Should you put plastic under concrete driveway?

Sealing the driveway yearly can lead to unsightly hairline cracks and peeling. And concrete driveways should be sealed every four or five years to protect them from water penetration and to prolong their life.

Sealing the driveway yearly can lead to unsightly hairline cracks and peeling. And concrete driveways should be sealed every four or five years to protect them from water penetration and to prolong their life.

It is important to be careful where you install stamped concrete because it easily cracks and scratches under a heavy load. Stamped concrete is a poor choice for a driveway and any area on which cars are driven or parked.

A small section of concrete can be polished with a hand sander.Vacuum the area thoroughly to remove all dust and debris. ... Cover any vents and under doorways with plastic sheeting and low-tack painter's tape. ... Attach the appropriate sanding disk to the handheld grinder.More items...

Indoor Concrete Bag Storage Ideally, you should store the bags in a dry and enclosed structure to protect them from rain and moisture. When storing stacked concrete bags for the long term, one idea is to put the smaller bags into an oversized plastic bag and tightly seal it.

No problem plastering straight over cables but if you think you might ever want to pull them out put some plastic capping over them first.

You can put concrete over asphalt, but make sure that the asphalt is at least 2” to 4” thick. If you plan on storing many heavy vehicles on the driveway, you need 4”-6” asphalt because you need more concrete to support the weight of the vehicles.

A: It's perfectly acceptable to put tile directly on concrete — with a couple of caveats. First, it is important to determine if there is moisture coming up from the slab. You can test for moisture by taping all four sides of 18-by-18-inch polyurethane plastic on the slab.

You don't need any cement board under the tub. It is far more important to have a sturdy layer of ply under the tub.

Plastic Sheeting Can Permanently Discolor Concrete. Adverse weather conditions such as rain, snow, or freezing temperatures often make it necessary to protect concrete by covering it. ... That's what makes curing concrete with plastic so effective: the plastic keeps the concrete damp.

No plastic sheeting goes behind the cement board. A liquid waterproofing membrane, such as RedGard or Hydro Ban, is applied to the cement board and allowed to cure. Then, tile is installed over the membrane.

Laying a concrete driveway over an existing gravel one is possible, but it is not generally recommended. ... The kind of gravel that is intended to go under cement is typically a smaller grade than what is used for gravel driveways.

edit - To put footings under the slab, you can cut holes wherever needed, excavate for footings (Sonotubes or concrete piers or similar) and then patch the concrete slab.

You don't need any cement board under the tub. It is far more important to have a sturdy layer of ply under the tub.

Embed the cement board in latex-modified thin-set mortar The main reason for using thin-set between the cement board and the subfloor isn't as much for bonding as it is for even, void-free cement board support throughout the floor. ... Then spread thinset mortar with the flat side of a 1/4-in.

Stopping water from flowing under your concrete is probably the most important thing you can do to keep your driveway from sinking and becoming out of level. Caulking the joints and cracks is the best way to stop this from happening. Even expansion joints in your concrete driveway should be caulked.

And concrete driveways should be sealed every four or five years to protect them from water penetration and to prolong their life.

Many people believe that concrete driveways don't need maintenance, so they may never apply a sealer.

This is a good time of year for driveway work..

Use wire mesh for driveways that are 4 to 5 inches thick, and rebar for those that are 5 inches or more. Place rebar in a grid pattern with a spacing between bars of approximately 12 inches. In either case, blocks should be used under the reinforcement to keep centered within the concrete.

Yes, that's true if you use crappy concrete with too much water in it. The easy answer is don't use crappy concrete. ... Here's an idea—get rid of the sand and put the concrete right on the plastic sheet so that the bottom of the concrete mix does not dry out.

Use wire mesh for driveways that are 4 to 5 inches thick, and rebar for those that are 5 inches or more. Place rebar in a grid pattern with a spacing between bars of approximately 12 inches. In either case, blocks should be used under the reinforcement to keep centered within the concrete.

gravel baseThe gravel base for a driveway should be a minimum of 4 inches deep. If heavier vehicles, such as large trucks, will use the driveway regularly, the gravel should be even deeper, up to 12 inches. Poor soil or a sloped driveway may also require deeper gravel.

Do I need a DPM under laminate flooring? Simply put yes. In order to prevent damp rising through the concrete floor and causing issues, a DPM should be used under all final floor types including wood flooring, laminate, vinyl and floor tiles.

Caulking Concrete Cracks and Expansion Joints Caulking the joints and cracks is the best way to stop this from happening. Even expansion joints in your concrete driveway should be caulked. They can be the biggest culprit of water under your slabs.

The main purpose of under-floor waterproofing membrane is to prevent rising damp from entering concrete or other floor surfaces. In addition it prevents contamination of concrete during the pouring process.

thirty yearsEnhances your driveway's appearance: one of the best values of concrete driveway resurfacing is it improves your driveway's appearance. The new layer gives your driveway a fresh look after years of fading and cracking. Extends its lifespan: if you care for your driveway correctly, it should last for up to thirty years.

You can put concrete over asphalt, and it is a great choice as a driveway base for residential homes. Asphalt is only suitable as a driveway base if it is at least between 2” and 4” thick for residences. ... Before you can pour concrete over asphalt, you must first soak the asphalt with water.

edit - To put footings under the slab, you can cut holes wherever needed, excavate for footings (Sonotubes or concrete piers or similar) and then patch the concrete slab.

