Most People Think About the Surface. The Real Work Happens Underneath.
One of the home improvement projects that appears simple from the outside is the new driveway. You choose a material, someone pours it or lays it, and you now have a new driveway. In reality, it’s a little more complex than that, and the decisions you make before the first shovel hits the ground have more to do with the longevity of your driveway than what’s going on on the surface.
Planit Dirt Excavation and Concrete team has been working in Jacksonville, AR and its surrounding area for 37 years, installing and repairing driveways, and has experienced all of the outcomes. Drives that may look fantastic on the first day and begin to crack after just a few seasons because the subbase is not properly prepared. Driveways that are still working well 20 years later because the right decisions were made in the beginning.
These are the facts homeowners in central Arkansas must consider before starting this project.
The Material Decision Is Not Just About Looks
Most homeowners take the material question from an aesthetic perspective. What do I want it to look like? While that’s a good place to start, it’s not the end of the discussion. The type of material you select can have a significant impact on maintenance needs, resistance to Arkansas weather, initial installation cost, and what happens when the material ultimately requires repairs.
Concrete
When installed correctly, concrete driveways can be durable, long-lasting, and resist the heat of an Arkansas summer. If properly constructed and routinely maintained, a concrete driveway will endure 30 years or more. When damaged, it would be harder to repair subtly, as patches are visible; however, it is a good long-term investment due to its low required maintenance and long life expectancy. Decorative and stamped concrete can also allow homeowners to add texture and pattern to their driveways that plain asphalt can not.
Asphalt
In most cases, asphalt is more cost-effective than concrete, and repairing it can be done in a way that is easily integrated with the surrounding surface. It needs more frequent upkeep, mainly sealing every few years to maintain the surface and prolong its lifespan. Asphalt can become softer in Arkansas summers and is more likely to receive surface damage from sharp edges and heavy loads over time.
Gravel
The least expensive and easiest to install, gravel needs regular maintenance to maintain its appearance and performance. It changes, forms ruts, and must be periodically regenerated. In rural situations, with long driveways, gravel may be the more feasible option. Most homeowners want something more finished when the house is in an urban or suburban location.
It will depend on your budget, your property, how long you intend to live in the property and your maintenance tolerance, which is actually assessed, not optimistically assumed.
Base Preparation Is Where Most Driveways Either Succeed or Fail
This is a part of the process that most homeowners don’t see and so don’t ask questions about, and that is a mistake. Your driveway’s performance over its lifespan depends on the base it is built on.
The first step to a well-prepared driveway base is excavating to the proper depth for the type of material to be used and the soil conditions at the location. Clay soils are prevalent throughout much of Arkansas, and the expansion and contraction caused by wet and dry weather will cause movement, which will be transferred directly to the surface above the poorly prepared base. That motion creates cracks, settlement, and unevenness, which is quite evident faster than it should be.
Once excavated, a compacted aggregate base layer is placed. The compaction process cannot be skipped and shouldn’t be rushed. When the base material is not compacted well, it will settle unevenly after it is installed, and the surface of the driveway will settle with it. The thickness of the base layer depends on soil conditions and on the material that will be placed on top of it, and it is not something that can be decided in advance with a one-size-fits-all solution but requires an actual survey of the site.
Drainage is sorted out at this stage as well. A driveway that does not direct the water away from the surface and the foundation of the house causes problems, not just with the driveway. A well-graded driveway means that water runs off, not pools, and this prevents damage to the driveway and surrounding landscaping and structure.
Thickness Matters More Than Most Homeowners Realize
The thickness of the concrete slab will directly influence the load-bearing capacity of the concrete driveway and the amount of time the slab will last without cracking. Normally, a standard residential concrete driveway is 4 inches thick, and if there are areas that will be subjected to heavier vehicles, a boat, an RV, or a pickup truck for work, then it is better to have it thicker in those specific areas.
The quality of the concrete mix is also important. A higher water-to-cement ratio results in softer concrete that is easier to work, but weaker and more prone to cracking. The experienced crews know the correct combination for the job and the conditions on the day of the pour, which include temperature and humidity: all factors that will have an impact on curing.
Control joints are lines that are either cut or formed into the surface at regular intervals, creating a predetermined space for concrete shrinkage that occurs during curing. If the driveway is not constructed with proper control joints, it will crack in the most convenient place for the concrete, instead of the places that are least objectionable aesthetically or structurally.
Timing and Weather Play a Role You Cannot Ignore
Proper curing conditions are essential for concrete. The surface gets weakened due to excessive drying in extreme heat. Cold temperatures affect curing and will cause fresh concrete to be damaged if they freeze before the concrete has hardened sufficiently. The spring to fall window is usually the best time of year for conducting exterior concrete work in Arkansas; however, when needed, experienced crews can handle conditions outside the window.
One of the more common reasons for underperforming driveways is to rush the pour due to time pressure. The concrete does not care about the schedule. It dries out naturally and the finished surface depends on how it is treated during the drying process.
Get the Estimate Right Before You Commit
An estimate for the driveway material alone, without consideration of excavation, base preparation, grading, and drainage, is incomplete and does not represent the true cost or scope of the project. Specifically inquire about what is in the scope of work and what assumptions are being made about the existing site conditions.
A contractor that will walk the site, determine the soil conditions, discuss drainage issues and explain how the base preparation method is to be done is more likely to give you a number that you can rely on than one who quotes by the square foot without visiting the site and seeing the ground beneath it.
Ready to Start the Conversation?
A new driveway is a major investment and one that will benefit greatly when it is installed correctly from the start. Planit Dirt Excavation and Concrete has been serving Jacksonville, AR and the 50-mile radius for 37 years and is the best choice for residential and commercial driveway installation and repair. We apply that experience to each project, from site assessment to the finished surface.
When you are considering having a new driveway installed, or replacing an old driveway that has been in need of repair, the first step is to have a conversation about your project, your goals, and what the project includes for your property.
Contact James today at (501) 258-5935, email planitdirt@yahoo.com or visit www.planitdirt.com for your free estimate!