Help with concrete driveway – ur opinion
I have a double wide (15 ft) concrete driveway that has a 6 ft long 15 ft wide short section that some roots have cracked. It has another short section near to it that I will replace also. The total repair length will be about 15 ft wide and 10 ft long.
This is obviously a small job for concrete people.
If I rent a cement saw and cut it up myself, my trash people will take it away free. I think if a contractor does it, they have to haul it off.
If I take it up, should I put in some rocks and drive on it a while to packthe soil down in the new area?
Or should this whole job be handed over to someone hwo does it regularly.
Replies
"this whole job be handed
"this whole job be handed over to someone hwo does it regularly."
I think that's the answer.
DIY here. I've found nowadays that "no job is too small" for concrete contractors but local conditions vary.
Where's the fun in hiring someone else to do a hard,sweaty, dirty job? You can rent a plate compactor or even a small roller to compact the soil and base. Does the present drive have WW, mesh or rebar? It may be difficult to tie into the old slab. Consider if you want to drill into the existing slab and install rebar with epoxy. How thick is the existing slab.
What are you going to do about the pesky roots?
Hire a pro and you are likely going to be happy with the results but not having gained the experience and satisfaction of a tough job. Do it yourself and risk doing it twice, the second time with a pro.
How do you plan to deal with what caused your problem... the roots?
Ditto above.
Success with paving comes from one thing only: Subgrade preperation.
Tossing in "a few rocks" and the like is not a subgrade, not one that lasts. It's just the sort of thing that invites roots and the like to spoil all the expensive finish work on the concrete, too.
I've seen 2" of concrete 'work' but it was placed on about 18" of laterite roadbed, too. Was not the neatest of drives, but it was stable. I've seen 8" of concrete fail, too--that was placed on grass and soil in some very neat and complete formwork too.
But, that's me; others always differ.