Home  /  Indianapolis, IN  /  Services  /  Concrete Driveways

Concrete Driveways in Indianapolis, IN

Quick answer

A durable driveway in Indianapolis starts with a compacted subgrade and a granular base that drains, uses air-entrained concrete to resist freeze-thaw and salt, is commonly about four inches thick (more for heavy vehicles and often more in the right-of-way), and has planned control joints. The apron usually needs a city or town right-of-way permit.

Last updated

In central Indiana, driveways usually fail from the top down or the bottom up. From the top, it's scaling: the surface flakes and pits after years of freeze-thaw cycles and salt dripping off cars. From the bottom, it's the ground: wet glacial soil that heaves when it freezes and settles when fill under the slab was never compacted. A replacement driveway in the Indianapolis area should be built to handle both.

How a durable driveway is built

  1. Tear-out. The old concrete or asphalt is broken up and hauled away.
  2. Excavation and subgrade. Soft, wet or organic soil is removed and the subgrade is compacted. Around Indianapolis, poorly drained soils are common, so this step deserves a real conversation.
  3. Granular base. A compacted layer of crushed stone gives even support and lets water move out from under the slab instead of sitting there to freeze.
  4. Forms, grade and slope. The surface should drain away from the garage and house and toward the street or yard, not into a low corner.
  5. Reinforcement. Rebar, welded wire or fiber can help hold cracks tight, though it doesn't prevent them.
  6. Placing, finishing and joints. Control joints are tooled or saw-cut at planned spacing so shrinkage cracks form along straight lines.
  7. Curing. The slab is kept moist or sealed with a curing compound so it gains strength before it faces traffic, freezing and salt.

Built for freeze-thaw and salt

Indiana winters bounce above and below freezing many times. The Portland Cement Association and the American Concrete Institute both explain that air-entrained concrete, which contains tiny air bubbles that give freezing water room to expand, resists this kind of damage far better than plain concrete. For an exterior driveway in Indianapolis, ask every contractor whether the mix is air-entrained, and don't let anyone overwork the surface with water while finishing, which weakens the top layer that salt attacks first.

Thickness

Residential driveways are commonly about four inches thick, with five inches or more suggested where trucks, trailers or RVs will park. Where the driveway crosses the public right-of-way, cities often set their own minimum. Noblesville's residential construction standards, for example, call for at least six inches of concrete where a driveway passes through the right-of-way. Ask your contractor what your city requires.

The apron and the permit

The apron between the sidewalk or curb and the street is public right-of-way almost everywhere in the metro. In Indianapolis, the Department of Business and Neighborhood Services handles driveway and right-of-way permits for most of Marion County, and excavation in the right-of-way is permitted to licensed general contractors or registered utilities. Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, Westfield, Zionsville and Greenwood each run their own right-of-way or encroachment permits, and some require bonds or inspections before the pour. See our permit guide for details.

Timing your pour

Spring through fall is the main season. Summer pours are often started early in the day because heat and humidity speed setting. Fall pours should leave enough time for the concrete to cure before hard freezes and the first round of road salt.

After the pour

  • Keep cars off until your contractor says it's ready, often a week or more.
  • Skip deicing salt on the new slab its first winter; use sand for traction instead.
  • Rinse salty slush off the driveway during winter thaws when you can.
  • Ask whether and when a penetrating sealer makes sense.

Questions to ask

  • Is the mix air-entrained, and what base depth and thickness are included?
  • Where will the control joints go?
  • Who pulls the right-of-way permit, and is an inspection required before pouring?
  • What does the warranty cover, and can you provide a certificate of insurance?

Ready to replace it? Request a driveway contractor and include photos of the current driveway.

See how it works

How a concrete mixer truck delivers a pour. Press the buttons to run each step and see what happens inside. Made with Colorfigures ·
Embed this figure

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit to replace my driveway in Indianapolis?

In most of Marion County, the City of Indianapolis requires a permit for driveways connected to city streets and for any excavation in the right-of-way, which is issued to licensed contractors. Suburbs like Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, Westfield, Zionsville and Greenwood run their own right-of-way permits. Check with your city or town.

Why is my driveway flaking?

Flaking, called scaling, is usually caused by freeze-thaw cycles and deicing salt attacking a surface that wasn't air-entrained, was finished with extra water, or wasn't cured long enough. Once it starts it tends to spread, so ask a contractor whether resurfacing or replacement makes sense.

When is the latest I can pour a driveway in the fall?

There's no fixed date. The concrete needs time to cure and gain strength before hard freezes and the first salt. Many contractors try to finish exterior flatwork well before winter and use blankets when nights turn cold. Ask your contractor how they protect late-season pours.

Sources and further reading

Request help now

Get help now