Behind the Scenes: The Making of a Driveway

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Over Digging the Basement 

We over dig your basement two foot six inches all around the perimeter of the foundation. We do this to allow room for our contractors to work around the foundation when setting their forms and also to water-proof and install drain tile.  The soil is very hard to compact around the foundation in this area.  To combat this problem and to alleviate potential concrete problems, we pack what we can of the soil, water-soak, and then we also pin rebar into the foundation along the garage floor all the way along the over dig section.  This will keep the concrete from moving should the soil below settle out over time.

The Driveway

Have you ever noticed how the area between your garage floor and your driveway is at different heights? The driveway is actually poured at ½” to ¾” below the height of the garage floor. We leave this difference in height to allow the driveway to heave should frost find its way under the front edge of the driveway during the cold winter months.  By pouring it lower initially, we allow room for it to move up without heaving too far above the garage floor although in certain circumstances it is not uncommon for the driveway to heave as much as 1" above the garage floor.  We also install an expansion joint in this gap between the two pours to prevent the two areas of concrete from locking together.  This also provides room for expansion and contraction during the changes in seasons.  Both of these measures help alleviate many future problems you could experience here in the cold winters of Nebraska.

Dowel Rebars in the Driveway 

We also dowel rebar into the foundation where the driveway meets the garage floor.  This rebar sits directly under the driveway and the entire width of the driveway rests on it.  It is not poured into the driveway, which again helps from locking the driveway in place and causing future problems by preventing it from expanding and contracting.  This rebar also helps prevent the driveway from sinking should the soil settle out from under it over time.

Driveways are an important part of the overall appearance and functionality of your home.  With proper planning and installation your new driveway will last you many years to come.

Check us out next time for tips on maintaining concrete.