Plain Concrete Done Right - With A Touch of Class

Cory Grant

May 13, 20222 min read

Removing and replacing a concrete driveway can be tricky at the best of times. There are a lot of variables and unknowns. Some of these include:-

- The depth of the slab?

- Is it reinforced?

- Is it tied into the structure or walls? - Are there pipes or wires running through the concrete? - Can we get the machinery into the area or will it need to be removed by hand?

These are just some of them. This project in Labrador that was built in the 1970‘s had many of these in the one project, but you out can’t tell just by looking at the area. It takes experience and flexibility to tackle such projects hassle free.

THE SCOPE

The client had an existing driveway that was very bits having been poured in multiple sections and also a pretty serious drainage problem.

The plan of attack was to…

- Remove the existing driveway.

- Re-grade to the correct falls.

- Install a new strip drain and connect up to the stormwater line near the driveway

- Pour the new driveway in plain concrete with a sponged finish. - Add geometric, decorative cuts to add visual interest.

THE EXECUTION

Day 1:

With removal against any structure, we run full depth cuts along them. This makes sure that nothing is tied in and limits consequential damage when excavating.

Areas with limited space are usual broken up with a jackhammer or a small machine. We have found that in most cases, a jackhammer is faster and less invasive.

The broken concrete was then dumped in the driveway for removal by the large machinery. In this case we used a 5 tonne excavator.

Once removed, the area was based up with road base and compacted thoroughly.

The concrete turned out to be up to 200mm thick in spots and this is where experience is necessary. The machine struggled to lift areas but with a combination of saw-cutting and jackhammering at strategic points, the slab broke up just enough to remove it.

Access was also very tight and extra care had to be taken not to hit any walls as the machine took out the large chunks of concrete.

Once based, the drains were set in place, as was the mesh, ready for the concrete.

Day 2:

There chairs were placed just prior to placing and all went well on the pour. Expansion cuts were added at strategic points to give the slab the ability to shrink and avoid cracking.

The sponge texture was also applied.