Concrete Driveways in Statesboro, Swainsboro & Metter, GA

A driveway that holds up to trucks, trailers and summer storms

A driveway takes more abuse than any other concrete on your property. It carries the heaviest loads, sits out in full sun and takes every bit of runoff from the roof and yard. In South Georgia, where a lot of households own a three-quarter-ton truck, a boat or a camper, a thin driveway poured on soft ground does not last.

We build driveways to match the load. That starts with removing topsoil and roots, shaping the subgrade so water runs away from the house and garage, and compacting it. On soft or wet ground we bring in crushed stone base. Only then do we set forms, place reinforcement and pour.

Driveway services

• New concrete driveways for new construction and for homes replacing dirt, gravel or asphalt.
• Driveway replacement: old cracked or sunken concrete broken out, hauled away and re-poured.
• Driveway extensions and widening for a second vehicle, a turnaround or a side parking pad.
• RV, boat and trailer pads beside or behind the house, thickened for the weight.
• Driveway aprons and approaches where the drive meets the street or county road, including culvert crossings.
• Long rural driveways and concrete ribbons or strips for farm and country properties.
• Garage and carport aprons tied into the existing slab.

How we build a driveway

Thickness and strength

Four inches of concrete is the residential minimum and works for cars and light SUVs. For full-size trucks, loaded trailers, RVs or delivery traffic we recommend five to six inches, with thickened edges where vehicles roll on and off. We typically pour a 3,000 to 4,000 psi mix for driveways.

Reinforcement

Rebar on a grid or welded wire mesh set on supports so it sits in the slab, not on the dirt underneath it. Steel does not stop concrete from cracking, but it holds cracks tight and keeps sections from separating or shifting.

Joints and drainage

Control joints are placed roughly every 8 to 12 feet on a four inch slab so shrinkage cracks follow straight lines. Expansion joint material goes where the driveway meets the garage slab, sidewalk or street. The surface is sloped so rain sheds off instead of ponding.

Finish

A broom finish is the standard because it gives tires and shoes grip when the surface is wet. Exposed edges are tooled, and decorative borders or a smoother finish are available on request.

Replace or repair?

Narrow, stable cracks are cosmetic. But if sections have dropped, rocked, heaved over tree roots or broken into pieces, the base underneath has failed and patching the top will not fix it. In that case the honest answer is to remove the bad sections and pour them again on a properly prepared base. See our concrete repair and replacement page for how we decide.

Where we pour driveways

We install driveways in Statesboro, Swainsboro, Metter, Brooklet, Portal, Register, Twin City, Stillmore, Pulaski, Cobbtown and Claxton, in town and out in the county. If your drive connects to a city street or a state route, we will help you find out whether a driveway or right-of-way permit applies before work starts.

Driveway thickness, reinforcement and joints

Three decisions determine how long a concrete driveway lasts in South Georgia.

Thickness. Four inches is the standard for cars, SUVs and half-ton pickups. If a loaded work truck, a camper, a boat trailer or a delivery truck will use the drive regularly, 5 to 6 inches is worth the difference. Going from 4 to 5 inches adds roughly a quarter more concrete but a great deal more load capacity. Many owners thicken only the apron and the parking area where heavy vehicles sit.

Reinforcement. Welded wire or fiber helps hold hairline cracks tight. Rebar on a grid is the better choice for heavy vehicles, for soft or filled ground, and where the driveway crosses a culvert or trench.

Joints. Concrete shrinks as it cures. Control joints are placed roughly every 8 to 12 feet on a 4 inch driveway, and at every change in width, so the crack forms in the joint where you cannot see it. Expansion joint material goes where the driveway meets the garage slab, the street and the sidewalk.

Driveway layout: width, turnarounds and parking pads

• Single lane: 10 to 12 feet wide. Ten feet is the working minimum; 12 feet is more comfortable for trucks.
• Double lane: 20 to 24 feet wide so two vehicles can park side by side and open their doors.
• Turnaround or hammerhead: a side pad about 10 by 20 feet lets you turn around instead of backing onto a busy road, which matters on county highways.
• Extra parking pad: a pad beside the garage for a boat, camper or third vehicle, usually 12 feet wide and as long as the trailer plus tongue.
• Long rural drives: for a quarter mile driveway, many owners pour concrete for the first stretch off the road and the area near the house, and keep rock in between.
• Apron and culvert: the section between the road and the property line takes the most abuse. We thicken it and tie it into the culvert crossing where the county requires one.

Concrete compared with gravel and asphalt

Gravel is the cheapest to install, and it is everywhere in Bulloch, Emanuel and Candler County. It also ruts, washes into the ditch in heavy rain, grows weeds and needs new rock every couple of years.

Asphalt costs less up front than concrete but softens in summer heat, needs sealing every few years and breaks down at the edges on sandy ground. Few asphalt crews will mobilize for a single short residential drive this far from a plant.

Concrete costs the most on day one and the least over time. A properly built concrete driveway commonly lasts 30 years or longer with almost no maintenance, stays cooler than asphalt, and adds curb appeal and resale value.

Caring for a new concrete driveway

• Stay off it on foot for 24 to 48 hours, keep cars off for 7 days and heavy trucks or trailers off for about 28 days.
• Keep the surface damp or covered for the first several days in hot weather if we ask you to. Slow curing makes stronger concrete.
• Do not let a lawn sprinkler wash soil out from under the edges, and keep the edges backfilled.
• Rinse off fertilizer, oil and rust-prone items. A penetrating sealer after the first month helps resist stains.
• Avoid parking the same heavy trailer jack or dumpster on one spot without a board under it.

Frequently asked questions