How to Build a Driveway on a Hill

Outline the course of the driveway with ropes. Use a measuring tape to space the ropes at least 10 feet apart in straight sections. The driveway should be 14 feet wide where it curves and have a parking space 10 feet wide per car if you don’t have a garage.

Dig out 12 inches of growth and dirt from the path with an excavator machine. Use a measuring stick to check that the site is 12 inches deep throughout the site.

Go over the sloped site with a compactor to stabilize dirt at the bottom.

Pour two 4-inch-deep layers of aggregate into the site and pack it down between each layer.

Install 2-by-6 inch form boards against the inner walls of the site. The forms should sit about an inch above ground level. Screw the boards together with a drill and sink stakes behind the back of the forms to reinforce them.

Lay out strips of foam or cork expansion joints across the width of the driveway every 6 feet. The expansion joints should be at least 1/4 inch thick and equal to the height of the slab.

Mix concrete in a mixer with premade mix and water until it is thick like batter. Pour concrete in the bottom of the driveway and spread it with a gauge rake until you reach the first expansion joint. Press the joint against the first section of concrete so it stands straight like a wall, and immediately begin to pour the adjacent section. Continue pouring the driveway until each section is complete.

Pull a flat board across the top to create a level surface and keep the top of the expansion joints free of concrete. Smooth out the top with a squeegee until water bleeds through to the surface. Stop manipulating the concrete until the water reabsorbs.

Push a stiff brush over the surface to create shallow grooves for traction in the surface.

Cover the driveway with breathable fabric and spray it with water over the next few days to slow-dry the driveway.

Use a caulk gun to cover the joints with expansion joint sealer.