These are the questions our other guides do not cover. If yours is not here, call (313) 789-3411.
How long does a concrete driveway last?
A well-built concrete driveway can last for decades. Many Southfield driveways poured in the 1960s are still in use, though worn. What shortens a driveway's life here is a thin base on wet clay, salt scaling on a mix without enough air, and water pooling at the garage. A driveway on drained stone, with air-entrained concrete, steel and regular sealing, outlasts one poured straight on clay.
Can I pour concrete myself, or should I hire someone?
You can pour a small pad or short garden path yourself if you are handy. Driveways and anything bigger than a few dozen bags are better left to a crew. Concrete is heavy, sets on its own schedule, and gives you one chance at the finish. The base is where homeowner jobs usually fall short, and on Southfield clay that shows after the first winter.
Can I pour a small shed pad with bags from the store?
For a small shed, bagged mix works. Dig out the topsoil and soft clay, place and compact a few inches of crushed stone, form it level, add mesh or rebar, and mix every bag the same. Have a helper, because the first bags start to set while you mix the last ones. Pour on a mild day, not in late fall. Anything bigger is easier and more even with a ready-mix truck. Ask the city whether your shed needs a permit.
I poured my own walkway and it cracked and heaved. Should I redo it or hire someone?
A heaved walk means the base failed, so redo it yourself only if you will build a proper base this time. Break it out, dig out the clay, compact crushed stone in thin layers, add steel and cut joints every few feet. If that is more digging than you want, hire a crew for the base and the pour. A new layer over a heaved walk will not work.
How do I get oil stains out of concrete?
To get fresh oil stains out, cover the spot with clay cat litter to soak up the oil, then scrub in a concrete degreaser with a stiff brush and rinse. Old stains need a poultice or a degreaser left to sit, and they usually fade rather than vanish. A pressure washer helps after the degreaser. Do it in warm weather, since most cleaners work poorly in the cold. A sealed slab cleans more easily next time.
Can an old concrete floor be dyed or stained?
Yes, an old floor can be stained if the surface is bare concrete with no sealer, paint or glue left on it. Stain is see-through, so patches, cracks and marks show through it. Acid stain takes unevenly on old concrete, which gives a mottled look some owners like. Test a small corner first. A basement floor with moisture coming through needs that fixed before stain and sealer go on.
A customer slipped or tripped on the concrete outside my business. Am I liable?
Whether you are liable depends on the facts, so ask your insurer and a lawyer. In general, whoever owns or controls a walking surface is expected to keep it reasonably safe and deal with hazards they know about. Ice and lifted panels are the usual hazards here. Tell your insurer, photograph the spot, and fix the hazard. Southfield says sidewalks are the owner's responsibility and must be cleared of snow and ice within 24 hours. This is general information, not legal advice.
Can sections be replaced while my business stays open?
Yes, in most cases your business stays open. We replace walks, entrances and parking areas in sections so customers always have a way in. We set up a safe path with barriers, time pours around your busy hours where we can, and tell you how long each section stays closed. Delivery trucks need another route for a few weeks while the new slab gains strength.
Can you pour a basketball pad or sport court?
Yes. A basketball pad needs a flat slab with just enough slope to drain, a finish with grip that is not too rough, and joints kept out of the main playing area where possible. On clay, the base and steel decide whether the court stays flat after a few winters. There is no HomeGuide figure for courts, so we price one after seeing the yard.
Does road salt or snow removal harm concrete?
Yes, over time. Salt adds freeze-thaw cycles at the surface and causes scaling, and salt that soaks in can reach the steel and rust it. Steel plow blades and ice choppers gouge the surface. Use a plastic shovel or a rubber-edged blade, sand for grip on newer slabs, and keep the concrete sealed. Rinse salty slush off garage floors and aprons when the weather allows.
Do earthquakes or heat matter for concrete here?
Hardly. Southeast Michigan is not an earthquake area, and seismic design does not shape a driveway or patio here. Summer heat matters mostly on pour day, when sun and wind dry the surface too fast. The real design drivers in Southfield are frost, salt, clay and water.
To get a price for your own property, book a free on-site estimate. Call (313) 789-3411, or text a photo of the concrete to that number.