For a driveway, you will want a much stronger mix of 4,000-psi, with a 0.5 water to cement ratio, which provides a denser concrete and hence increases the wear ability. • Should I seal the pavers at my patio and driveway or not? Solid vs. However, because of its exposure to the elements and heavy use, that isn’t the truth. Ideally, concrete driveways should first be sealed a few months after they’re paved, and then resealed at least once every two years. Facebook 0 Tweet 0 Pin 0 LinkedIn 0 Email 0. How do I recognize structural problems in a retaining wall? • How can homebuyers protect themselves against buying a house over a sinkhole? •• Lack of, or inadequate, steel mesh and/or fiber reinforcing. Because of the potentially intricate work involved, the average cost of a stamped concrete driveway runs around the $10 – $15 per square foot mark. While a concrete driveway has more upfront costs than an asphalt one, it has a longer life span. Once the surface is prepped, a delivery of the gravel itself will cost around $800.00. This can also be done by yourself if you have a pressure washing system. Should I seal the pavers at my patio and driveway or not? Like concrete, sealing pavers is straightforward and doesn’t need the help of a paving contractor. See our blog post Why are there score line grooves in the concrete floor of the garage? What should I do about a tree with roots running under my house? How Does Concrete Driveway Damage Occur? Aggregate Driveway. © McGarry and Madsen, page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the. Correctly placed joints. A basic concrete driveway installed over a gravel base by a professional crew will cost $4 to $10 per square foot. •• Tree roots growing under slab, soil movement under slab. You can expect a concrete driveway to last 25 to 45 years, with an average of 35 years, except that the freeze/thaw cycles and salt de-icers in colder climates are not kind to concrete and will shorten the life expectancy below that range. • What are the warning signs of a sinkhole? The Average Lifespan of Concrete. What Is The Proper Way To Grade A Driveway Before Installing Concrete? Concrete should then be sealed every 3 to 5 years thereafter to slow down the deterioration process. Typically, concrete lasts up to 30 years, while asphalt lasts up to 20 years. Also, construction methods and materials vary in different parts of the country and it is possible that important issues related to your area may not be covered here. DEAR TIM: I’m about to have a new concrete driveway installed as well as some sidewalks. How can homebuyers protect themselves against buying a house over a sinkhole? To help your pavers longevity, make sure that you regularly seal them with a sealant made specifically for this material. Eventually, all concrete driveways crack and become unsightly. To help prevent random cracking, control joints should be placed at a maximum spacing of 10 feet for a 4-inch-thick driveway slab. This requires a solid plan with frequent maintenance of every 2 to 3 years. Tennis courts can last a lifetime if they are recoated; most coatings last 12 to 15. Concrete Mix: Figure 2 - Poured concrete driveway. Lifespan With the right care and maintenance, both types of driveways will last decades. >>. How to Make Natural Wood Stain Using Coffee, Berries & More! • Will the electric company trim branches rubbing against the overhead service lines to my house? Other, generic sealants will actually contribute to paver deterioration. • Which trees are most likely to fall over on your house in a hurricane? Then the lifted edges of the cracks become a trip hazard. Asphalt Driveway Lifespan. In fact, the biggest cost is the initial prepping that should be carried out to make sure that the gravel is level, and will drain well. Here’s links to a collection of our other blog posts about a home’s SITE: • Why do so many more sinkholes open up after a hurricane? A word of caution here though, if you do not do a very. While concrete driveways can last decades, some things can cause damage that shortens their lifespan. See our blog post What is concrete shrinkage? Many homeowners believe a concrete driveway doesn’t need maintenance and will hold up for decades. We are in Florida and provide plenty of information about hurricanes and sinkholes, for example, but nothing on basements and ice dams. The typical causes of concrete driveway distress include: An improperly compacted subgrade Also unlike asphalt, sealing concrete requires little more than a sealant and a roller brush. Leave a Comment. for more on this. 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