Concrete flatwork in Pittsburgh, PA
Flatwork is what the trade calls any concrete that lies flat: driveways, walks, aprons, pads and curbs. It is the everyday work of a concrete company, and in Pittsburgh the trick is making flat concrete work on ground that is anything but flat.
Job ticket: Concrete Flatwork
- Walks
- 4 in thick
- Drives
- 4 to 6 in thick
- Joints
- Every 8 to 10 ft
- Finish
- Broom or exposed
Rough guide$7 to $14 per sq ft
What counts as concrete flatwork
Exterior flatwork takes the weather directly, so it gets an air-entrained mix, a broom finish for grip and a slope to carry water away. These are the jobs we do most.
- Driveways and driveway aprons
- Front walks and side walks
- Curbs and gutters on private property
- Trash pads and equipment pads
- Parking pads off alleys
- Loading areas and small commercial lots
Flatwork on Pittsburgh hills
On a steep driveway, concrete wants to run downhill while it is being placed, so the mix and the crew have to work with that. We use a stiffer mix on steep runs and a heavier broom finish for grip in winter. We also take care where the drive meets the street, so a low car doesn't scrape and water doesn't head for the garage.
Drainage is the other big issue. Water needs a place to go, and it shouldn't be your neighbor's yard. A channel drain, a small swale or a little more pitch often solves what a thicker slab can't.
Joints and edges
Concrete shrinks as it dries, and it will crack somewhere. Control joints tell it where. We space them about two to three times the slab thickness in feet, so a 4 inch walk gets a joint about every 8 to 12 feet at most, and closer on narrow runs. Isolation joints go where concrete meets a building or steps, so they can move separately.
Flatwork for landlords and businesses
Property managers call us for trip hazards, apartment walks, dumpster pads and aprons that have broken up. We can phase work so that tenants keep their parking and access, and we can flag ramps and walks for safe use while the concrete cures. Small commercial jobs are welcome, and we will tell you if yours is better suited to a larger paving crew.
How the work goes
- Walk the site
We check grade, drainage, access and what is under the old concrete.
- Remove and prep
Old material is hauled away, and the base is compacted.
- Form and pour
Forms are set for pitch, then concrete is placed and finished.
- Joints and cure
We cut joints the right day and protect the surface as it cures.
Common questions
What is flatwork concrete?
Flatwork is any concrete placed flat on the ground, such as driveways, sidewalks, patios, slabs and floors.
What is the going rate for concrete flatwork?
Around Pittsburgh, about $7 to $14 per square foot for most jobs. Small jobs and hard access cost more per foot.
What is considered concrete flatwork?
Driveways, walks, aprons, garage floors, slabs and pads. Walls, footers and steps are usually treated as formed work.
What is a control joint in concrete?
A planned groove that makes the slab crack in a straight line, out of sight, instead of at random. NRMCA spaces them at 24 to 36 times the slab thickness, so about 10 feet apart on a 4 inch slab, and cuts them at least a quarter of the way through.
What psi concrete for sidewalk?
Usually 3,500 to 4,000 PSI air-entrained concrete in our climate.
Do you need rebar in a sidewalk?
Not usually for a standard 4 inch walk, but it helps on poor soil or where a walk crosses a driveway.
What does a concrete company do?
A concrete company prepares the ground, sets forms and steel, then places and finishes concrete for slabs, driveways, walks and floors.
More concrete services
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- concrete garage floors
- concrete basement floors
- exposed aggregate concrete
- concrete footers
- shed slabs and hot tub pads
- concrete leveling in Pittsburgh
- concrete resurfacing in Pittsburgh
- concrete sealing
- epoxy garage floors
- concrete removal