Table of Contents
What do you put under a concrete walkway?
Whether you pour concrete for a walkway or patio, a strong gravel base is required to prevent the concrete from cracking and shifting. Gravel is especially important in clay soil because it doesn’t drain well, which results in water pooling under the concrete slab and slowly eroding the soil as it finally drains.
How much does it cost to pour a concrete walkway?
Walkway & Sidewalk Cost. The cost of a concrete walkway can vary widely depending on its size and finish. Most U.S. homeowners pay between $6 and $12 per square foot for installation of a new concrete walkway. Prices can go beyond this if significant grading is required or a complex decorative finish is requested.
What is a good base for concrete?
What is the Best Base for a Concrete Slab? Most people build a driveway or a patio so in that case, a good choice would be a mix of coarse and fine aggregate which will create a compactable base. Overall, a mix of crushed stone and stone dust is the best base material for any concrete flatwork.
What kind of gravel do you put under concrete?
More gravel is better, but 3 inches is the minimum amount of gravel you should have with a 4” slab. Use ¾” washed and screened gravel, then compact it to level.
Do you need wire mesh in concrete sidewalk?
When it comes to concrete, you can’t avoid cracks entirely, but wire mesh reinforcement will help hold the material together when they do occur. Also, it will help evenly distribute the weight of cars on your driveway. The added strength of steel is especially crucial if your subgrade isn’t up to par.
How thick should a concrete sidewalk be?
The optimal thickness for a general use concrete sidewalk is four inches. The purpose of your sidewalk is the main determining factor of the thickness you need. Typical sidewalks provide a smooth solid surface for foot traffic and light-weight wheel traffic like bicycles and hand carts.
How thick should a concrete path be?
Concrete Thickness Pavements for foot traffic only (e.g. paths and patios) should have a minimum thickness of 75 mm. Pavements for vehicles less than 3 tonne gross mass should have a minimum thickness of 100 mm.
Can I pour concrete directly on dirt?
Long story short, yes you can pour concrete over dirt.
What do you put down before pouring concrete?
To shore up the subsurface, sprinkle a thin layer of cement sand onto the gravel and dampen it with water. Do not leave any standing water and allow the dampened sand to dry for about an hour before pouring the concrete. Ground preparation is key to pouring sidewalk, driveway or any other concrete slab.
Is it cheaper to lay concrete or pavers?
As far as installation costs and concrete costs go, poured concrete is technically the most affordable per square foot. However, even though the upfront cost of pavers is higher, concrete pavers offer greater value and durability than poured concrete and stamped concrete.
How much does it cost to pour a 24×24 slab of concrete?
A typical 24×24 garage slab costs between $3,057 and $5,944 with prices ranging from $5.31 to $8.31 per square foot for a 4” reinforced slab of concrete, and $6.83 to $10.32 per square foot for a 6” slab of reinforced concrete.
Can you pour concrete over concrete?
You can put new concrete over old concrete. However, unresolved issues with your old concrete, such as cracks or frost heaves, will carry over to your new concrete if not taken care of. In addition, you must pour it at least 2 inches thick.
Can I pour concrete over sand?
Pour concrete over a solid, well-drained base Pack about 4 in. of sand or gravel over clay and other poorly draining soils to provide even support.
Can you use pea gravel for concrete base?
While pea gravel can be used as a mulch alternative, garden border and other landscaping purposes, it is not the best choice for a patio base.
What happens if you don’t put gravel under concrete?
Because concrete is a very porous material, it will absorb any moisture that it contacts. This can cause pooling. Without crushed stone, pooling water will settle under it and erode your slab.
Is sand a good base for concrete slab?
Simply put, sand isn’t sturdy enough to work well as a subbase for something like a driveway. It is also difficult to maintain a level sand surface when pouring concrete, and therefore difficult to maintain a uniform thickness of the concrete slab.
Does 4 inch concrete need rebar?
Rebar is not necessary for every concrete project. The general rule of thumb is that if you are pouring concrete that is more than 5 inches in depth, you are probably going to want to add in some rebar to help reinforce the entire structure.
How much is a roll of wire mesh for concrete?
Cost of Concrete Wire Mesh Concrete Wire Mesh Costs Zip Code Sq. ft. Basic Better Concrete Wire Mesh – Material Prices $100.00 – $102.00 $103.00 – $104.00 Concrete Wire Mesh – Installation Cost $8.00 – $9.00 $10.00 – $11.00 Concrete Wire Mesh – Total $108.00 – $111.00 $113.00 – $115.00.
How wide should a sidewalk be?
Sidewalks should be wide enough to allow two adults to walk comfortably next to each other. A good standard width is 48 inches.
What is the minimum thickness for a concrete sidewalk?
A concrete walkway should be 4” thick, at a minimum. If you opt for less than 4”, you’ll experience more cracking sooner. Thicker concrete is always better, more stable, and has fewer cracks. It will also withstand weather and traffic better as 4” of concrete is much stronger than 3”.
Will concrete crack without rebar?
Without rebar reinforcement, concrete is highly prone to cracks due to tension forces. Rebar helps prevent cracks from growing wider largely by preventing cracked slabs from moving apart.
How far apart should rebar be in concrete?
Place rebar in a grid pattern with a spacing between bars of approximately 12 inches. In either case, blocks should be used under the reinforcement to keep centered within the concrete.
Is 3 inches of concrete enough?
If you are going to be pouring concrete, plan to pour it at least 3.5 inches thick to match building codes; four inches is a nice round number and will improve the strength of the slab a bit. More importantly, you need to ensure that the concrete has a minimum compressive strength of 3,000 PSI.
