These are the other concrete questions we hear from homeowners and business owners in Lincoln Park and Downriver. Each answer is short and direct.
How long does a concrete driveway last?
A well-built concrete driveway can last a few decades in Michigan. How long yours lasts depends on the base, the thickness, air entrainment, joints and how much salt and weight it gets. Many original Lincoln Park drives have lasted that long or longer, but often in broken pieces, because they were poured thin on clay with little base. Sealing it every few years and keeping deicer off it adds years.
Can I pour concrete myself, or should I hire someone?
You can pour a small pad or path yourself if you are handy and have help. Anything larger than a few bags gets hard fast: concrete is heavy, it sets on its own schedule, and finishing well takes practice. Driveways, large patios and anything in the public right-of-way are best left to a contractor. Remember that MISS DIG 811 applies to homeowners who dig, too.
Can I build a small shed pad with bags from the store?
Yes, for a small shed. Dig out the sod and soft soil, put down and compact 4 inches or so of crushed stone, set forms level and square, and mix and pour the bags in one go so the slab bonds. Bags add up quickly, so for anything bigger than a small pad, a ready-mix delivery or a contractor is easier. Check with the city about the shed itself, since some sheds need a permit.
My own walkway cracked and sank. Should I redo it myself or hire someone?
If it sank, the base was the problem, so redo it only if you can fix that part. Break it out, dig out soft soil, put in and compact stone, and pour again with joints. If you are not sure why it failed, or if it runs along the house where drainage matters, hiring someone to redo it is often cheaper than doing it twice. Text us photos and we will tell you what we see.
How do I get oil stains out of concrete?
Soak up fresh oil with cat litter or sawdust right away. Then scrub with a concrete degreaser and a stiff brush, and rinse. For older stains, a poultice or a degreaser left to soak for a while works better, and a pressure washer helps afterward. Old stains often fade but rarely vanish. A sealed driveway or garage floor resists new stains much better.
Can an old concrete floor be stained or dyed?
Yes, an old concrete floor can be stained if it is bare concrete with no paint, sealer or glue on top. Stain is see-through, so cracks, patches and marks still show. Acid stain on old concrete gives a varied, mottled look. Water-based stain is more even. Test a corner first. A basement floor with moisture coming through needs that fixed before stain and sealer go down.
A customer tripped on the concrete outside my business. Am I liable?
It depends on the facts, so talk to your insurer and a lawyer. In general, a property owner or tenant who controls a walkway is expected to keep it reasonably safe and fix hazards they know about. Raised panels and ice are the common ones here. Report the fall to your insurer, take photos and fix the hazard quickly. This is general information, not legal advice.
Can sections be replaced while my business stays open?
Yes, in most cases. We replace walks, entrances and parking areas in sections, so there is always a safe way in and the business stays open. We set up a path with barriers, schedule pours around your busy hours where possible and tell you how long each section must stay closed. Trucks should stay off new concrete for several weeks.
Can you pour a basketball pad or sport court?
Yes. A basketball pad needs a flat slab with a slight slope to drain, a finish that grips without being rough, and joints placed outside the main playing area where possible. On Downriver clay, the base and steel decide whether it stays flat. The hoop's post needs its own footing below frost. HomeGuide has no figure for courts, so we price one after seeing the yard.
Does road salt or snow removal harm concrete?
Yes. Salt adds freeze-thaw cycles at the surface and causes flaking, and salt that soaks in can rust steel inside the slab. Metal shovels and plow blades chip edges and joints. Use a plastic shovel, sand for grip on new concrete, and keep the slab sealed. Rinse salt off driveway aprons and garage floors when the weather allows.
Do earthquakes or extreme heat matter for concrete here?
Hardly. Southeast Michigan is not an earthquake area, and seismic design is not a concern for driveways or patios. Summer heat matters only on pour day, when hot wind can dry the surface too fast. The real design drivers in Lincoln Park are frost, salt, clay and water.
To get a price for your own property, book a free on-site estimate. Call (313) 889-7953, or text a photo of the concrete to that number.