.

 

[Mousefield]

It could be what is under the cement that will determine if it will crack. Make sure it is solid and well compacted before you pour cement.

 

[honorbound]

6in thick with rebar. Not wire but actual 3/8 in rebar. Mack sure you have a good compacted base of stone.

 

[E/S]

You might want to consider fiber and rebar.

E/S

 

[Duffster]

I don't put much faith in fiber. Rebar is where it is at.

Like a previous poster said, 6'' with rebar. I prefer 1/2" in 6" of mud though.

 

[CBW1999]

If you want to invest in concrete, invest in an excellent base as well. You will want to evaluate drainage, place drain tile as indicated, the proper size stone base, geotextile, sand...

It isn't as easy as one might think (been there). Although the project you describe is fairly straight forward, if you do not do it right, you will regret it for a lifetime.

If it is possible, I would go look at some similar projects being done in your area to get an idea what is involved. usually a crew does not mind someone watching- as long as they don't get in the way. I agree with the idea of calling a local company as well and getting a detailed estimate. Sometimes having the professional do it while you sit back and enjoy a cold one (while taking notes) is well worth the investment.

Trust me- I have been looking at 3 yards of concrete for 8 years, that I wish I hadn't poured.

......No harm in using rebar and fiber mix- overkill maybe. definatly use 3500psi mix or greater.

 

[JDGreenGrass]

I am shying away already.!!

Well, actually I'm thinking about putting it to the pro's and sitting back with a cold one.!! Good advice right there.

We'll see. Probably won't be this year before the snow flies. I have a big concrete plant just up the road from where I work. I'll check in with them.

Stupid question here....Would I contact a mason to do the work for me.?? Or, a general contractor.??....To do the prep work.

It would be going onto a gravel driveway that has compacted over the years with a layer of recycled asphalt under some 1" gravel that I put down a year ago. It has all stayed in place pretty well. Good drainage.

Thanks.

 

[rimshot]

I am shying away already.!!

Well, actually I'm thinking about putting it to the pro's and sitting back with a cold one.!! Good advice right there.

We'll see. Probably won't be this year before the snow flies. I have a big concrete plant just up the road from where I work. I'll check in with them.

Stupid question here....Would I contact a mason to do the work for me.?? Or, a general contractor.??....To do the prep work.

It would be going onto a gravel driveway that has compacted over the years with a layer of recycled asphalt under some 1" gravel that I put down a year ago. It has all stayed in place pretty well. Good drainage.

Thanks.

===================================

4" proves adequate if your vehicles that drive on this flatwork doesn't exceed the weight of a small pickup or car. If your gas truck visits regularly there is an obvious advantage to and you might consider 5 or 6". Opinions on this topic will vary and many factors will have to be weighed such as reinforcing and soil compaction as well bearing capabilities. For outside pours like driveways in colder climates like Maine use air entrained concrete with at least 5 1/2 or 6 sacks to the yard. Your local ready mix company can help you here.

rim

 

[scoutcub]

Recently had this discussion with my concrete sub, I'm considering an "apron" also between house and detached garage.
As many have pointed out, the base is the key. Rebar. For my vehicles, (diesel dually) with a truck camper we were looking at 6".
I would be concerned with the oil truck driving on it....obviously not very often, but that's a lot of weight. Is there any way they can approach without driving on it? I would consider 6" at a minimum.....

 

[Egon]

Doing the base work yourself may save some money.:thumbsup:

Let a contractor set the forms, do the pour and finishing. Pay for the concrete yourself though and not through the contractor.

Contractor will have forms and all the proper tools as well as a fellow who knows how to handle the chute. [or should have] :thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[rtdiggr]

Prices in my area are 6-7 dollars per sq foot.

there has already been some great advice here,

consider concrete as a one time purchase so do it right the 1st time.

What i did:

6inch, 5/8 rebar every 16" on centre [yes way overkill but i only want to do this once]
air entrained cement, 32mpa i can't remember what this converts to in psi, i do know most basement and garage floors are 25 mpa.
I also added a hardner which brings the surface hardness to around 50 mpa.

again all overkill but i don't want any cracks and i don't want to do it again.

i do have a 12000lbs car lift and if i ever need to drive a forklift throught it i will have to worry.

