Do it Yourself Cement Driveway

Planning

• The most important step for creating a beautiful and functional concrete driveway is the planning stage. You will need to understand a few basic concepts before attempting to pour your new driveway. First, you should measure the area in which you want your new driveway to reside. This will ensure that you have enough room for your vehicle(s) to park easily without disturbing any existing structures. It is recommended to allow 8 to 9 feet in width to accommodate a single car and up to 18 feet across for double car driveways. Make sure that trees, power lines and existing structures do not hamper the width of your driveway.

Preparation

• Preparing the area for the driveway is also a critical component for ensuring success. Any existing driveway material must be removed completely before beginning. This can be accomplished with a jackhammer and a shovel. Removing an existing driveway can be time and labor consuming, but is important to the success of the overall project. Any gravel underlayment from an existing driveway can be reused, but will have to be graded level in order to be effective. You may also need to bring in additional gravel if there isn't enough leftover or if you are starting from scratch.

  The wooden form is the device that will ultimately determine what your driveway will look like. Careful construction of the form is paramount to having a visually pleasing driveway.

Curing

• Proper curing is vital to the longevity of your new driveway. Concrete must be allowed to cure before exposing it to excessive moisture or weight. Curing, in ideal conditions, can occur in as little as three days, however, in high humidity environments or wherever possible, the concrete should be allowed to cure for up to one week before using. This will greatly decrease the chances of cracking or breaking.