Your driveway is more than just a path to your garage; it’s the welcome mat to your home, the first impression that greets guests and passersby. But what happens when the concrete starts to give way to cracks, potholes, and wear? That’s when you know it’s time to think about replacement—not just for curb appeal, but for safety and home value as well. In this informative guide, we’ll explore the critical signs that indicate your concrete driveway needs a makeover, and why making that choice can be a sound investment in your property. From understanding the lifespan of your driveway to recognizing the symptoms of underlying issues, we’ve got you covered. Get ready to arm yourselves with knowledge to confidently decide when to bid farewell to your old driveway and welcome a fresh, durable surface!
Signs of Concrete Driveway Damage
Many of the most common signs of driveway damage are obvious. However, it is worth sharing a list of the most prevalent indicators that your driveway has an issue that could warrant repairs or replacement. If you notice any of the following indications of damage in your driveway, you should begin a discussion with a concrete contractor to determine your best course of action:
- Large cracks: Prominent cracks are one of the most reliable signs that your driveway needs attention from a professional.
- Uneven concrete: When soil issues occur below your driveway, it can cause the slabs to sink and become uneven.
- Spalling concrete: Spalling results in a flaking surface to your concrete, which worsens over time until your concrete degrades entirely.
- Standing water: Although standing water does not indicate immediate concrete damage, it does signify a deeper issue with your driveway’s drainage system that will likely cause complications in the future.
While these visible signs are common in many driveways, you should not overlook them. If you notice any of the signals in the list above, your next step should be to contact a contractor to ensure the damage does not worsen.
Driveway Replacement Process
Since you now know the signs of driveway damage, let’s consider what takes place if you choose to have your driveway replaced entirely. Overall, the process of replacing a driveway is labor-intensive but relatively straightforward.
The initial stage of replacement involves demolishing your current driveway. To accomplish this, your construction crew will use heavy machinery to break the concrete and remove the broken pieces.
It is time to build a new one after breaking, removing, and disposing of your existing driveway’s concrete. We won’t explain every detail of this stage but know that creating the new driveway will involve regrading the land, compacting the soil, and pouring the new concrete. Once those steps are complete, you’ll have a pristine new driveway in place of your old one.
Driveway Repair Methods
We’ve already outlined what occurs when you replace your driveway. It’s now time to discuss some of the most common driveway repair methods. The list below shares some of the most common techniques a concrete contractor will use to repair your driveway instead of replacing it:
- Polyjacking: When the soil below your driveway sinks or shifts, it can cause your concrete slabs to become uneven. Injecting polyurethane foam is one of the most reliable ways to fill soil voids, raise slabs, and make your driveway level again.
- Patching: When you have cracks and gaps in your concrete, your contractor can often fix the situation by patching the cracks with concrete.
- Re-surfacing: This repair process involves applying a resurfacing compound to the surface of your concrete. This approach helps fix minor chips and breaks in your concrete and make it look new.
Driveway Repair Vs. Replacement
Knowing the standard methods of repair and replacement is an excellent start. However, deciding which of these options is best for you is not as simple. The sections below will help you understand the scenarios in which you should choose repair over replacement and vice versa.
When to Choose Driveway Repair
Driveway repair is the optimal solution when your driveway has minor damage or damage that is present in specific areas of your driveway. In most cases, it’s best to consider repairs before replacement, as all repair services are considerably less expensive than a total replacement.
When to Choose Driveway Replacement
Driveway replacement is the way to go if your driveway has extensive damage beyond what a repair service can resolve. Full replacements are more expensive than repairs, but they also last longer and are the ideal solution if your driveway has extensive damage.
Get Help from a Concrete Repair Advice Pro
Deciding whether to replace or repair your concrete driveway is challenging for the average homeowner to do independently. As such, the best decision you can make is to build a relationship with a trusted concrete repair team in your area.
At Regional Foundation & Crawl Space Repair, we are the perfect concrete repair team for anyone living in Eastern North Carolina. We have extensive experience leveling concrete via the polyjacking process, and we offer many other construction services as well. Reach out to us today to learn more.
