Driveway Work: Forumulas Needed

ok, don't know about the blacktop, doesn't last as long as conc.

check your local building codes as for thickness of the conc slab, then is fairly easy to figure total yds^3

6" thick = .5' so 75' * 20' * .5' /27 will give you 27.77 yds, and add 1/4 ydfor "shorted trucks, so 28 yds.

truthfully, i would go with a 6" reinforced concrete driveway, over at least 4" of "base rock" (a mix of various sizes of crushed rock). reinforcement min of 1/2" bar on 16" center.

better hire a contractor for this one!

6" thick = .5' so 75' * 20' * .5' /27 will give you 27.77 yds

I think you have a typo. It should read ;

6" thick = .5' so 75' * 20' * /27 will give you 27.77 yds

Your answer of 27,77 is correct , but somebody copying to replace numbers mght be in trouble - they'd end up with half the concrete they need .

Oops , that was me . (forgot to sign in)

As Charley r indicated, yards of concrete means cubic yards. The amount of blacktop (hot mix asphalt) required is determined in the same manner except the density of blacktop is usually given in pounds per cubic foot. The density of HMA (hot mix asphalt) depends upon the specific mix and type of aggregate and that density can be obtained from your HMA supplier. A reasonable estimate is 145 lbs per cubic foot.

Visit the National Asphalt Pavement Association website (http://www.hotmix.org) for additional information. The website also includes a downloadable quantity calculator.

My apologies, charlie r for misspelling your name.

Thanks for the link http://www.hotmix.org/ Bluestone. Some interesting reading there. Always nice to learn about something that plays such a big part in our lives like HMA (Hot Mix Asphalt) does.

I noticed the bottom link for the Excel quantity calculator doesn't work but the top link works fine on the page http://www.hotmix.org/view_article.php?ID=566 .

I still haven't decided on which way I will go with my driveway. HMA is a lot less work/cheaper for me the owner, but concrete would be less maintenance. The HMA people recommend resealing the driveway every 2-5 years. I'm sure that doesn't happen on a large percentage of driveways. It doesn't on the part of my driveway that is paved.

Regarding the base you should use under the concrete, It's a lot cheaper to use recycled concrete - most often RC6 - you will find that with a 6" base of recycled concrete - it tends to partially re cement and get extra hard - a 4" layer of concrete will be sufficient(just) for light traffic, where you will have the assurance with a 6" layer that even delivery trucks will not damage it, as long as you use 1/2 inch reinforcing and you have GOT TO use air entrained concrete. It has millions of micro bubbles in it that makes almost impervious to water and will prevent freeze cracking in subzero winter areas.

With HMA resealing - There are a number of brands of re sealer on the market where you buy x number of 5gallon cans of the sealer and a squeegy or two(for the helpers), dump a can at a time on the drive and spread the gunk to an even thin layer over the driveway. Make sure that you blow all the seads/ grass/general debris out of any cracks before you seal them individually with crack sealer.

Good luck

In our area 4" is the standard thickness for driveways (18 yds), but perhaps in a colder climate thicker would be more appropriate if you need to allow for heave. My own is 4" 30 mpa, the shop floor is the same but with 6" re-mesh and 8" concrete thickness for the 2' around the perimeter of the pit and 1/2" rebar on 16" centers around the pit. The shop floor is also surface hardened. I run heavy equipment, trucks, cats and excavtors and have had no problems. Of course as with a lot of things the finished product is no better than the prep work, the better the base and compaction the better the drive.

John

< The HMA people recommend resealing the driveway every 2-5 years. I'm sure that doesn't happen on a large>

Technology of Blacktopping has changed. Today with ATACTIC POLYPROPYLENE MODIFIED asphalt (Search) they are planning retopping speedways every10 rears. And yours is a driveway@10mph- twice a day!

Expensive Concrete +Steel + 2 week curing+ sinking/cracking+non-recyclability --better total 2" blacktopping in a single day at 1/3 cost.Only ensure crowning and drainage.

Hi MUKULMAHANT , I think your use of @ confused the editor.

You seem to know about Blacktopping - Is it true that glass can be recycled to make anti-slip surfacing ? It may sound absurd , but I have seen this claimed on re-cycling web sites. Kris

<Is it true that glass can be recycled to make anti-slip >

Heard that . Also that all walking surfaces at JFK Airport,NYC is Glass in Epoxy!

If so I could not feel it.

Quartz sand and Stone chip edges are sharp enough!

Hello: The easiest way to determine the yardage is to remember that: at 4 inches thick, 1 yard will cover exactly 81 square feet, but as a rule of thumb, divide the square footage by 80 sq.ft. to derive the yardage. If you are pouring 6 inches thick, divide the square footage by 60 sq.ft., to derive the yardage. Hope this helps.

OMG , this is getting confused , Check this

1 'Yard' = 27 cf (in trade jargon)

You have X' * 75' * 20' cf ( X= thickness of layer )

=1500*X cf

at 6'' (=1/2') laying thickness

you have 1/2 * 1500 = 750 'yard'

For density etc check the link If not sure , speak in plain language to the supplier and explain what you're doing (with dimensions ) and get them to confirm and deliver the required quantity.

Kris,

In your calculation the 1500cu ft is correct, but you still have to devide by 27 to get the yards. SO much easier in metric!!!! no remembering to devide by this or multiply by that.

Wow - I'm a real clutz !

I meant to do :

1 'Yard' = 27 cf (in trade jargon)

You have X' * 75' * 20' cf ( X= thickness of layer )

=1500*X cf

at 6'' (=1/2') laying thickness

you have 1/2 * 1500 = 750 cf (= 750/27 'yard' )

For density etc check the link If not sure

Maybe I can be used for fill - I just dug myself into a hole pretty good !