Denver Decorative Concrete & Custom MasonryUsing pre-mixed concrete for an entire driveway?
I have used these pre mix concrete bags to lay out walkways and shed foundations many times. Me and a few guys can cut and mix in an old concrete bath tub as fast as I can shovel it in. Is it feasable to use this to do a twenty five x thirty slab. I know I can cut out the foundation lay out the gravel and wire mesh it but will this concrete hold up to parking cars on top of it? It is Five 6 times cheaper than anyone in town will do it for. I know I could do it the question is will it be durable enough. Also could I do 3 feet sections the entire length 1 at a time? Like 1 a weekend? Sorry if this is a bit dumb but I just want to get this done. My quickrete bags say 4000 psi that I have allways used should I try to find a mix with a much higher tensile strength?
Thanks
4000 psi is considered the minimum, so you should be OK. four inches is the recommended thickness.
A good reference to look at is…. http://www.marylandconcrete.com/ResidentialConcrete/index.cfm/go/DrivewaysFAQ
You can, but sand/gravel mix and portland is cheaper if available. About half the price. Mix at 5:1 ratio. You can do sections with a temporary form
the 4,000 psi will work
just let it cure for a wk before using it
80lb. bag of quikrete yields 0.6cu.ft of mix. forty five bags of quikcrete will make one cubic yard. You need 25ft x 30ft = 750 sq..ft of concrete at 4 thickness. one cubic yard of concrete will cover eighty one sq ft 4 thick. Thus you need appx 9 yards of concrete for your job.
Do you really want to mix 400 bags of quikcrete by hand? Also, at $3 a bag, it will be expensive.
The pre-mixed concrete bags are usually a light weight concrete and are not as durable as ready mix concrete. Seems like for this amount of concrete you could just call a ready mix company and have them deliver the ready mix. You and your friends can work on placing the concrete, leveling and finishing it and save the expense of a contractor for that work.
=== the lasting quality of having the mixer truck roll up and get the job done is the way to go == four 1/2 or five inches deep with rebar and mash and a solid drive that you never have to worry about after it is down and done == no freezing or cracks === that’s a parking lot …. get the truck and you don’t have to do all the back breaking of carry and mix and spread and wear&tear on your pick’em-up truck