Asphalt to Concrete Driveway and Walkway in Springfield, VA

About This Project

What the Homeowners Had

The old asphalt driveway at this Springfield home had worn out and was breaking up. It was wider at the garage and narrowed toward the street, and the homeowners wanted a new walkway as well.

How We Built It, in One Day

We tore out the old asphalt and hauled it away. Below it, part of the old base was still firm and well compacted, so we kept that layer instead of digging it out, and built on top of it with 4 inches of new gravel. We cleaned out the edges, set the forms, and compacted the gravel before laying 6 x 6 welded wire mesh across the whole driveway.

At the garage, we drilled #4 rebar into the garage foundation every 32 inches, so the new driveway is tied to the house and can't slide or drop away from it. Then we poured 4,000 PSI concrete, 4 inches thick, and gave it a broom finish for grip. The driveway and the new walkway were finished the same day.

Joints Planned So Cracks Go Where We Want Them

Concrete shrinks as it cures, and it will crack somewhere. Control joints decide where. The most likely place on this driveway was where it narrows from the wide section at the garage to the narrower run out to the street, so we put a control joint right at that change. From there we spaced the joints evenly to the garage and to the street, and cut one between the driveway and the walkway.

Expansion joints went in against the garage, against the house, and where the driveway meets the county sidewalk and the street entrance. They give the new slab room to move with the seasons without pushing on the house or the sidewalk.

The New Walkway

The new concrete walkway was poured the same day, on the same compacted base with the same mesh and concrete as the driveway, and a control joint separates the two so each can move on its own.

Thinking About Replacing Your Driveway?

Asphalt that is breaking up usually needs more than another sealcoat. Call JP Companies at (703) 327-7007 or send the form, and we will look at your driveway and tell you what it needs.