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Lurch77
Premium Member
join:2001-11-22
Green Bay, WI

Lurch77

Premium Member

Driving off concrete edge.

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In the picture above you can see where they poured concrete for a driveway. Where the truck is parked is the end of it. Eventually it will extend further to a garage out back. In the meantime it is just as the picture shows.

Had I known circumstances would be as they are now I would have extended it at least another 5 or 6 feet. We have a full size van (Ford E-150) that is converted with a wheelchair lift for a child. If the driveway was a little longer we could pull forward enough to align the wheelchair lift with the sidewalk going out to the driveway (also shown in the picture). This would allow the wheelchair to be wheeled down the sidewalk and right into the van.

I am considering extending the driveway with crushed gravel to do this for now. We will not be extended the driveway for the garage for another few years. But I am concerned that the weight of the van being driven off the end of the driveway will eventually crack the concrete. Is this a valid concern? If so, is there anything that can be done to mitigate the problem? The concrete is standard for a residential driveway around here, 4" non-reinforced.

John Galt6
Forward, March
Premium Member
join:2004-09-30
Happy Camp

John Galt6

Premium Member

Shouldn't be an issue as long as you can adequately transfer the dynamic load of the van from the concrete to the new extension properly.

I don't think that gravel (as such) will do that job for you.

I'd use well-moistened, compacted 3/4" minus aggregate base rock and compact it with a plate compactor. Extend that out as necessary (it's cheap). It will need to be thick at the concrete interface. Excavate that carefully. I'm thinking 1 foot deep and extending at that depth 2 feet forward, for the width of the driveway.

Some rebar in the concrete edge would have been a good idea...

cwnorris
join:2000-01-17
Longmont, CO

cwnorris to Lurch77

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I wouldn't use gravel or any material that would shift and not support the edge. Use road base or crusher fines. Make sure the moisture is right, spread it out and compact it with the van. 3 to 4 inches is adequate.

LazMan
Premium Member
join:2003-03-26
Beverly Hills, CA

LazMan to Lurch77

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You won't want gravel, you want 'crusher-run' - it's got finer (from dust up to about 3/4") particulate, that lets it compact well... Mosten it, pack it well, and it'll be damn near as hard as the concrete when it dries out.

For the actual edge, as long as there's no voids or anything under the concrete, I don't think it would be an issue...

I'd think 10" or so would be way more then sufficient - I've got about a foot of crusher-run in my driveway, and my F150 hasn't rutted it up or shifted it in any way.

Lurch77
Premium Member
join:2001-11-22
Green Bay, WI

Lurch77

Premium Member

I said crushed gravel, but I meant whatever the stuff is that the contractor used under the concrete. He left some excess on the back of my property per my request. It is what I think you guys are talking about. Compacts very well. He called it road rock or something like that. You can see it in the picture I posted. The truck is parked on it.

John Galt6
Forward, March
Premium Member
join:2004-09-30
Happy Camp

John Galt6

Premium Member

That'll work!

davidg
Good Bye My Friend
MVM
join:2002-06-15
00000

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MVM

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if the concrete is done correctly you won't crack it driving off the edge. i drive my Ram 1500 off the edge of my drive every day to park in the yard. my truck won't fit in the garage due to the rack on it, and i can't park in the side parking due to my wife hitting my truck every time as she backs out and turns around. so for 7 years now i have driven off the same edge of the drive and into the yard, no problems at all with my 3" thick driveway there.

John Galt6
Forward, March
Premium Member
join:2004-09-30
Happy Camp

John Galt6 to Lurch77

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to Lurch77
On the other hand, it might not be much of a problem in the long run if the intention is to extend the drive in the future.

A saw-cut could be made to clean up the edge prior to the new pour if it does become broken...

tp0d
yabbazooie
Premium Member
join:2001-02-13
Bulger, PA

tp0d

Premium Member

If you have excess you want to use, make sure to cover it well. if the rain rinses away the small stuff, it wont compact for a damn

-j

anonny
@cox.net

anonny to Lurch77

Anon

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Another idea...
»www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N ··· Id=10051