Driveways
Driveways in poured concrete or interlocking pavers.
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CSLB License #1161881 · Escondido, CA
Concrete Flatwork
Poured, flat concrete surfaces: patios, sidewalks, walkways and slabs.
CSLB License #1161881 · Bonded · Based in Escondido, CA
The service
Flat, sloped to drain, poured in place.
Flatwork is the name for horizontal concrete: the surfaces you walk, park and live on. The concrete is placed inside forms, screeded, finished and left to cure into one solid slab.
Good flatwork is decided before the truck arrives. The grade, the base, the forms and the slope for drainage all set how the finished surface performs.
Where it is used
Patios
A poured outdoor floor off the back of the house.
Sidewalks and walkways
Paths along and around the property.
Slabs
Flat concrete pads for the surface you need.
Driveways
Poured concrete built for vehicle weight.
Under the surface
What is under a slab.
A finished slab is the top of a stack. Each layer below it has a job, and the slope is set before the concrete arrives.
1. Finished surface
The top is finished for how it will be used, such as a broom texture for traction.
2. Control joint
A tooled or cut groove that gives shrinkage cracking a planned place to go.
3. Slab
Concrete placed in the forms, screeded to grade and floated.
4. Reinforcement
Steel such as rebar or wire mesh, where the job calls for it.
5. Compacted base
Gravel compacted in place to help give the slab even support.
6. Subgrade
The native soil, dug and graded to the depth and slope the surface needs.
7. Form
Boards set to line and grade that hold the concrete while it is placed.
8. Slope
A planned fall across the surface that carries water off it.
Finish options
Same slab, different surface.
The finish goes on while the concrete is still workable. These are common flatwork finishes, and we can go over which one fits your surface.
Broom finish
Fine ridges dragged across the surface for traction. A common choice for driveways and walkways.
Smooth trowel
Troweled flat and smooth. A clean look that is slicker when wet, so it tends to go where traction matters less.
Exposed aggregate
The top layer of cement paste is washed away to show the stones in the mix, for a pebbled texture.
Stamped
Pressed with a pattern while still workable, for a textured surface that imitates stone or brick.
Swatches are generic drawings, not photos of finished work.
What's involved
How the work goes.
Every site is different. This is the general order of the work, and we go over the specifics for your project at the site visit.
Step 1: Layout and grading
The area is marked out and the ground is dug and graded to the depth and slope the surface needs.
Step 2: Base and forms
A base is compacted and forms are set to line and grade. Reinforcement goes in where the job calls for it.
Step 3: Pour and finish
The concrete is placed, screeded to grade and floated, then given its final finish.
Step 4: Joints and curing
Control joints are tooled or cut, and the concrete is left to cure before it takes traffic.
Planning
What shapes the project.
No two sites are the same. These are the things we look at when we walk yours, and the ones that change how the concrete flatwork work is planned.
- Slope and grade
- The surface needs a fall so water runs off, and the grades around the house decide where that water can go.
- Soil and base
- What the ground is made of decides how the base under the slab is built.
- Tie-ins
- Where new concrete meets the house, a garage slab or an existing walk.
- Size and joint layout
- Larger slabs are broken up with control joints, and the layout is planned before the pour.
- Access for the pour
- How concrete gets from the truck to the forms, which matters most in back yards.
- Removal
- Old concrete or other surfaces come out before the new work starts.
Before we come out
Nothing here is required. A few of these help us understand the job before we arrive.
- Rough dimensions or a quick sketch.
- Photos of the area and any concrete there now.
- How you will use it: walking, parking, a table and chairs, a shed.
- The finish you have in mind, if any.
- Where water collects after rain.
- The path from the street to the work area.
Photos and questions can go straight to (760) 500-8142 by call or text.
Concrete Flatwork questions
What counts as concrete flatwork?
Flatwork means horizontal concrete surfaces: patios, sidewalks, walkways, slabs and driveways.
Why is concrete cut with lines?
Those are control joints. Concrete shrinks as it cures and can crack. Control joints give it a planned place to do that, so cracking tends to follow a straight line instead of running across the surface.
How is the finish chosen?
By how the surface will be used. A broom finish leaves fine ridges that add traction, which is why it is common on driveways and walkways. We can go over finish options with you.
How do I get an estimate?
Call or text (760) 500-8142, or send a request through the estimate form. Tell us what you have in mind.
Estimate
Start with a site visit.
Tell us what you have in mind. Prefer to talk? Call or text (760) 500-8142.
Request an estimate
Tell us about the project.