Hello everyone,
we are currently looking for a surface material to use as a walkway to our front door and for a small parking space in front of the house.
The walkway to the house is 1.4 m (5 feet) wide and 11 m (36 feet) long. The parking space is 3 x 5 m (10 x 16 feet).
For both the parking space and the walkway, I would prefer not to install the surface over a gravel bed, but to cast it in concrete. The reason is that we did not like the appearance of most paving options because of their dimensions. By using concrete, we can use porcelain stoneware tiles with a thickness of 2 or 4 cm (0.8 or 1.6 inches) for both the walkway and the parking space.
However, the options we find visually appealing cost around 60-80 euros per m², which is actually too expensive for us since we have other projects around the house as well.
Since we want the slabs to be as large as possible and an exposed concrete look would be ideal, I thought about simply concreting the walkway and parking space myself. That means I could build formwork for the edges and then, depending on the desired look, create a small, narrow joint inside the formwork to simulate a tiled surface, for example, making the slabs 1.4 m (5 feet) long and 1 or 1.5 m (3 or 5 feet) wide to minimize the number of joints.
If you search “concrete walkway” on Google and look at images, you can already find the desired results.
Now to my question: is this even possible and durable, or will the slabs crack over time?
Is there a minimum thickness I should consider, and do I need reinforcement within the individual elements?
Thanks for your help.
we are currently looking for a surface material to use as a walkway to our front door and for a small parking space in front of the house.
The walkway to the house is 1.4 m (5 feet) wide and 11 m (36 feet) long. The parking space is 3 x 5 m (10 x 16 feet).
For both the parking space and the walkway, I would prefer not to install the surface over a gravel bed, but to cast it in concrete. The reason is that we did not like the appearance of most paving options because of their dimensions. By using concrete, we can use porcelain stoneware tiles with a thickness of 2 or 4 cm (0.8 or 1.6 inches) for both the walkway and the parking space.
However, the options we find visually appealing cost around 60-80 euros per m², which is actually too expensive for us since we have other projects around the house as well.
Since we want the slabs to be as large as possible and an exposed concrete look would be ideal, I thought about simply concreting the walkway and parking space myself. That means I could build formwork for the edges and then, depending on the desired look, create a small, narrow joint inside the formwork to simulate a tiled surface, for example, making the slabs 1.4 m (5 feet) long and 1 or 1.5 m (3 or 5 feet) wide to minimize the number of joints.
If you search “concrete walkway” on Google and look at images, you can already find the desired results.
Now to my question: is this even possible and durable, or will the slabs crack over time?
Is there a minimum thickness I should consider, and do I need reinforcement within the individual elements?
Thanks for your help.
O
Osnabruecker26 May 2020 12:42Good luck with your project! Concrete is very versatile and will definitely look good.
And if it looks less appealing after a few years, you might not regret spending the 70 € on the slabs as much.
Keep us updated!
A quick tip: Ask the concrete supplier for the right type of concrete. They should have the necessary expertise!
And if it looks less appealing after a few years, you might not regret spending the 70 € on the slabs as much.
Keep us updated!
A quick tip: Ask the concrete supplier for the right type of concrete. They should have the necessary expertise!
Well, if I don’t need waterproof concrete (WU concrete), I can actually mix it myself.
The only question is about the aggregate size. Rhein gravel 0/16mm (0/0.6 inches) should work, or is that too coarse? After vibrating and troweling smooth, you won’t see the stones anyway.
What do you think, which type of gravel would be best?
The only question is about the aggregate size. Rhein gravel 0/16mm (0/0.6 inches) should work, or is that too coarse? After vibrating and troweling smooth, you won’t see the stones anyway.
What do you think, which type of gravel would be best?
O
Osnabruecker26 May 2020 15:41You don’t need a waterproof concrete structure, but other properties are important.
Just search for exposure class online or ask the manufacturer locally.
Tell them the thickness, exterior component, moderate wear and tear, etc.
Just search for exposure class online or ask the manufacturer locally.
Tell them the thickness, exterior component, moderate wear and tear, etc.
No knowledge at all, just gathering half-knowledge from the forum and then going ahead with construction.
If you want to build something yourself, that’s completely fine, but you should rather consult a professional, or better not do it at all (this also refers to the inquiry about pool construction).
If you are only pouring a path with concrete, the worst that can happen is it might break; hardly anyone will get harmed. However, if you have a basement ceiling, you need structural engineering with the corresponding calculation according to standards. Anything else is negligent.
If you want to build something yourself, that’s completely fine, but you should rather consult a professional, or better not do it at all (this also refers to the inquiry about pool construction).
If you are only pouring a path with concrete, the worst that can happen is it might break; hardly anyone will get harmed. However, if you have a basement ceiling, you need structural engineering with the corresponding calculation according to standards. Anything else is negligent.
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