Concrete driveways in Mt Washington, Pittsburgh
If you live on Mt Washington, you already know that a driveway here is mostly a question of grade. Concrete is often the best surface for it, but pouring on a hill is its own skill, and the details decide how long the slab stays put.
Driveways we see in Mt Washington
- Very steep grades from the street
- Retaining walls on both sides
- Short pads cut into the hill
- Narrow streets with little room for trucks
Areas we cover in Mt Washington
We pour and repair concrete driveways across Mt Washington, including these areas.
- Grandview Avenue area
- Shiloh Street
- Duquesne Heights edge
- Streets below the overlook
Pouring on a steep grade
On a steep driveway, wet concrete wants to run downhill. We use a stiffer mix, pour from the bottom up and keep the finish simple. A deep broom texture or exposed aggregate is the best choice for traction. Rough grooves across the slope can help on the steepest runs, and a heavy gloss sealer shouldn't go anywhere near a hill like this.
Steel matters more on a slope, as does the anchor at the bottom of the slab. A thickened edge or a key into the ground helps stop the slab from creeping over the years.
Mt Washington's slopes are known for moving, so we look at more than the slab. Are the walls leaning? Are there cracks in the hillside above the driveway? If so, new concrete won't solve that, and we'll say so, and you may want a geotechnical engineer to take a look first. Access is another issue on these narrow streets, so we often need a pump, which costs extra. Runoff is the last piece, because every drop that hits a steep slab ends up at the bottom, and so does the ice.
Concrete driveway work in Mt Washington
These are common driveway jobs in Mt Washington.
Getting a quote in Mt Washington
Tell us if any walls near the driveway have moved. Tell us about street parking and how a concrete truck can reach the site, and we will plan the pour around that.
Before we visit, try our guide to heated driveway cost.
Concrete driveway questions from Mt Washington
Is a concrete driveway safe to pour on a steep Mt Washington lot?
Yes, with a stiffer mix poured from the bottom up and a deep broom or exposed aggregate finish for grip. If nearby walls lean or the hillside is cracking, new concrete won't fix that, and an engineer should look first.
What depth should a concrete driveway be?
At least 4 inches, though on a Mt Washington slope we'd pour 5 or 6.
Do you need a vapor barrier for concrete?
Not under a driveway on a hillside. Good drainage matters a lot more.