Concrete driveway

[Brian Ski]

We pour every (work) day, all year round. As long as the plants aren't frozen and can produce concrete at the rate we want (usually 100cy/hr or so) we pour. Pump on!

I understand that... I just do a few things for my self... I am not a pro. I may take a few short cuts to do a better or easier job. (no Winter pours or no wide ones if possible)

 

[Mij]

Hot water helps speed up the chemical reaction. Yes, cement hydration is exothermic, but there is a point where it will stop and the concrete will "go to sleep" - if that point is before the concrete reaches 500psi it's wasted. If that point is after, then there is a good chance the concrete will "wake up" and the chemical reaction will continue.

Winter charges are usually from Nov 1 to Apr 1. Water reducing admixtures (superplastisizers) allow you to pour it "wetter" without exceeding the water/cement ratio. Too much water, not enough cement = weak concrete.

Do NOT use calcium chloride if you have any form or rebar in the pour (I already mentioned taking out wire mesh, so you may not have any.) Non-calcium accelerators are an option, but they usually need an external energy source (sunlight, heat, etc) to "kick them in gear" - without that it can sometimes be a waste of money. Adding an extra bag of cement, or switching to Type III cement (when/where available) is sometimes more cost effective and actually works better.

No arguments from me…

But I will say, there is no way for me to even guess how many test cylinders I’ve crushed. North of 100,000 though. With every variable that can be conceived.

 

[jagee]

No arguments from me…

But I will say, there is no way for me to even guess how many test cylinders I’ve crushed. North of 100,000 though. With every variable that can be conceived.

Been there. I've made and broken more than I can count.

 

[miguel]

How big is their drive? A reasonable drive is easy to seal yourself with a couple 5 gallon buckets, rubber boots, and maybe $40 in squeegees and brushes.

I second the motion, but any time I can buy a squeegee, I am all in...

 

[Cameramonkey]

On a related note, any logical reason to use asphalt sealant on a concrete drive? One of my neighbors did this several years ago.

 

[Mij]

On a related note, any logical reason to use asphalt sealant on a concrete drive? One of my neighbors did this several years ago.

Concrete does and will crack. Water freezes in there in the winter, makes the problem worse. Asphalt sealant can seal a lot of cracks. Pre filling cracks with sealer before a full coat can add quite a few years to a concrete drive. It’s a common practice on roads.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Concrete does and will crack. Water freezes in there in the winter, makes the problem worse. Asphalt sealant can seal a lot of cracks. Pre filling cracks with sealer before a full coat can add quite a few years to a concrete drive. It’s a common practice on roads.

Might have to try that on mine then. I thought they were nuts. LOL

 

[Mij]

Might have to try that on mine then. I thought they were nuts. LOL

My one paragraph explanation made it sound simple. There is a whole science behind it. Water intrusion into driving surfaces and the freeze thaw cycle on the subsurface, sub grade is the main reason behind the large potholes in the wheel paths on road surfaces.

If you do coat your driveway, heat the filler well before pre filling the cracks, look for places that don’t get well filled, put more in that spot. Take special care at relief, expansion joints, You’re filling the void in the sub grade. When all is level, then apply the top finish coat.

If you want some friction on the surface so it’s not “slippery when wet, iced” spread some sand or very fine crushed lime stone on top before it sets up. Good Luck.

 

[Brian Ski]

Might have to try that on mine then. I thought they were nuts. LOL

I would not do it. My Dad poured a concrete driveway when he built his house in the mid 60s and since he packed the ground well before the pour, it has held up great. One spot where I can tell he parked his car has a few pock marks. I think where the salt dripped off the car when the concrete was fresh. Hasen't changed in the last 50 years I been looking at it. If you power wash the drive it would look like new.

I think it is like painting a house foundation. Once you do it and it flakes, there is no going back. Only real reason I can see doing it is to match an existing black top drive.

One draw back I have heard over asphalt/sealer. If you have light colored carpets in the house it can track oils into the house. I am not talking black but a light oil look.

They do sell concrete sealers. Not sure if they make a lot of difference. I have used them. Not the stuff from the box stores. These are sold in buckets from the concrete places. Maybe the first year or if you are worried about a hot day during the pour so the concrete does not dry out to fast.

I guess I am biased against asphalt.

 

[Brian Ski]

There is a whole science behind it. Water intrusion into driving surfaces and the freeze thaw cycle on the subsurface, sub grade is the main reason behind the large potholes in the wheel paths on road surfaces.

I would agree... But here north with the ice and salt on the roads. I rarely see pot holes in the concrete roads. Very frequent in the asphalt roads. Mostly with concrete it is slab shifts at joints.

 

[jagee]

I guess I am biased against asasphalt.

If you don't use concrete, it's your own asphalt.

 

[Brian Ski]

If you don't use concrete, it's your own asphalt.

One thing I do know... 3 hours after the spinning truck arrives, no matter where the concrete is, it will not move again. (At not very easy)

 

[Timjoebillybob]

Concrete hardening is a chemical reaction you can pour it under water, it will still harden.

Yep. Many years ago I did a temp job, it involved filling burlap sacks of dry concrete and tossing them into a river. A diver was packing them around an exposed gas line, the water would seep in and it would eventually harden into a solid mass.

 

[Brian Ski]

Yep. Many years ago I did a temp job, it involved filling burlap sacks of dry concrete and tossing them into a river. A diver was packing them around an exposed gas line, the water would seep in and it would eventually harden into a solid mass.

Not sure how it works under water. It may do good enough. There have been some tests on dry pour concrete. It does not work well. Maybe 20%? strength of a wet pour (mixed) concrete.

 

[Tactically Fat]

Not sure how it works under water. It may do good enough. There have been some tests on dry pour concrete. It does not work well. Maybe 20%? strength of a wet pour (mixed) concrete.

As with anything, it usually "depends". It 100% depends on the type of stuffs that are being utilized whether or not it'll work right or not.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

Not sure how it works under water. It may do good enough. There have been some tests on dry pour concrete. It does not work well. Maybe 20%? strength of a wet pour (mixed) concrete.

From my limited understanding it was for erosion control. Gas lines were originally buried but get uncovered from the moving water. The crew I was working for traveled all over, the driver would go down and check the lines and if needed call a temp company for labor. I'm guessing it works well enough.

 

[Brian Ski]

As with anything, it usually "depends". It 100% depends on the type of stuffs that are being utilized whether or not it'll work right or not.

Some info if you want to look over. I would not use dry. Just not worth the time. I started videos at test. You can restart if you are interested in the long of it. The second guy is at a testing place.

 

[Brian Ski]

I'm guessing it works well enough.

That is what I was thinking. Erosion control and not for strength.