Concrete Apron Thickness: An Easy Guide!
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How Much Should Concrete Apron Thickness for a Driveway Be?
The concrete apron thickness for a driveway should be 6″ as per the specifications of most local building codes.
(1) Permitted concrete driveways shall be constructed to the following standards:
A. If no prepared base material is installed, the driveway surface shall be at least six inches thick and composed of 4,000-pound strength plain Portland cement concrete.
American Legal Publishing
The homeowner is responsible for constructing the driveway apron as per the specifications in the code. This is a requirement to obtain the permit to build the driveway in your property.
The local code will typically have a range of specifications for a residential driveway, that includes concrete apron thickness, base thickness, type and strength of the concrete used, etc.
The code will also usually require that the concrete driveway apron is poured in one piece. Expansion joints must be provided at the two ends, where the apron meets the street and where it meets the driveway.
In the unlikely event that there is no local building code, the concrete apron thickness should be 1” – 2” more than the concrete driveway slab.
What Is a Concrete Driveway Apron?
The driveway apron connects the driveway within your private property with the public street. The property line of your lot never matches the curb side. There is always a strip of land in between the street and your property.
This strip of land is owned by the local council. The council requires it to place civic utilities and amenities such as cables, lampposts, drains, sidewalks, etc.
The driveway apron is constructed on this strip of land, between your property and the street curb. The driveway apron connects your driveway to the street.
While asphalt driveway aprons may be permitted in some localities, concrete driveway aprons are the norm.
Since your concrete driveway apron is on public land you have no control on its usage. Any vehicle, including heavy trucks, can drive on the apron. This is quite often the case, when drivers need to reverse.
This is the reason the concrete apron thickness of a driveway must be as per local building code and more than the concrete driveway slab thickness!
Why Do You Need a Driveway Apron?
Without a driveway apron you will not be able to drive into your garage from the street. The driveway apron is what connects the street to your driveway which then leads to your garage and your house.
Who Is Responsible for the Concrete Driveway Apron?
The legal argument is that the sole purpose of a driveway apron is to provide the homeowner with access. As such the homeowner is fully responsible for the construction of the concrete driveway apron, in accordance with the code.
The homeowner is also responsible for constructing the drain pipes below the driveway apron. Further, the homeowner must maintain the concrete driveway apron as may be laid out in the local building code.
In short, you have no ownership rights, only legal responsibilities, when it comes to the driveway apron. But then, you really need one and will get the most benefit out of it!
How Much Does a Concrete Driveway Apron Cost?
On a per square foot basis a concrete driveway apron is going to cost a lot more than your concrete driveway.
A 4” thick concrete slab with wire mesh reinforcement is usually good enough for a residential concrete driveway in a “freeze thaw cycle” free zone. A concrete strength of 3500 psi will be acceptable.
You can not use the same specifications for a concrete driveway apron. You will need a concrete apron thickness of 6”, with concrete strength of 4000 psi and steel rebar reinforcement. Even the base may need to be thicker to handle heavier load.
Moreover, you may opt to use a professional to install the concrete driveway apron because you want to make sure that you are code compliant. This will drive up the cost substantially.
You can use the table below to get an estimate of how much a concrete driveway apron will cost.
Concrete Driveway Apron Cost ($ per sq. ft.)
| ITEM | LOW | HIGH | MEDIAN |
| Material (Concrete, Gravel, Rebars, etc.) | $5 | $10 | $8 |
| Professional Services | $8 | $12 | $10 |
| Excavation Cost | $1 | $3 | $2 |
| Total Cost | $14 | $25 | $20 |
If your driveway is 24’ wide and your property line is 15’ away from the curbside, then the area of the concrete driveway apron will be 360 (24’X15’) square feet.
The estimated cost of a 360 square feet concrete driveway apron will be $5040 – $9000 with a median cost of $7200.
Thank you very much for reading this post. I do hope you found it informative and helpful.