And of course a good base is important.

Shane

 

[woody]

my local concrete company has a list of people to do that kind of work that they trust. give the one down the road a call bet they will help you out.

 

[RobertN]

It is not IF concrete will crack, but WHEN...

As mentioned, the base and preparation is as important, if not more so, than the actual concrete.

It could be what is under the cement that will determine if it will crack.

 

[Oliver1655]

One of the posters mentioned a drain field. Another thing to remember is the volume of water that will collect on the slab you will need to provide drainage for to keep it from affecting your garage and home's foundations.

My recommendations:
- Well compacted base
- 1/2" rebar on 24" centers
- 3000 psi
- 6" thick

Consider pouring it in strips. This will help with controlling cracks from expansion and contraction. Normally for exposed slabs, expansion joints are cut in on 10' centers.

A light "Broom" finish on top will decrease hydroplaning when wet. (Walking as well as stopping vehicles.)

If you have never poured concrete before I would recommend having a contractor do it. This will be a highly visible area and you and your wife will want to be proud of it.

After the pour, spray a sealer on it. It will help keep the concrete from curing too fast and will make it easier to clean the concrete later.

 

[Gary Fowler]

All excellent advice albeit some are a little overkill. 6" slab with 4000 PSI concrete is what I would recommend. I have had good experience with the nylon fiber that completely replaces the rebar in concrete slabs on grade. I was QC Manager on a project south of Lima Peru (earthquake zone 5) and we had a few quakes while I was there one of which was and 8.0. We had 8" slabs for fabrication shops that routinely had 40 ton lift capacity cranes on it and we never had a crack from stress and these slabs were several hundred feet long and wide poured on a compacted rock base. The fiber seemed to limit the surface crazing (shrinkage cracks) also. We saw cut on 20 foot centers. The fiber is not cheap but saves labor on rebar installation. If you are using salt for deicing, use a sulfate resistant cement Type III or IV which should be available from your concrete supplier at same cost as Type II. If someone had poor experience with fiber, then they likely didnt have the proper amount of fiber in the mix. Most knowledgeable civil engineers will tell you that rebar in a slab on grade does not contribute to the strength of the concrete as far as preventing cracks from shrinkage. It simply holds the pieces together when it cracks so they dont migrate apart to form larger cracks. Any crack in a slab no mater how minute that is exposed to water and a freeze / thaw cycle should be immediately sealed to prevent water egress which will eventually cause the whole slab to fail if left to the elements. If you are not experienced at placing concrete, it is best to get a crew to place it for you. Even if you form it and place the reinforcement, having a crew with the right number of people and tools is essential for good concrete. Also dont forget to thicken the edges anywhere you will be driving up on it or off of it. I would put in a grade beam around the whole perimeter at least 12 " thick x 12 wide and then taper at a 45 angle up to the 6" slab thickness so that would be 18" total including the taper. Dont forget to chamfer the edges with 3/4 or 1" chamfer strips nailed to your forms so the sharp edges are softened.

 

[nap61]

My new drive crosses a sloping area of my property. I put two six inch drain pipes at the lowest point of the slope under the drive. I also put several three inch pvc pipes under the drive in case I want to cross the area with water or electric lines.
Since you will have a large truck on the slab, even if only occasionally, I would go with a 6" slab and either rebar or 6" X 6" wire mesh.

Norm

 

[MichiganIron]

One big contributor to cracking concrete is the amount of water in the mix. This is determined by the "slump" of the concrete out of the truck. Many flatwork contractors like to add a little extra water to the mix to make it easier to place and finish. Extra water leads to extra shrinkage as the concrete cures, and causes cracking. There is a devise called a Slump Cone that is used by testing companies to QA Concrete for industrial applications. For the home owner, take a shovel of the mix and drop it about 1 foot onto the ground. It shouldn't slump more than 4" to be a good mix. If it's wet, it will crack, regardless of how much mesh, fiber, rebar, or anything else you have.

 

[bjr]

From my experience, I would have small slope to get the melting snow and rain to run off. You'll be glad you did. And No Cracks are almost next to impossible to avoid, so, just be happy with what you get. bjr