How to Do a Concrete Base for a Driveway

The base for a concrete driveway must be strong enough to support the daily wear and tear of heavy vehicles, but flexible enough to contract when the ground freezes. Installing a base is a challenging task for do-it-yourselfers because it involves excavating and compacting multiple layers of rock. The task takes at least several days, depending on the length of the driveway.

Ropes
Measuring tape
Shovel
Tamper
Weed barrier fabric
Lawn spikes
3/4-inch aggregate
Rake
2-by-6-inch boards
Screws
Drill
Stakes
Wire mesh
Steel rebar
Rebar chairs

Instructions

- 1
  Contact your local utility companies to find out where the utility wires and pipes are located in your yard. If your building site will interfere with any utilities, reroute the course of the driveway.
- 2
  Outline the sides of the site with ropes and measure the width with measuring tape. Adjust the size as necessary to at least 10 feet for a single car and 16 feet for two.
- 3
  Dig up the ground surface with a shovel until the site is at least 12 inches deep and sloped toward the street. Press a manual tamper against the base until it feels hard and doesn't move under pressure.
- 4
  Lay weed barrier fabric on top of the base and push lawn spikes into each corner.
- 5
  Shovel loose 3/4-inch aggregate over the fabric, spreading it even with a rake. Tamp the gravel down with every 2-inch layer until the base is 8 inches thick.
- 6
  Install form boards against the inner walls. Screw 2-by-6-inch wood boards together with a drill, and sink stakes behind the boards to support them against the wet concrete as it hardens.
- 7
  Line the aggregate base with wire mesh to reinforce the concrete slab.
- 8
  Place steel rebar in the center of the length and width of the driveway, and 1 foot in from each end. Raise it with rebar chairs so the steel runs through the center of the slab.

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