Are you looking for the most durable material for a driveway? Having a clean and aesthetically pleasing driveway will make your home appear more welcoming. It is one of the first things that people will notice when they pass by your house. The material that you choose for your driveway will play an important role in how it will fit the look of your property. Aside from that, it will also affect the cost, maintenance, and durability of the driveway.
What is the most durable material for a driveway? The most durable material for a driveway is concrete. It offers a smooth, secure, and stable foundation that can withstand most climates. Aside from that, it also needs minimal maintenance. With proper drainage and sealing, concrete driveways can last up to 50 years or more.
Your driveway is the first and last thing that people will notice about your house so you should invest some money to maintain it. Nowadays, you have a wide range of options for materials that you can use for your driveway. Hence, your choice should depend not only on the aesthetics but also on the price and durability of the material. Check out the rest of the article below for more information.
Is Concrete Durable?
Concrete is a durable material that can resist weathering action, abrasion, and chemical attack. With proper installation, it can last for many years. Take note that different concrete has different degrees of durability. This usually depends on how they are installed as well as the types of environment and climates that they are exposed to.
Is Concrete Driveway Better?
A concrete driveway is a good choice for most homes. For instance, it is more durable as compared to asphalt. Concrete can last for up to 50 years or more and the only maintenance that it needs is degreasing. On the other hand, it is a less flexible material which means that it can crack in freezing temperatures. If this happens, use a concrete patching product to repair the cracks.
How Long Will a Concrete Driveway Last?
How long the concrete driveway will last has to depend on various factors like the installation methods, environmental conditions, and temperatures. Generally, concrete driveways can last anywhere between 25 to 50 years with proper maintenance. To prolong the life of your concrete driveway, you need to check for cracks and repair them immediately to avoid further damage.
What Makes Concrete Durable?
The different factors affecting the durability of the concrete include the cement content, compaction, curing, cover, and permeability. Concrete durability is its capability to resist wear, tear, and damages. This usually refers to the life span of trouble-free performance. Let us learn more about this below.
Cement Content
One factor that affects the durability of concrete is the cement content. The mix should be made to ensure cohesion and also to avoid segregation and bleeding. Take note that if cement is reduced in the mixture, the workability will also be reduced. This can result in inadequate compaction.
Curing
Another factor that affects the durability of concrete is curing. Make sure that proper curing is done so that proper strength development aid moisture retention is developed. This will also make sure that the hydration process is complete.
Compaction
Concrete contains voids that can be the result of inadequate compaction. The compaction equipment used, steelwork density, and type of formworks affect the compaction of concrete.
Permeability
This is considered a vital factor for durability. Higher porosity leads to a higher permeability. Take note that proper curing, adequate cement, appropriate compaction, and proper concrete cover cold result in concrete with low permeability.
Tips on How to Install a Concrete Driveway
Some of the tips on how to install a concrete driveway include using good quality concrete and proper control and expansion joints. You also need to have the correct concrete curing, proper placement, and proper pouring. Let us learn more about this below.
Use Good Quality Concrete
Make sure that you use good quality concrete that is ideal for your area and climate. The different weather that the concrete is exposed to will affect its lifespan. For instance, concrete that is poured indoors will last for longer as compared to concrete poured outdoors that is exposed to high traffic, sun, rain, and snow.
Use the Right Control and Expansion Joints
You also need to make sure that you use the right control and expansion joints when working with concrete. Bear in mind that concrete cracks during the expansion and contraction process. The right control and expansion joints can lessen cracks.
Proper Concrete Curing is Important
Concrete should cure properly. See to it that when you place concrete, sufficient water should remain in the concrete to fully cure it. Moreover, pouring concrete on dry sand will wick water away and allow it to escape underneath the slab. Bear in mind that water evaporates from the surface of the slab, so it is vital to keep it in. To do this, you can use a curing compound. Use plastic to cover the concrete after it hardens.
Ensure Proper Placement
The proper placement is important when working with concrete driveways. You need to maintain the cement to water ratio to prevent strength loss. Do not add too much water into the concrete before placement and finishing can lead to more shrinkage cracking.
Proper Pouring
To make sure that your concrete driveway is durable, proper pouring of concrete should be done. Check the ground to determine if the soil can bear the weight of the driveway. The base material is usually is installed before pouring the concrete. This will help increase the bearing capacity of the soil.
✅ Video – How to Pour Concrete Driveway
Dominic Sciulli shared the video below on YouTube. It discusses how to pour a concrete driveway. In the video, the steps involved on how to pour a concrete driveway are shown. Check out the video below for the visual demonstration.
Which Material Should You Choose for a Driveway?
The material that you should choose from your driveway is a matter of individual preferences. It will also depend on various factors like your location and budget. The good thing is that there is a wide range of materials that you can choose from. A lot of homeowners choose asphalt and concrete because they are long-lasting and durable. On the other hand, gravel and sand are ideal for some areas and climates. You can also read this article that we have shared titled, what is the best material for a driveway. We have shared an in-depth discussion about the topic.
What Determines Concrete Strength?
To determine concrete strength, you need to check the strength of the aggregates. Take note that the strength of concrete will have to depend on the strength of the aggregates. For instance, low quality of aggregate can lessen the strength of concrete. Moreover, the quantity of aggregate can affect the properties of hardened concrete.
Is Cement Stronger than Concrete?
Cement is not stronger than concrete. Cement is vulnerable to cracking. This is the reason why it is usually combined with aggregate materials and water so that it hardens. We have also shared this article that discusses if crushed concrete make a good driveway. Check out the article for more information.
Is Concrete Easy to Install?
Concrete can be challenging and hard to install for homeowners because it needs specific tools and equipment. While it is possible for homeowners to pour concrete on their driveway themselves, it will take a lot of time and effort. You need to be very careful when working with concrete because if you made a mistake, it can be hard and expensive to fix. Take note that time should be taken into consideration because once the concrete is poured; it can quickly set and harden.
These are the reasons why homeowners usually hire the services of professionals to deal with concrete driveways. The experts will properly excavate, pour the concrete, and finish the surface quickly. Moreover, professionals can finish the project in only a few days, while homeowners take weeks or more just by excavating the driveway.
How Much Does a Concrete Driveway Cost?
The cost of a concrete driveway will have to depend on the number of materials used as well as the amount of area that should be covered. For a basic concrete driveway that is installed over a gravel base, it can cost around 4 to 10 dollars per square foot if you let a professional do it. Concrete driveways can cost about 6 dollars per square foot. On the other hand, the price can double if you choose to have a colored or stamped finish for your concrete driveway. We have also shared this article that discusses what the cheapest material for a driveway is. Check out the article for more information.
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed what the most durable material for a driveway is. We have found out that concrete is considered a durable material that you can use. Moreover, we have shared tips and ideas on how to install a concrete driveway. We hope that this article has helped you learn more about concrete driveways and if they are the best material for your property. Thank you for reading!