new drive how to prep

roermo · Nov 20, 2006

many of you may have seen my post "step by step pictures new garage: Now I am thinking forward a bit about my drive.

I will after the garage is finished have a concrete drive. My questions is this: at this time it is just yard, does a person cut out say 4to 6 inches of the soil so the 3 inch base rock is not above the yard. Let it settle in cover with 3/4 fines then 5 inch concrete.

I want the drive about 1 1/2 inchs above the yard on both side so it stays free washing water mud etc.

Any ideas and advise.

thanks Roger

EddieWalker · Nov 21, 2006

Hey Roger,

First thing to consider with any drive, or road is drainage. Nothing else matters until you have the water doing what you need it to do. water running over a road, wether it's dirt, gravel, blacktop or concrete, will fail in time. Even worse, is water running under it. In a very short time, water will undermine the surface and it will colapse.

What is the slope of the land like for your drive?

Is the dirt a topsoil, or is it a packed surface that you already use?

How deep is the topsoil? If it's a foot deep, you will have to take it all out. If it's just an inch, than that's all that you have to remove.

Why do you want the road surface the same height as the surrounding yard? This can be a big mistake if you have heavy rains and the water will cross the road.

How deep is your frost line?

What did your concrete contractor recomend?

We all live in different areas and how it's done varies tremendously from state to state, and differnt regions. Concrete moves quite a bit. When hot it expands and when cold, it contracts. Expansion joints are a must, and you need a solid base under the rock so it can move.

Good luck,
Eddie