Concrete Driveway Installation Step-by-Step Guide

Concrete Driveway Installation Step-by-Step Guide Overview

A new concrete driveway boosts curb appeal, handles daily traffic, and lasts 30+ years when installed correctly. This Concrete Driveway Installation Step-by-Step Guide walks you through the entire process so you can decide what to DIY, what to delegate, and how to hire smart if you bring in a pro.

Expect the project to take 5–7 days from permit to parking: one day for layout and permits, one for excavation and base prep, one for forming and reinforcement, one for the pour, and 3–5 days for curing before you drive on it. Below we break every stage into bite-size tasks you can check off.

1. Plan & Permit Before You Dig

Check Local Codes & HOA Rules

Most cities require a driveway permit that specifies width (usually 10–12 ft per car), setback from property lines, and apron slope where the drive meets the street. HOA covenants may limit color, texture, or even the day of week you can pour. Call the building department and print the checklist—an inspector will flag mistakes before the concrete truck arrives.

Choose the Right Mix

For passenger vehicles, order 4,000 psi concrete with 5–7 % air entrainment for freeze-thaw climates. Add fiber mesh for micro-crack control and ask for a low-water, 5–5½ inch slump so the mix is workable but not soupy. If you expect delivery trucks, upgrade to 4,500 psi and 5 in. thick slab.

Mark Underground Lines

Call 811 three business days before you break ground. Paint and flags will show water, gas, electric, and cable lines. Adjust the driveway alignment now—relocating a line after forms are up is a $1,500 surprise.

2. Budget & Material Math

National average for a plain 16 × 40 ft (640 sq ft) concrete driveway is $6–$10 per square foot installed. Breakdown:

• Concrete (640 sq ft × 4 in. thick = 8 cu yd) @ $130/yd = $1,040
• 2 × 4 lumber forms, stakes, screws = $220
• #4 rebar 24 in. OC + wire mesh = $380
• Base rock (4 in. compacted) = $260
• Delivery, pump, or skid-steel rental = $450
• Labor (if hired) 3–4 days @ $45/hr = $1,800

Decorative upgrades: integral color $1/sq ft, stamped pattern $3–$5/sq ft, exposed aggregate $2/sq ft, heated coils $10–$12/sq ft. Get three itemized bids—price swings of 25 % are common.

3. Tools & Safety Gear Checklist

• Excavation: shovels, mattock, wheelbarrow, 2,500-lb compactor (rent $75/day)
• Forming: 2 × 4 & 1 × 2 stakes, duplex nails, level, string line, orange paint
• Steel: bolt cutters, tie wire, rebar chairs, high-lift mesh
• Pour: rubber boots, aluminum or magnesium bull float, 16-ft Fresno, hand floats, edging trowel, groover, concrete rake, rubber mallet
• Safety: eye & ear protection, alkali-resistant gloves, long sleeves, knee pads, 3M N95 for silica dust

4. Demolition & Soil Prep

Remove Old pavement

Score asphalt or old concrete with a demo saw, then break it into 2-ft squares with an electric jackhammer (rent $65/day). Pile chunks on plywood so the loader bucket doesn’t gouge the yard. Haul-away fees run $150 per 10-ton truckload—budget two loads for a 640 sq ft drive.

Excavate to Correct Depth

Final slab thickness + 4 in. base + 2 in. room for grading = 10 in. total. Measure off the string line every 3 ft; low spots invite cracking. If you hit spongy topsoil or clay, undercut another 6 in. and refill with compacted crushed concrete (CA6) to lock the foundation.

Compact the Base

Dump 4 in. of CA6 in two lifts. Spray water until rock is damp but not muddy. Run the plate compactor in slow overlaps until you can’t push a screwdriver more than ½ in. into the surface. Check grade with a laser or string: ¼ in. drop per foot away from garage to ensure water drains to the street.

5. Set Forms & Reinforcement

Stake Straight, Level Boards

Use straight 2 × 4 kiln-dried lumber; bowed boards telegraph into the slab. Drive stakes every 3 ft on the outside only so you can float the inside edge. Level the top of the form to your finish height—concrete will follow this plane exactly. Spray the boards with cooking oil so they strip clean.

Install Rebar or Mesh

Lay #4 rebar on 2-in. plastic chairs so steel sits in the middle of the 4-in. slab. Overlap bars 18 in. and tie with wire. Add a double row around the apron where vehicles turn. If you choose wire mesh instead, order 6 × 6-10/10 sheets, and pull them up with rake teeth during the pour so they don’t sit on the bottom.

Isolation & Control Joints

Slide ½-in. asphalt-impregnated fiberboard against existing garage slabs, sidewalks, and poles so the new drive can expand without cracking. Plan 1-in. deep control joints every 10–12 ft using a groover or saw within 4–12 hrs of finishing.

6. Pour Day: From Truck to Trowel

Schedule the Right Load

Order 10 % extra concrete—short loads cost more than a little waste. Request a 9 a.m. pour so you have daylight for finishing. Have two spare wheelbarrows and three strong friends or a pumper truck ($250 hr minimum) if the chute can’t reach the far end.

Place, Screed, Bull Float

Shovel concrete slightly higher than the forms, then screed with a straight 2 × 4 using a sawing motion. Fill low spots immediately. Bull float right away to knock down aggregate and bring up cream. Keep the leading edge slightly up so you don’t dig in.

Edge, Groove, Finish

When surface water sheen disappears, run an edging tool along the perimeter to create a rounded lip that resists chipping. Cut control joints 1 in. deep with a hand groover or wait until next morning and use a concrete saw with a diamond blade. For a broom finish, pull a soft-bristle broom across the surface perpendicular to traffic—one light pass is enough; overlapping causes chatter marks.

7. Cure & Seal for Long-Term Strength

Concrete reaches 50 % strength in 7 days and 90 % in 28 days. Keep moisture in for the first 48 hrs:

• Spray a liquid curing compound ($15/gal covers 200 sq ft) or
• Cover with 4-mil plastic sheeting, taped at the edges, or
• Mist the surface twice daily for 5 days if temps exceed 85 °F.

Wait 24 hrs before foot traffic, 3 days for bicycles, and 7 full days for cars. Apply a penetrating silane-siloxane sealer after 28 days to reduce salt and oil intrusion; reseal every 3–5 winters.

8. Common DIY Mistakes & Quick Fixes

• Plastic-shrinkage cracks: Appear within 2 hrs on windy days. Mist the slab and erect a windbreak or shade cloth.
• Rocky surface: Too much floating while water is still bleeding. Refloat with a magnesium blade and kneel on plywood to keep weight even.
• Spalled apron: Used weak mix or calcium chloride ice melt. Saw-cut and patch with polymer-modified overlay, then seal.
• Color differences: Different cement brands or water added on site. Order all concrete from the same plant and prohibit onsite water buckets.

9. Year-Round Maintenance Tips

1. Wash the drive every spring with a 2,000 psi pressure washer to remove salt and grit.
2. Fill hairline cracks under ¼ in. with self-leveling polyurethane before fall freeze.
3. Keep gutters directed away; standing water invites surface scaling.
4. Avoid de-icers containing ammonium nitrate—use calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) instead.
5. Rotate parking spots so tires don’t compress the same slab sections continually.

Frequently Asked Questions