How we pour on Georgia clay
Clay soil swells when it gets wet and shrinks as it dries. A slab poured straight onto it settles unevenly and cracks, so most of the work happens before the concrete truck arrives:
- Dig out topsoil, roots and soft spots until we reach firm ground.
- Spread crushed gravel in layers and compact each one.
- Set the forms with a slight slope so water runs off the surface and away from the house.
- Add steel reinforcement where the slab needs it, such as a driveway that carries cars.
- Pour and finish the surface, then cut control joints at a set spacing.
- Keep the new slab covered and damp while it cures, so the surface doesn’t dry out too fast.
What we pour
- Driveways, including the apron at the street
- Patios and slabs for grills, hot tubs and sheds
- Sidewalks and walkways
- Steps and landings
- Stamped and colored concrete
- Replacement of cracked, sunken or broken concrete
Caring for new concrete
Keep cars off a new driveway for the first week. Through its first winter, use sand for traction instead of rock salt, which can damage a young surface. A sealer, reapplied every few years, helps keep out water and stains. It matters most on stamped concrete, where the pattern and color are at the surface.
What affects the price
- The size and thickness of the slab
- How much old concrete or soil has to come out first
- Slope, access for the concrete truck, and how far the concrete has to be carried
- The finish: a plain broom finish costs the least, while exposed aggregate and stamped or colored concrete cost more
- Permits for a driveway apron or other work in the right of way