Concrete Driveways in Norman, OK

Concrete driveways in Norman take more abuse than any other slab on the lot. They carry the cars every day, they catch roof water from the garage, and they sit on clay that swells in a wet spring and shrinks in a dry August. Most failing driveways we see follow the same pattern: cracks running off the corners, a panel near the garage that has dropped and holds water at the door, and an approach at the curb that has broken up.

Signs it is time to replace

• Cracks wide enough to catch a coin, or cracks where one side sits higher than the other
• A panel that has sunk toward the garage or tilted toward the house
• Water standing on the driveway or running toward the foundation after a storm
• A broken or crumbling approach at the curb
• Surface flaking and pitting over large areas
• A drive too narrow for the cars you have now

A single sunken panel on an otherwise sound driveway can often be lifted. When settling, wide cracks and a broken approach show up together, replacement usually costs less over time than patching year after year.

What goes under the concrete

Most driveway problems start below the surface. We break out and haul off the old concrete or asphalt, dig out soft or organic soil, and replace it with crushed stone compacted in layers. On clay ground that base does two jobs: it gives the slab even support, and it keeps water from pooling against the clay, which is what makes the clay swell.

Thickness depends on use. HomeGuide's driveway guide calls for at least 4 inches for ordinary cars, 5 to 6 inches for RVs or heavy vehicles, and thicker edges of 6 to 8 inches. If a boat, camper, work truck or trailer parks on the drive, we thicken that area.

Rebar on chairs at mid-depth ties the slab together, so when clay movement does crack it, the pieces stay level instead of drifting into a step. Joints are cut on a planned grid so cracks follow straight lines.

The approach and the city side

The approach is the section between your driveway and the street, usually crossing the public sidewalk. In Norman that section is in the city's right-of-way. The city's Sidewalk Program and Policy says curb damage caused by a driveway approach is the owner's responsibility, that a sidewalk permit is required for any sidewalk construction, and that a contractor hired by the owner applies for an offsite construction permit. Our estimate shows where your private driveway ends and the approach begins.

If your home is in the city's Core Area, has curb and gutter, and has a gravel or badly damaged driveway, the Driveway Repair Program may reimburse part of the cost. The program form notes that a typical approach is about 10 feet wide and 12 feet deep with 5-foot curb returns, that applications are scored after the end of April, and that an application is denied if the old drive has already been torn out. Call Engineering at (405) 366-5315 before any demolition.

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Finish options

• Broom finish: the standard, with a light texture that grips in rain.
• Exposed aggregate: the top paste is washed away to show the stone, which hides tire marks.
• Stamped or colored borders: a decorative band along the edges with plain lanes down the middle.
• Smooth trowel: clean looking but slick when wet, so we keep it off sloped drives.

Your first year with the new driveway

Stay off it with cars for at least 7 days. HomeGuide recommends waiting 28 to 30 days before the first coat of sealer, then resealing every 2 to 3 years. Turn downspouts away from the slab edges and keep sprinklers from soaking one side of the driveway while the other side stays dry, since uneven moisture is what makes clay lift one part of a slab and not the other.