Concrete Driveways in Kissimmee, FL

Concrete driveways in Kissimmee are mostly flat, wide and right next to the street. That layout makes them easy to park on but hard on the slab. Water from the roof and the lawn runs across them every afternoon in summer, and Wikipedia's climate table lists 9.18 inches of rain in June alone. When that water finds a crack or an open edge, it washes out the sand underneath. The panel by the garage drops, the edge along the lawn breaks off, and the apron at the street cracks where vehicles turn in.

Signs a driveway needs replacing

• Panels that have dropped and hold water after rain
• Cracks with one side higher than the other, or wide enough to fit a coin
• Edges that have broken into chunks along the grass
• Rust stains or exposed wire mesh showing at cracks
• A surface worn so smooth it is slick when wet
• A driveway too narrow for the cars you have now

One sunken panel on an otherwise sound driveway can often be lifted. When several of these problems show up together, replacing the driveway usually costs less than repairing it year after year.

What we build under the slab

We break out and haul away the old driveway, and dig out any soil soaked with roots or organic matter. Then we compact the sand base in layers. Fine sand is easy to dig and hard to keep in place. If it is not compacted, it settles under the new slab within a few seasons. We set the forms so the surface falls toward the street, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch per foot, and away from the garage door.

HomeGuide's driveway guide calls for at least 4 inches of concrete for ordinary cars and 5 to 6 inches for RVs or heavy vehicles, with edges 6 to 8 inches thick. If a boat trailer, work truck or motorhome parks on the driveway, we thicken that area. Rebar or wire mesh set in the middle of the slab holds cracked pieces together, and saw-cut joints on a planned grid tell cracks where to form.

The apron and the city

Inside Kissimmee city limits, a new driveway connection is permitted through the city's Engineering Division, which reviews plans before approving the work. Work in the street or the grass strip beside the road also needs a Right-of-Way permit with a start-work inspection and a final inspection. Some roads are maintained by Osceola County or FDOT instead, and unincorporated communities nearby follow county rules. We find out which agency covers your street and schedule the apron work with them.

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Finish options

• Broom finish: the standard. It grips in the rain and is the least expensive.
• Exposed aggregate: the stone on the surface gives good traction and hides tire marks.
• Stamped or colored borders: a decorative band along the sides or at the apron, with plain concrete where the tires run.
• Sealed color: tinted sealers can freshen gray concrete. Choose a sealer rated for wet, sunny conditions, or it gets slippery.

Caring for a new driveway

Stay off it with cars for at least seven days. HomeGuide suggests waiting 28 to 30 days before sealing and resealing every 2 to 3 years. Point downspouts and sprinkler heads away from the edges. Seal small cracks before the rainy season so water cannot get under the slab. Clean up oil and rust spots early, because the sun bakes them in.