Do you have a stone front walk in your home? If so, you may benefit by shifting to a concrete walkway. However, even with all the necessary preparations, concrete pouring and finishing is an art form, hence the need to consult a professional. The thickness of your walkway is critical to ensuring it doesn’t crack soon after installation.
At NexGen Ready Mix, we can dispatch an experienced concrete contractor to your location for professional advice and guidance. The recommended thickness of a walkway should be at least four inches thick, and the concrete should be mixed with precision to enhance cohesion and durability. With that in mind, we provide customized ready mix concrete to alleviate guesswork and ensure everything is in tip-top condition.
What is the Standard Thickness of a Concrete Walkway?
As mentioned, concrete finishing is an art form, and NexGen Ready Mix specializes in providing second-to-none ready mix concrete services. When you want to install a sidewalk with the appropriate thickness, there are several factors to consider: ground type, weather, concrete mixture, and operator skill. Our concrete contractor can account for these factors, ensuring your walkway is the recommended thickness.
While the ICC mandates that concrete floor slabs are a minimum of 3 1/2 inches thick in California, four inches is usually the minimum thickness acceptable by industry experts. Any thickness less than that would shift or crack prematurely. Many homeowners often think thicker is better, but that is only the case after spending more money on materials to install a thicker walkway.
Concrete is costly, especially if you buy and mix the ingredients onsite. Luckily, ready mix concrete is prepared in a controlled environment, ensuring it follows construction guidelines without compromising strength, taking a lot of installation time or money. We assess the ground around your property to ensure we customize a mix that guarantees durable concrete finishing.
Do I Need Rebar for a Concrete Walkway?
The short answer is no. A rebar is optional for a concrete walkway as it would be overkill. A residential sidewalk is not meant to handle loads exceeding the weight of several people or a piece of furniture at one time. Concrete pouring should be done without rebar because a sidewalk’s estimated weight shouldn’t damage four-inch thick concrete.
Whether you want to add a mesh or rebar, don’t! Metal reinforcement is only necessary if the walkway is on a commercial property and is likely to be used with heavy loads. However, rebar is okay if you’re willing to spend a little more on your project. While it may not significantly impact residential sidewalks, adding a mesh or rebar ensures the final concrete finishing goes the distance.
Conclusion
A concrete sidewalk is a highly visible part of your property and also high traffic area. Therefore, ensuring it is properly installed is vital, and we can help guarantee exceptional results. Our ready mix concrete is prepared and delivered to your site, so you don’t need to approximate measurements. Contact us at NexGen Ready Mix, and schedule a consultation with our representatives. We guarantee quality concrete and a nice clean finish leading to your door.
