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Pouring a sloped driveway.......

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TheLastDaze

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
First off I've never poured concrete before other then sidewalks and some short pads so my experience is a joke compared to you guys... With that said I've been in construction for over 20yrs and have done pretty much everything so I'm not to concerned with my ability's but I'm a little nervous tackling this thing.. The slopes not crazy but its a hill nonetheless, I'm figuring 3/8" rebar 2' on center and 3500psi with 4" slump.. Can I use the fiber reinforced crete instead of steel??

Here's my plan for finishing, most of it will be 13' wide so I was going to screed it, use a bull float and just broom it... sounds easy enough but I know I'm in for it...

any advice you guys could throw my way would be awesome..
Image


btw, this is my drive and I plan to sell my house so funds are super limited to hire it out...
 
#3 ·
Sub-base should equal slab thickness so around here we excavate min 12" and supply 3/4" washed stone base - 6" base firmly tamped / 6" 4000psi for drives. Your slump is fine.

Fiber can be substituted for rebar but a broom finish has the tendency to pull surface fiber up and it can be noticeable. We prefer magnesium trowel finish over a broom finish any day of the week because it allows better consolidation of the surface and a much better look IMO.

Slabs should be properly edged and grooved to a depth of D/.25 so that mean 1 1/4" for your application. Your could also saw-cut a shallower groover later on to meet this requirement.

Divide your cuts/grooves @ 10ft and install .5 x 6" expansion every 20ft.

Buy a couple cases of beer - your gonna need it :laughing:
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
jlsconstruction said:
Form it in sections, like every 10 feet. You should use 6" not 4". And re-mesh not re-rod
Click to expand...
so only pour 10' at a time per day?? or are you talking using an expansion joint like redwood or something every 10'.. and by mesh you're talking wire over rebar right?? thanks

superseal said:
Sub-base should equal slab thickness so around here we excavate min 12" and supply 3/4" washed stone base - 6" base firmly tamped / 6" 4000psi for drives. Your slump is fine.

Fiber can be substituted for rebar but a broom finish has the tendency to pull surface fiber up and it can be noticeable. We prefer magnesium trowel finish over a broom finish any day of the week because it allows better consolidation of the surface and a much better look IMO.

Slabs should be properly edged and grooved to a depth of D/.25 so that mean 1 1/4" for your application. Your could also saw-cut a shallower groover later on to meet this requirement.

Divide your cuts/grooves @ 10ft and install .5 x 6" expansion every 20ft.

Buy a couple cases of beer - your gonna need it :laughing:
Click to expand...
sounds like you have it down pat and guys are doing it right.. this gravel/dirt road has been in place now for almost 6 yrs so its packed down bigtime, I don't want to do a shoddy job to leave for the new owner but I also want to do it as efficiently as possible..
 
#7 ·
TheLastDaze said:
so only pour 10' at a time per day?? or are you talking using an expansion joint like redwood or something every 10'.. and by mesh you're talking wire over rebar right?? thanks


sounds like you have it down pat and guys are doing it right.. this gravel/dirt road has been in place now for almost 6 yrs so its packed down bigtime, I don't want to do a shoddy job to leave for the new owner but I also want to do it as efficiently as possible..
Click to expand...
Yes, expansion strip... also 10' sections are more manageable.
 
#11 ·
TheLastDaze said:
so only pour 10' at a time per day?? or are you talking using an expansion joint like redwood or something every 10'.. and by mesh you're talking wire over rebar right?? thanks


sounds like you have it down pat and guys are doing it right.. this gravel/dirt road has been in place now for almost 6 yrs so its packed down bigtime, I don't want to do a shoddy job to leave for the new owner but I also want to do it as efficiently as possible..
Click to expand...
Well, it sounds like its packed that's for sure, but the real issue is sub-base drainage. Poor quality sub-base can be unstable, drain poorly and highly susceptible to freeze/thaw heaving and settlement.

Have you thought about blacktop? buddy of mine could probably give you a new drive for what your gonna pay in materials and labor - that looks like quite a big drive.
 
#12 · (Edited)
TheLastDaze said:
LOL...!!!

Yeah I'm thinking 4 days is more like it.. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
97 yds. I don't know how many guys you have but we do around 20 sq a day. So 4 to 5 days sounds about right.

no I'm not saying do 10' a day, but if you are really worried about slope you can form it up in 10' sections and poor every other one. Then fill in the other sections the next day. That being said it only works if the truck can get around the driveway.
If all else fails black top.
 
Discussion starter · #13 ·
I've thought about blacktop years ago but it seems to me concrete is cheaper, and blacktop seems like more maintenance..

maybe I'll have to get an estimate and if it falls within reason I'll just be done with it..
 
#15 ·
Pricing around here your talking 12k for concrete, $2500 for re-mesh, $2000 re-rod, $1000 form wood. I'm guessing you don't have stakes so that's about $2000 unless you use wood ones but good luck. $500 for random crap ( form oil. Nails, tie wire etc.) And estimating on employee labor at around $2000 so that's $22000.

Black top youre talking 12000 to 15000. I'm not trying to talk you out of anything but if you are selling is the concrete drive way going to add 7 to 10 grand in property value
 
Discussion starter · #17 ·
jlsconstruction said:
Pricing around here your talking 12k for concrete, $2500 for re-mesh, $2000 re-rod, $1000 form wood. I'm guessing you don't have stakes so that's about $2000 unless you use wood ones but good luck. $500 for random crap ( form oil. Nails, tie wire etc.) And estimating on employee labor at around $2000 so that's $22000.

Black top youre talking 12000 to 15000. I'm not trying to talk you out of anything but if you are selling is the concrete drive way going to add 7 to 10 grand in property value
Click to expand...
I'm figuring around 70yds with 4" pour, I'll keep it thicker and slope the grade at the edges but for the most part 4"..

I get concrete for $74yd so were talking closer to $5200, I figured two other guys for around $1000 I have all the forms and around 20 metal stakes, along with wood stakes as well... I still have around 25 sticks of 3/8"...

I had a bid for asphalt around 5 yrs ago @10k but the driveway was 60 longer (I poured some concrete since)..

I'm going to call on some bids tomorrow for blacktop because though I know I can do this, I can feel its going to overwhelm me..
 
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TheLastDaze
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