How Long Does Concrete Driveway Last? (6 Tips To Increase Life!)

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How Long Does Concrete Driveway Last?

The life of a concrete driveway is 30 years, provided it has been built on a stable base and is sealed and maintained regularly. Preventing water from permeating into the concrete driveway will increase its life.

Concrete, asphalt, gravel and stone pavers are the most common driveway materials. So, how long does concrete driveway last? Here is how they compare when it comes to life expectancy.

Material	Life Expectancy
Concrete	Average of 25 – 30 years. Life can be extended up to 50 years with regular maintenance and occasional repairs.
Asphalt	Average of 15 – 20 years. Even with good maintenance the life expectancy will not be over 30 years.
Gravel	Average of 5 – 10 years. With regular topping up of the gravel you can make it last for even more than 50 years. However, topping up is almost like laying a new driveway.
Pavers	Life really depends on the paver material. Brick pavers will typically last for 25 years. Concrete pavers can last 50 years. Natural stone pavers such as travertine can last even longer.

The high life expectancy of a concrete driveway is an important reason to consider concrete for your driveway project. The concrete driveway cost spread over its expected life is pretty reasonable too!

How Do You Make a Long Lasting Driveway?

By choosing concrete you have taken the first step towards making a long lasting driveway. But this will not happen just because you chose concrete as the driveway material!

The stability, strength and longevity of a concrete driveway depends primarily on the quality of the “soil support system”. The soil support system consists of the subgrade, the sub-base and the base.

The 4 important factors that affect the life of a concrete driveway are:

1. Soil Support System
2. Concrete Strength
3. Reinforcement
4. Curing Conditions

So how do you ensure that your concrete driveway is installed in a manner that it will really last.

Soil Support System

The soil support system below the concrete slab, not only takes the load of the vehicles but also prevents ground movement from damaging the concrete slab. There are 5 steps involved in building up a good soil support system.

STEP 1 – Subgrade:  is native soil tamped to a firm finish. In case the quality of the native soil is not very good, improve it by adding a couple of inches of good quality top soil or treating it with cement or lime.

STEP 2 – Geotextile: prevents the migration of crushed stone or gravel from the sub-base into the subgrade.

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The Best Geotextile Driveway Fabric for Your Driveway & Patio Base

Geotextile driveway fabric is a supportive layer that is laid between the compacted subgrade and the sub-base aggregates to prevent the migration and loss of the aggregates in to the subgrade. It helps stabilize the ground, permit drainage and prevent weed growth.

Here is the Geotextile Driveway Fabric I recommend.

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STEP 3 – Sub-base: should be 4” – 6” thick and made up of several layers of compacted crushed stone or angular gravel. 

STEP 4 – Base: should be 2” thick and made up of a layer of pea gravel topped by a layer of coarse sand.

STEP 5 – Vapor Retarder: prevents ground moisture from permeating into the concrete.

For more information on soil support system preparation for a concrete driveway check out my article Best Base for Concrete Driveway? (A Quick Look!).

Concrete Slab-on-Grade

The other element of a long lasting concrete driveway is the concrete slab-on-grade. Do ensure the following for a strong and durable concrete slab.

• Use concrete with a compressive strength of 3500 psi in warm climates and 4000 psi in cold climates. Higher strength is required to deal with stress caused by freeze thaw cycles.
• A water to cement ratio of 0.50 or slightly less is required for achieving required compressive strength..
• Use crushed stone aggregates of size 1” or less. A mix of Crushed Stone 57 and Crushed Stone 67 is a good option.
• Pour concrete that has a Slump of 4” – 5”.
• Keeping Air Entrapment of 6% in cold climates helps lower stress of freeze thaw cycles.
• Keep the slab thickness at 6” or more. Reinforce it with steel rebars.
• Ensure proper curing. Full curing of concrete typically takes 28 days.
• Seal the concrete drive after it has fully cured.

For more information on concrete check out my article on What Type of Concrete Is Best for a Driveway.

How Do I Prolong the Life of My Concrete Driveway?

Installing a concrete driveway with a high quality soil support system and a concrete slab-on-grade with enough compressive strength and reinforcement is just the beginning of a long lasting concrete driveway. 

But to really get the maximum out of your investment, regular maintenance and timely repairs are crucial. Here are 6 tips to help you prolong the life of your concrete driveway.

1. Clean Frequently

Cleaning your driveway frequently will ensure longevity as well as good looks. 

For a short driveway, just use a garden hose, some soap water and a stiff brush with a long handle to scrub it clean. Cleaning once a week is a good schedule to follow.

For a longer driveway use a pressure washer. When pressure washing a concrete driveway, make sure to use moderate pressure, keep the jet tip moving and at some distance from the concrete surface.

2. Repair Cracks Early

Cracks and concrete go hand-in-hand. The concrete driveway has hairline cracks right from the start. Some will grow to become larger as time passes. You must fill up the cracks with a flexible sealant and repair them, as soon as possible. 

The longer you wait, the greater is the chance that rainwater mixed with corrosive chemicals will permeate into the concrete, through the cracks and damage it from within.

3. Fill up Potholes and Sunken Parts

A concrete driveway that has a strong well prepared base is unlikely to have sunken parts or potholes in the beginning. However, they may appear as time passes.

You must fill up and repair the sunken areas and potholes. Water will collect in potholes and ultimately seep into the concrete, weakening and damaging it.

Repairing the potholes in time will prevent them from growing bigger and shortening the life of your concrete driveway. 

4. Clean Gutters & Drains Regularly

Blocked gutters and drains are a source of unwanted water on the concrete driveway surface. Keep them clean and flowing so that water does not spill over onto the driveway surface.

5. Reseal Every Year 

The resealing of a concrete driveway is often neglected. However, sealants are not effective after some time and need to be replenished. It is best to reseal your concrete driveway every year. Do this in fall or early winter so that your driveway is protected  against snow and ice damage.

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The Best Sealers for Your Concrete Driveway or Patio

A topical sealer is essential for protecting concrete surfaces from water permeation that can damage the concrete from within and compromise its lifespan.

I highly recommend Foundation Armor Concrete Sealers. Pick the one that best meets your aesthetic and application preference.

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6. Use Non-chemical Deicers

Using deicing chemicals to melt driveway ice faster is certainly very convenient. Unfortunately many deicing chemicals use salt as their main ingredient. Solution of salt in water is extremely corrosive. It will corrode both the concrete substrate and the steel rebars very quickly.

Avoid using salt-based deicers. Choose to use salt free or non-chemical deicers instead.

Bottom Line

How long does concrete driveway last? Around 30 years, if you have used the best materials and building procedures. You can even extend the concrete driveway life to 50 years by following these 6 tips:

Thank you very much for reading this post. I do hope you found it informative and helpful.