Concrete Driveways in Taylor, MI

Concrete driveways in Taylor are, on many streets, as old as the houses. With a median build year of 1963 for local housing, per Point2Homes' summary of Census data, plenty of original drives have carried cars through more than half a century of Michigan winters. They tend to fail in a familiar order: the surface near the street starts to flake from salty slush, cracks open across the middle, and the last panel before the garage sinks until water stands at the door.

Signs a driveway needs replacing

• Flaking or pitting across much of the surface
• Cracks wide enough to catch a coin, or with one side higher than the other
• A sunken panel at the garage that holds water or ice
• Water running toward the house or garage instead of the street
• Broken edges along the lawn and a crumbling approach at the curb
• A single lane that forces cars to shuffle every morning

One dropped panel in an otherwise sound driveway can often be lifted or replaced on its own. When settling, wide cracks and scaling show up together, replacing the drive usually costs less over the next twenty years than patching it every spring.

Why the base matters more on clay

Taylor sits on low, flat ground. Wikipedia's article on the Ecorse River, whose South Branch flows through the city, notes that clay soil and heavy development limit how much water the ground absorbs. Under a driveway, that water stays put, freezes and heaves the slab, then softens the clay so it settles in spring. Our process starts below the surface: break out the old drive, dig out soft or organic soil, and compact crushed stone in layers so the slab has firm support and water has somewhere to go. Forms are set so the finished surface falls toward the street, away from the garage floor and foundation.

Thickness, steel and joints

HomeGuide's driveway guide calls for at least 4 inches of concrete for ordinary cars, 5 to 6 inches for RVs or heavy traffic, and thickened edges of 6 to 8 inches. If a work truck, trailer or camper parks on the drive, we thicken that area. The mix is air-entrained for freeze-thaw resistance. Rebar or wire set in the middle of the slab holds cracked pieces together, and joints on a planned grid control where shrinkage cracks run.

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Widening a single-lane drive

Many 1950s and 1960s lots were laid out with a narrow drive running beside the house. Widening it, adding a side parking pad, or flaring the entry at the street are common requests. The new concrete is doweled into existing slabs where they stay, and the whole layout is pitched as one surface so water does not collect where old meets new. Taylor's tree planting rules keep easement trees at least ten feet from driveways, which is worth knowing if you are planning a wider approach near an existing street tree.

Permits and the approach

The City of Taylor's permits page lists both "concrete or asphalt work" and "driveway/approach" among jobs that need a permit, and the Building Department asks for a copy of the construction contract with the application. The city's zoning review fee is waived when existing concrete is removed and replaced. We handle the permit and schedule inspections as the city requires.

Caring for a new driveway

Stay off it with cars for at least seven days, and keep heavy vehicles off for about 30. Use sand, not salt, the first winter, and avoid de-icers made with ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulfate after that. HomeGuide recommends the first sealer coat after 28 to 30 days and resealing every 2 to 3 years. Point downspouts away from the slab and ask whoever plows to keep the blade a little high.