How to Replace a Section of Your Concrete Driveway

There are a couple of key factors to consider when deciding if a full or partial driveway replacement is necessary – if there are only smaller, damaged, portions of your driveway that you’re looking to fix then a partial replacement can be a more cost-effective solution for your needs.

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Partial vs. Full Replacement – How do I know which one to choose?

Partial

A partial replacement is best when certain sections of the driveway have been structurally compromised. Indicators of these structural issues could be large cracks or lifting of certain sections caused by either tree roots, heavy commercial vehicles, bad sub-grade, etc.

Full Replacement

Before making a decision between a full driveway replacement or partial replacement, be sure to consider the following factors:

Aesthetic Value
If aesthetic quality is a major factor in your decision on partial vs. full replacement, it is important to understand that the new concrete will never match the existing concrete and the color difference will be noticeable. A highly skilled concrete company can work to color-match as closely as possible but there is no way to get them to match perfectly.

Age of Concrete
If your driveway is older than 30 years, a full replacement may be the most cost-effective option in the long term. so that you don’t have to do two partial replacements. You might as well do the entire driveway because the whole thing will need to be replaced eventually– overall this will be much cheaper than two partial replacements with non matching concrete.

Damage Risk
The existing concrete that is not being replaced will be at risk for damage by any heavy equipment used during the process of removing partial areas of your concrete. It is inevitable that the existing concrete will be impacted to a degree even if your contractor is extremely cautious throughout production. Older concrete will be more susceptible to damage and not a good fit for partial replacement.

Please keep in mind that partial replacement of driveways can still cost a few thousand dollars. A major factor in determining what is best for your property is long-term vs. short-term value depending on the issues you are looking to resolve. You can learn more or get in contact with an expert at Concrete Driveway Co. for a free estimate on your driveway needs.