Concrete Driveways

Why Choose Concrete for Your Driveway

Your driveway is one of the first things people see when they visit your home. A concrete driveway gives you a clean, professional look that lasts for decades. Unlike asphalt that needs frequent sealing or gravel that shifts and spreads, concrete stays put and keeps its appearance with minimal upkeep.

Here in Lake Oswego, we deal with rain, freezing temperatures, and the occasional snow. Concrete handles all of it. When installed correctly with proper drainage and reinforcement, your concrete driveway can easily last 30 years or more. That makes it one of the best investments you can make for your property.

We pour driveways for homes throughout the Lake Oswego area. Whether you are replacing an old cracked driveway or building a new one from scratch, we handle every step of the process. Our team prepares the ground, sets up proper drainage, adds reinforcement, and finishes the surface to your exact specifications.

What Makes a Great Concrete Driveway

A quality driveway starts below the surface. Before we pour any concrete, we prepare a solid base that prevents settling and cracking. This means excavating to the right depth, compacting the soil, and adding a gravel base that allows water to drain properly.

Key Features of Our Driveway Installations

• Minimum 4-inch thickness for residential driveways, 6 inches for heavy vehicle use
• Steel reinforcement or fiber mesh to prevent cracking
• Control joints placed every 10 feet to manage natural expansion and contraction
• Proper slope for water runoff, keeping puddles away from your garage
• Smooth trowel finish or broom finish for traction

The concrete mix itself matters too. We use the right PSI rating for driveways, typically 3500 to 4000 PSI, which gives you the strength to support vehicles without cracking under weight. Air entrainment is added to help the concrete resist freeze-thaw cycles, which is crucial for our Oregon winters.

After we pour and finish the concrete, proper curing is essential. We keep the surface moist for several days to let it gain full strength. This attention to detail is what separates a driveway that lasts from one that develops problems in just a few years.

Driveway Design Options

Plain gray concrete is reliable and cost-effective, but you have other options if you want something more distinctive. We can add color to the concrete mix or apply stains after it cures. Stamped and decorative concrete lets you mimic the look of brick, stone, or tile at a fraction of the cost.

Exposed aggregate is another popular choice. We pour the concrete, then remove the surface layer to reveal the stones underneath. This creates natural texture and visual interest while giving you excellent traction in wet weather.

Matching Your Home Style

Your driveway should complement your home, not clash with it. For traditional homes, a simple broom finish in natural gray works perfectly. Modern homes often look great with smooth troweled finishes or subtle geometric patterns created with control joints.

If you have existing concrete patios or walkways, we can match the finish so everything looks coordinated. We bring samples to your property so you can see exactly how different finishes and colors will look before we start the work.

Common Questions About Concrete Driveways

Here are answers to questions we hear most often from homeowners in Lake Oswego. If you have other questions, just give us a call and we will walk you through everything.