Concrete Driveway Help

It's funny, they added cuts to the first 2 panels, but nothing for the res . Exactly where it's all cracking.

 

If they placed the concrete during a cold spell, it might have been a curing issue.

 

Can pea gravel be used as a base? I’ve got a pea gravel driveway and some extra pea gravel in the back I could spread to level things out. I can get wire mesh for free.

Would love a concrete driveway but not for
6-7k

 

Only if you could get good compaction. I would say that depends on how much of it there is and what its on.

 

What is is under the pea gravel?

 

Which one? There's a bunch of them.

 

An older washed out 3/4 lime stone gravel I believe. I didn’t put a bunch of pea gravel down and where my truck goes it’s compacted pretty well. Could almost use the extra I got about now to make it look better.

May just get another quote since I’ve rehabbed the driveway since the first quotes and concrete prices were high

 

How ironic...our principal regularly circulates industry periodicals for the rest of us to read. The article below on detailing slabs to minimize cracking just came across my desk (The Journal of Light Construction, June 2018 issue).

https://www.jlconline.com/how-to/foundations/joints-in-concrete-slabs_o

PDF version of the article/Q&A with recommendations for join placement...
https://www.jlconline.com/_view-object?id=00000163-bb9c-d5d9-a7e7-bfdc3b570000

Cheers

 

Pea gravel doesnt compact

 

Granite screenings

 

^^^correct^^^

Due to shape of pea gravel, it would just move around if you were to try and compact it.

Depends on where you live. SoCal is very different than say New Hampshire as far as proper prep for a slab/driveway pour is concerned.

Here I would get my rough grading close and use sand to clean up grade prior to driveway pour.
For a slab, also have approved vapor barrier below sand prior to pour.

Or, just breakup the pour into smaller areas and never worry about cracking....