Another method to prevent discoloration is to place dry straw directly onto the concrete, then put the plastic on top of it. Wet the concrete, then place the plastic sheeting over it. ... Once a day, remove the plastic sheet and wet the concrete, then replace the cover. Do this for a week for the best results.

You should allow the concrete to dry fully before you allow any vehicles to come onto the driveway. ... If you want the effects of your pressure wash to be longer lasting you can apply a sealant once the concrete has completely dried. Use a long-handled roller for the application of this.

Driveway paint is very thick and the first coat should be thin enough to fill the rough concrete surface. Begin by painting the edges ('cutting in') and details of the driveway using a paint brush. Use a roller to apply paint evenly over the rest of the driveway. Leave the paint to cure for at least 16 hours.

If you drive over a concrete slab that's got soft ground under it, the concrete wants to bend and stretch. ... If the concrete does develop a hairline crack, the crack should not open with the steel in place. Compacting the soil under the slab before the pour also prevents tension cracking.

Place the bag in an airtight tub or buy premix concrete in a bucket. If you need to store a bag of premix concrete, you should put it in an airtight plastic container. Even if the bag is not open, the relatively porous material of the bag can let in air and moisture, allowing the mix to age.

The application of vapor barrier in exterior concrete is unnecessary due to the fact that water penetration does not matter. Any slab on grade that is enclosed and on the interior of a building should have a vapor barrier installed prior to pouring concrete, especially if flooring will be applied.

In California they place sand between slabs and plastic vapor barriers—in Florida they don't. Almost everywhere (except “California”) that slabs are placed on the ground—a plastic sheet—a vapor barrier—is located directly under the concrete slab and on top of the ground (Photograph 1).

Cement mix might work in some cases over an existing gravel driveway.

Laying a concrete driveway over an existing gravel one is possible, but it is not generally recommended.

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However, if the gravel in your driveway is small enough, it is possible to create a cement driveway over the existing one..

Wire mesh, like Rebar reduced the cracking and any uplift in the concrete driveway. Rebar will be used if there is a structural reason, meaning you need to carry the weight of the slab to pilings or plan to build above the slab. For a driveway, just use the wire, lap it one box around.

Concrete Characteristics To withstand the weight of vehicle traffic, choose a concrete with a strength of 4,000 pounds per square inch for your driveway. In areas with cold winters, concrete mix should have a 6 percent air-entrainment value.

If rain is in the forecast, you should postpone a large concrete pour until conditions improve. Even if rain isn't predicted, you should always be prepared to cover the concrete with a tarp or plastic sheeting just in case. Make sure to seal the edges so rainwater can't seep underneath.

Sealing concrete repels water and extends its life. If you have a concrete patio, garage, or driveway, sealing the concrete should be part of the initial conditioning of the surface, and should be done periodically over the life of the concrete.

Experts recommend using a penetrating sealer outdoors because it sinks down into the concrete and has a more natural, matte finish. It is very important that sealers used on exterior concrete allow both air and moisture to pass through. A driveway sealer should be applied after the freshly poured concrete has cured.

And concrete driveways should be sealed every four or five years to protect them from water penetration and to prolong their life. Many people believe that concrete driveways don't need maintenance, so they may never apply a sealer. ... The first step in driveway maintenance is the repair of cracks and holes.

Enhances your driveway's appearance: one of the best values of concrete driveway resurfacing is it improves your driveway's appearance. The new layer gives your driveway a fresh look after years of fading and cracking. Extends its lifespan: if you care for your driveway correctly, it should last for up to thirty years.

Sealing the driveway yearly can lead to unsightly hairline cracks and peeling. And concrete driveways should be sealed every four or five years to protect them from water penetration and to prolong their life. ... This is a good time of year for driveway work.

Even expansion joints in your concrete driveway should be caulked. They can be the biggest culprit of water under your slabs. Notice how the caulking is slightly lower than the concrete slab around it. This protects the caulk from wear and tear of people walking and driving over it.

Plastic Sheeting Can Permanently Discolor Concrete.

Adverse weather conditions such as rain, snow, or freezing temperatures often make it necessary to protect concrete by covering it.

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If the concrete is completely covered with plastic, no outside moisture can penetrate to contact the slab..

Covering the curing concrete with plastic keeps it cleaner, but there is a more important purpose behind this practice. ... To prevent cracks, plastic is placed over the curing concrete to trap the water inside and regulate its temperature, ensuring gradual curing.

Recently, though, research has shown that the old traditional layer of 6-mil Visqueen (polyethylene plastic) under the slab is seldom effective for two main reasons: Although it may seem water-tight, this grade of material allows a lot of water vapor to pass through.

Yes, the driveway definately will need to be sealed. I found out the hard way after pressure washing my drive and not sealing it. The sealer closes up holes in the driveway and prevents water from freezing and cracking in the driveway. Highly recommended.

The sand layer cannot dry downwards by vapor diffusion because of the plastic sheet—it is a vapor barrier after all. In fact that's why we have it under the slab. We want a vapor barrier under the slab. ** We want to prevent water vapor from coming up from the ground into the concrete slab.

A concrete driveway costs from $8 to $18 per square foot, depending on decorative colors and finishes. While a plain gray concrete driveway costs between $5 and $7 per square foot to install.