Concrete Driveways in Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Concrete Services pours new concrete driveways, tears out and replaces failed ones, and rebuilds the apron where your drive meets the street, for homeowners across Atlanta and the surrounding counties. Every job starts with the dirt under the slab, because that is where most Atlanta driveways fail.
The subsoil across most of the metro is Piedmont red clay, the Cecil-type soil that stays slick and soft when it is saturated and drains slowly once it has been compacted. Atlanta averages close to 50 inches of rain a year, so a driveway poured on loose fill or without a crown will settle, crack and hold puddles within a few seasons. We fix that with a compacted 4-inch layer of graded aggregate base (GAB), steel reinforcement and a slope that sends water toward the street or a drain instead of your garage.
Outside the city limits we build driveways in Sandy Springs, Brookhaven, Decatur, Smyrna, Marietta, Tucker, Duluth, Kennesaw and East Point, plus a long list of neighborhoods in between & more. If you want to see how size, slope and tear-out change the number, we break it down in how much a concrete driveway costs in Atlanta.
Why Choose Atlanta Concrete Services
Concrete Driveway Services
New Driveway Installation
Most new driveway calls start with a gravel track that washes into the street every storm, or a builder-grade slab that cracked the first summer. We cut to firm subgrade, proof-roll the clay, lay and compact GAB, and set rebar or wire on chairs so the steel ends up in the middle of the slab rather than in the dirt.
Car-only driveways get 4 inches of concrete. If a box truck, RV or work trailer will use it, we go to 5 or 6 inches and tighten the joint spacing.
Driveway Aprons & Curb Cuts
A cracked or sunken apron at the street is the piece of the driveway that fails first, since it takes every turn and sits in the gutter's runoff. Inside the City of Atlanta, any work on a driveway apron in the public right-of-way needs a permit from the Atlanta Department of Transportation (ATLDOT), and we pull it as part of the job.
We match the apron to the city's sidewalk and curb lines so the public walk stays continuous and level for people on foot.
Root & Crack Repairs
Atlanta is called the city in a forest for a reason, and big water oaks and willow oaks next to a driveway eventually lift panels and open cracks. Where the tree is protected, we work with the City Arborist rules and the tree's critical root zone instead of hacking roots out.
For cracks that are not structural we rout and seal them, which runs $3 to $8 per square foot for repair work. When a panel is heaved or broken through, we cut out and repour just that section with doweled joints.
Steep & Sloped Driveways
Plenty of lots in Atlanta, Smyrna and Brookhaven sit well above or below the street, and a steep driveway turns into a slide during a winter cold snap. We finish steep drives with a heavier broom texture or a grooved pattern for grip and add a trench drain at the bottom when the grade pushes water toward the house.
We also check the transition angles so low cars do not scrape at the curb or the garage lip.
Stamped & Exposed Aggregate
Plain gray concrete can look flat in front of a craftsman bungalow or a newer brick home. Stamped borders, a stamped center or an exposed-aggregate finish give curb appeal without the upkeep of pavers, and stamped and decorative work runs $12 to $20 or more per square foot.
Many homeowners pair a stamped driveway border with a matching concrete patio out back so the finishes tie together.
Tear-Out & Replacement
When most panels are cracked, sunken or crumbling at the edges, patching just buys a year or two. We break out the old slab, haul it off, rebuild the base and pour new, which typically runs $10 to $16 per square foot including removal. A 600 square foot driveway lands around $6,000 to $9,600.
If the concrete is sound but has sunk, concrete leveling may save you the full replacement.
How We Build Your Atlanta Driveway
Site Visit & Written Quote
We walk the driveway, measure, check where water goes during a storm and look for root conflicts, utilities and right-of-way work. You get a written quote with the base, thickness, reinforcement and finish spelled out line by line.
Permits, 811 & Excavation
We call Georgia 811 at least three business days before digging and file any ATLDOT, county or city permit the job needs. Then we excavate to firm clay, grade for drainage and install the compacted GAB base.
Forming, Steel & Pour
Forms go up, steel goes in, and we pour and finish in one push so the slab has no cold joints where we did not plan them. Control joints are cut the same day or the next morning before shrinkage cracks can pick their own path.
Cure & First Drive
In summer heat we keep the surface moist or use a curing compound so it does not dry out too fast. Plan on 7 days before parking a car on it, with full design strength at about 28 days.
Atlanta Driveway Questions We Hear Most
What does a new concrete driveway cost in Atlanta?
A new driveway generally runs $8 to $14 per square foot, so a typical 600 square foot drive comes in around $4,800 to $8,400. Steep grades, extra excavation, thicker slabs and decorative finishes push it toward the top of the range.
Do I need a permit for a driveway in the City of Atlanta?
Any work on the apron or sidewalk in the public right-of-way needs an ATLDOT permit. Adding paved area also counts against your lot coverage limits under Atlanta zoning, and homes in historic districts such as Inman Park or Grant Park may need Urban Design Commission approval for front-yard changes. We sort out which applies before we quote.
Why did my driveway crack so fast?
The usual culprits are fill dirt that was never compacted, no gravel base, no steel, or joints spaced too far apart. Red clay that stays wet under a slab with poor drainage loses support, and the concrete cracks where it is unsupported.
Can you pour a driveway in winter here?
Yes, most of the winter. Atlanta sees only a few hard freezes a year, but we will not pour when the forecast drops below 40 degrees without blankets and an adjusted mix, and we watch for the occasional ice event like the January 2014 storm.
Will the work hurt my big oak tree?
It can if a contractor cuts major roots inside the critical root zone. We plan the slab edge and base depth around large roots, and where the City of Atlanta tree ordinance applies we follow its protection rules during construction.
How long before I can use the new driveway?
You can walk on it the next day. Wait 7 days for cars and longer for heavy trucks, since concrete reaches its design strength at about 28 days.