How To Level Driveway

How To Level Driveway
  • Author: Amanda Arnold
  • Posted On: October 4, 2022
  • Updated On: August 21, 2023

There are alternatives to ripping out and repairing your driveway if there are uneven or sunken areas. This post will demonstrate how Concrete Leveling can raise and level your driveway while causing the least amount of downtime and money.

Due to frequent neglect of concrete driveway upkeep, major and costly repairs may be required. A solid foundation can avoid sinking, the need to rebuild concrete driveways, and other risky situations and improve the aesthetic of your home or place of business.

A high descent will be dangerous in poor weather, even though all driveways should be constructed with the right slope for drainage. You can create a stable foundation by leveling the property if your house is on a hill.

Repair Cracks Before Levelling The Driveway

Due to groundwater concerns, rodent burrowing, soil settling, and other factors, concrete driveway slabs can pose several issues. Additionally, although one of the most resilient building materials available, concrete will eventually decay if it is not properly maintained or repaired.

We want to assist you in making an informed choice about your best options when determining whether to repair or replace your uneven concrete driveway. You must choose a concrete driveway leveling specialist who can restore your concrete’s original level and provide answers for the causes of your sunken concrete problems.

This frequently entails repairing downspout drains and sealing driveway joints or cracks. Always ask a leveling expert what they would do to prevent the problem from occurring again when they provide an assessment.

The only way to guarantee that your concrete will be attractive and secure for many years is to do this. The concrete driveway slabs might crack randomly across them and at seams and cut lines. When the damaged slabs heave or settle, causing trip hazards, these fissures look bad and pose a safety risk.

Seal Or Caulk Cracked Driveway

By caulking the fissures, water’s capacity to permeate the concrete’s surface and flow beneath the slab is significantly diminished. Your concrete driveway’s attractiveness and lifespan are both significantly improved by this.

Before applying a sealer, the surface is first pressure washed to lift and remove impurities and surface stains. The concrete is then caulked using long-lasting caulk to stop water from seeping into and underneath the concrete.

This decreases the effects of the freeze and, together with sealing, is a crucial step to keeping your concrete’s integrity.

Steps To Level A Driveway

Measure Driveway Width

To indicate the driveway’s path, place parallel ropes on the ground. To suit one or two cars, measure the width with a tape measure and adjust the ropes to make it wide. To fill in barren places, use a shovel to remove the top layer of grass and deposit it on a tarp.

Use an excavator machine or shovel to remove the dirt between the two ropes. Pile earth on a tarp to cover undesired low parts in the yard.

Use A Lawnmower Tractor

On the rear of a mowing tractor, mount a box scraper. Placing the blade’s angle at 0 degrees. Move the tractor slowly from one end of the driveway to the other. Cutting into the high spots of the yard, the blade will evenly distribute them across the low spots. After raising the blade, leave the area.

Use A Board To Level The Soil

The subsoil reading must be level after three repetitions of this step. Place a board on the ground and then a bubble level on top of the board. The site is considered level when the bubble is positioned in the middle of each part of the driveway. Until the subsoil feels firm, compact the area using a machine.

Build Gravel Foundation

Three layers of aggregate should be spread out over the site, and each layer should be compacted to create the gravel foundation. By adjusting the angle of the box scraper, create a small drainage slope.

Drive the tractor from the site’s end closest to the home, then move it slowly to the opposite end so the base will slope downward toward the street. Recompact the base as you go.

Lay Over Driveway Surface

Over the base that has been compacted, place the driveway surface. Spread a layer of small pebbles into a crown for a gravel driveway so that the sides are lower than the center. When using pavers, bricks, or flagstones, you must deposit a substantial layer of sand before positioning the individual pieces in the desired design.

Bottom Line

Despite being straightforward, leveling a concrete driveway is difficult. Most of the time, leveling a concrete driveway on your own is not an option. The most crucial factor, the skill required to complete the task correctly, would still be overlooked even if you had all the necessary tools.

With years of experience, qualified concrete repair specialists know where to raise and how far they should push a driveway slab. When you apply pressure to concrete, it responds in a specific way. It may split or shift farther than you anticipate.

Avatar photo
Author: Amanda Arnold

Amanda has been working with ConstructionHow since 2021. Her experience spans over 5 years in the creative niche such as home decor and trends, landscaping, renovations, and custom architectural values. As a home designer expert, she has a keen eye for the latest home improvement trends with accurate facts that readers find impossible to ignore. Being invested in home-building trends is how she has gained her lucrative expertise exploring more to bring a positive ambiance for all homeowners (and even tenants!). Currently, she lives in a beautiful beach home, a source of fascination for her.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE