Concrete Driveways

The concrete driveways NJ has become an essential part of a landscaping plan that imparts an inviting image. Your driveways NJ is an important part of your landscaping because it gives guests and neighbors a first impression of your home. It is also likely that your driveway will be driven on every day. That means in addition to looking good, it needs to be durable and functional. The width and layout of your driveway will impact how accessible your home is. There are a variety of layout options for residential driveways you can choose from to accommodate your needs. Your next decision is to choose the best material to use to pave your driveway, considering your budget and design goals. The material you select for your driveway also must durable enough to resist tire marks, oil drips and chemicals.

Facts to be considered in a driveway:

Planning

The quality of the completed concrete driveway always begins with good planning. Spending time at this stage can help to eliminate possible problems later on in the construction process. One of the first things to consider is the size of the driveway.

Site Preparation

When the basic driveway design has been decided, the next step is site preparation. As an example, let’s assume that an existing asphalt driveway is being replaced with a traditional, broom-textured concrete driveway. In brief, this is how a typical site preparation works.

Quality Concrete

• Compressive strength - adequate strength for most climates
• Air content - designate air content in all climates. In addition to improving the long term durability of the concrete, air content also improves the workability, without the need for adding water.
• Slump - be sure to designate slump. For driveway paving, specify four inch slump.
• Aggregates - designate the size of the coarse aggregate. Can be ordered to help prevent pop-outs.

Placing & Finishing

When placing the driveway, ready mixed concrete should be delivered and discharged as quickly as possible. One to 1 and a half hours is usually a reasonable time frame. The following is the sequence for placing and finishing the new driveway.

Spray or brush all forms with form oil, and moisten the subgrade with water. Do not over water. There should be no puddles or standing water on the subgrade before placing the concrete. The concrete should be placed as near as possible to its finished position, either chuted directly, or into wheelbarrows and wheeled to its final location. Use of shovels is recommended to ensure complete filling along the sides of the forms. At this point, edges can be tooled into the concrete. Surface bleed water must evaporate before proceeding with the final finishing. 

Curing

Curing is one of the most important and also the most often neglected phase of good concrete construction. Poorly cured concrete is more likely to crack and will not be as durable.

A driveway is a great way to welcome guests and direct people's focus to your home, putting it on display. The design can range from simple and functional to one that incorporates sweeping curves that add interest to the overall look of your home and front yard.