How to Widen a Driveway Entrance

Measure the area around the driveway entrances to determine how wide you can fan the sides out without interfering with trees or plants. Check the expanded sections are even with measuring tape, and mark them with landscaping paint. The total width of the expanded section should be at least 12 to 15 feet wide to accommodate turning vehicles.

Remove any edging along the entrance of the existing driveway. Set the materials to the side to reuse once the expansion is complete.

Dig out grass and dirt from the marked-out sites with a shovel and place it on a tarp a few feet away. Plan to use the dirt for low-lying areas of the yard.

Pound a hand tamper against the dirt floor of the expanses. If the soil has a sand or clay consistency, lay geotextile fabric over the bottom to keep the rock base from sinking. Geotextile fabric is a strong, synthetic material that allows water to drain while providing a barrier between the dirt floor and the base so the rocks don't sink.

Shovel 3/4-inch aggregate into the sites until it is 4 inches deep. Tamp the aggregate then add another 4-inch layer. Shift the rocks with a rake so they slope towards the street about 1 inch with every 4 feet from the house.

Cut a foam or cork expansion joint to fit the length between the existing driveway and the expanded section. The joint must equal the same height as the depth of the slab and be at least 1/4 inch thick. Cut the strip with a utility knife and stand it on top of the gravel between the existing driveway and the open expanse.

Line the remaining sides of the two sites with 2-by-6-inch form boards. Screw the boards together at the ends with a drill, and brace them against the pressure of wet concrete by hammering garden stakes in the ground.

Stir concrete and water in a wheelbarrow with a hoe. Pour it into the sites and use a gauge rake to spread it into every corner. Pour a wood board over the top of the form boards to level out the wet concrete. Smooth the top out with a trowel until water begins to seep to the surface.

Wait about 20 minutes for moisture to reabsorb then go over the concrete with a stiff broom to make grooves in the surface for traction.