DIY Pouring a Driveway

Measure the length and width of the site with measuring tape, and lay ropes along the sides. Verify that the width is at least 14 feet where the course curves and 10 feet where it’s straight.

Check that the site is clear of utility lines and wires by calling 811 or your utility company.

Excavate grass and all topsoil from the site with a shovel, and continue digging until it is about 1 foot deep. Pitch the excavated area toward the curb by digging the bottom on a slope. Stretch measuring tape down the length of the driveway and mark off every 4 feet. Dig so the bottom slopes 1 inch deeper at each marker and check the depth with a measuring stick for consistency. Go over the site with a manual tamper or plate compactor machine so the subsoil is stable.

Build up the sloped base by shoveling 3/4 inch of crushed rock into the site and tamping it down. Continue adding rocks until the base is 8 inches deep. Check the slope by laying a wood board on the rocks and placing a bubble level on top. Adjust the rocks as necessary so 1/4 of the bubble rests outside of the two center lines.

Place lengths of rebar on rebar chairs down the length of the driveway and across the ends and center. Snap them with coupler snaps so they sit securely and won't fall off while the concrete is poured. Call your municipality for exact spacing requirements.

Attach 2-by-6 inch form boards end-to-end around the perimeter. Use two screws at each end and drill them together at the corners. When connecting boards in a straight line, screw two brackets over the top and bottom of each joint.

Stir concrete in a concrete mixer with enough water to make it thick, but pourable. Tilt the mixer over the site and spread it with a gauged rake. Follow the rake with a long screed board. Pull the board back and forth across the width of the driveway, working your way slowly down the length of the driveway to level out the surface by pushing excess concrete into low areas.

Push a squeegee across the surface of the wet concrete to remove any lines left by the screed board. To give the surface traction once it hardens, push a stiff broom horizontally across the driveway to create shallow grooves.

Use a flat trowel to score control joints into the slab after it sets for about two hours. The joints should be spaced apart in feet, two to three times the thickness of the slab, and 1/4 as deep. For example, a 5-inch thick slab should have control joints 1 1/4-inch deep every 10- to 15 feet.

Cover the concrete with moist, breathable material. Lightly spray the material with water over the next seven days to slow dry the concrete and deter foot and vehicular traffic.