Driveways · Concrete Contractor Columbus Ohio
Concrete Driveway Contractor in Columbus, OH
Tear-out, base, steel and a pour sized for what parks on it. Get a free driveway estimate.
Serving Columbus, Dublin, Hilliard, Westerville, Grove City, Gahanna and 25 more towns
Free Concrete Driveways Estimate
Tell us what you want built, where, and roughly how big. The contractor calls you back to talk it over and set up a site visit.
- Free estimates
- Residential and commercial
- Base and joints in writing
- Columbus and 31 towns
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Concrete Driveways
Concrete Driveway Contractor for Columbus, OH
A driveway takes more abuse than any other slab at a house. Cars turn their wheels on it, delivery trucks back onto the apron, plows scrape it and salt drips off every fender from December to March. We build new driveways, tear out and replace old ones, widen them, add parking pads and pour aprons. The work starts with a dig-out deep enough for real gravel under the concrete, not a skim of stone over clay, and forms set so the whole drive falls away from the garage door.
On a driveway, the details that matter most are the ones you will never look at again. Thickness should go up where the load goes up, usually at the apron and anywhere a truck or camper parks. Reinforcement belongs in the middle of the slab, held there on chairs. Joints are spaced so each panel is close to square. The finish is a broom texture for grip in sleet. Ask any contractor about each of those, and expect a straight answer.
What's included
What goes into concrete driveways
- 01
Full tear-out
Old concrete or gravel is broken up and hauled away, and soft or organic soil underneath goes with it.
- 02
Compacted gravel base
Crushed stone placed and compacted in lifts so the slab sits on firm ground through wet springs and dry Augusts.
- 03
Thicker where it carries weight
Typically 4 inches for cars, with the apron and any truck or RV spot poured heavier, often 5 to 6 inches.
- 04
Steel on chairs
Rebar or welded wire mesh lifted into the middle of the slab, where it can actually hold cracks tight.
- 05
Joints and broom finish
Control joints laid out before the pour, and a broom texture that gives tires and boots some bite.
- 06
Aprons and extensions
Approach work at the street, side parking pads and widening, tied into the existing slab where it is sound.
Examples
Concrete Driveways: examples
Example photos of the type of work.
How it works
Concrete Driveways, step by step
- 1
Measure and mark
We measure the drive, check its fall toward the street and look at the apron. 811 gets called so buried lines are marked.
- 2
Dig-out and base
The old surface comes out, the subgrade is firmed up, and gravel goes in and gets compacted.
- 3
Forms, steel, pour
Forms set the shape and slope, reinforcement goes on chairs, and the concrete is placed, finished and broomed.
- 4
Joints and hands off
Joints get tooled or cut, and the drive stays closed to cars for about a week while it cures.
Questions
Concrete Driveways questions
Why do driveways around Columbus crack and heave?
Mostly water and clay. Central Ohio clay swells when it is wet and shrinks when it dries, and water that freezes under a slab pushes it up. A gravel base, slope that sends water off the edges and joints spaced to the slab handle most of that.
What sets the price of a concrete driveway?
Size and thickness come first, then tearing out the old driveway, how deep the base needs to go, the apron and its permit, reinforcement and the finish. Access matters too, since a long carry from the street may need a pump or extra labor. The free estimate lists each piece.
Do I need a permit to replace my driveway apron?
Usually, yes. The apron sits in the public right-of-way, so Columbus and each suburb want a permit for curb cut or approach work. Rules differ between cities, townships and villages, and an HOA may want to see the plan first.
When can the car go back on the driveway?
Walk on it after a day or two. Keep cars off for about a week and heavy trucks off longer. The concrete keeps gaining strength for about 28 days, so hold off on the moving van that first month if you can.
Can you widen my driveway instead of replacing it?
Often, if the existing slab is in good shape and drains the right way. The new section is formed to match the grade, joined at a clean joint and poured at least as thick as the old one. If the old slab is cracked through or sunk, replacing it usually makes more sense.
Concrete work we do
Related work
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Broom finish, colored, stamped or exposed aggregate patios, sized for how you actually use the yard.
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Sidewalks & Walkways
Front walks, side and back paths, and public sidewalk panels, formed to drain and finished for grip.
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Commercial Concrete
Sidewalks, slabs, dumpster pads, curbs and gutters and concrete parking areas for businesses and HOAs.
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Service area
Concrete Driveways around Columbus
Towns where we build concrete driveways around Columbus, Ohio
Franklin County
Pickaway County
Fairfield County
Delaware County
Licking County
Talk to us about concrete driveways
Tell us what you want built and where, and the contractor will call to set up a free estimate.