pouring a concrete driveway, pouring concret 4 inches my friend say 6 , any coments thanks?
Answers:
First of all let me commend you for pouring your own driveway. Pouring cement is a definet 8 hammer on the 1-10 hammer scale. As one of the other answers stated it does depend on the use of the driveway. If you have a large and/or heavy vehicle that will be parking on the drive than it will be better to be 5-6 inches thick. Although if you really want to get techincal you could still pour 4" thick concrete but at a higher PSI. You see, when you order out your concrete from the batch plant they (the batch plant) will ask you how you want your concrete. They are asking you for the following information;
1. How many cubic yards of concrete do you need?
A. Lenght X Width X Thickness= "X". Devide "X" by 27 and you'll have the number of cubic yards of concrete. I always add 1/2 extra yard to the order just to make sure I have enough.
2. Type of design mix?
A. Concrete can be made different ways. If it's cold outside (40 or colder) you'll want to add additional calcium and hotwater to the mix. If it's really hot (90 or above) you'll want to add cold water or even ice to slow the curring time. You'll also need to know the size of aggergate you'll want. I'd suggest using 3/4 inch. Although you could use smaller rocks, 3/4 inch is common and standard.
3. Pressure?
A. The pressure is the PSI of the concrete will withstand without breaking. This really pretains to your question. Concrete is usually mixed at a PSI of 2000 to 2500 pound per square inch. You can have your concrete mixed at a higher strenght for a few more dollars per cubic yard. I'd suggest pouring your concrete to a thickness of 4" but at 3500 PSI. This will give you plenty of thickness and strength.
4. Slump?
A. The slump pf the concrete is defined as how wet the concrete is when it arrives to the jobsite. Typically during the summer months you'd like to have your concrete at a 6" slump. This will give you time to get the concrete laid down and it will make it easier to move around. DO NOT ADD TO MUCH WATER AS THIS WILL REDUCE THE STRENGTH BY AS MUCH AS 500 PSI PER GALLON OF WATER ADDED!!
I hope this helped you with your question.
IN REPONSE TO CLEARCREEK BELOW.
1. I do not recommend using fibercrete for exterior pours. You will not be able to get a good looking finish on the slab due to the amount of fibers that will be sticking up everywhere. Not including the possibility of hurting someones barefoot if they walk across the hardened surface. I have used fibercrete, but only in commercial construction of light weight concrete floors on high-rise apartment buildings where the concrete is thin and will be covered with floor coverings.
2. I prefer using #4 rebar for reinforcment. The welded wire mesh is ok for sidewalks and small patios, but will not give you alot of shear reinforcement. Basically your concrete will crack, this is for sure, the rebar will help the concrete to stay together both vertically and horizontally. The wire mesh will do this also, but only at a smaller strength due to the smaller diameter of the wire.
I would also like to add to make sure you put a good broom finish on the concrete. This will help you with traction both for your vehicle and yourself.
Other answers:
4-6 inches and rebar every 14 inches.
4-6 inches and rebar every 14 inches.
4 inches fine for home driveway. 6" thick for larger trucks.
use re-inforcement
better safe than sorry. go with 6".
As any woman or gay man will tell you, 6 inches is far better than four.
M W has a lot of good points, and obviously some experience with this.here are some things left out...
1- have the batch plant add 'fiber' (think fiberglass) to the mix. this usually adds 4-5 bucks to the cost but can double the lateral strength of the concrete
2- scrap the rebar and use welded wire instead. much thinner, cheaper and easier to work with. also provides better support for residential use.if you were landing a 747 on your driveway, or your personal vehicle is an 18 wheeler then i'd recommend the rebar.
3- rarely have i seen the need for more than 4 inches of concrete. take your time with the prep work, use a good aggregate stone base that has been well tamped, and go overboard with grade stakes. in relative terms, concrete is expensive, gravel and labor are not.
4- have fun and don't forget to add a handprint or 3 to the finished product