Concrete curb cutting advice

[ADCS]

Hey everyone,

I am looking for some advice on widening my driveway approach. Over 10 years ago the previous owners of my house had an exposed aggregate concrete driveway poured and they made the poured section wider than the existing drive by a couple feet on either side. Excellent, two cars can easily fit side by side. However they did not widen the approach. Not so excellent.

I would like to fix this (or at least improve it) by cutting the curbs to widen the approach but the issue is the driveway was formed to the profile of the curbs so it actually slopes following the curb. See pictures.

Without ripping out and re-pouring the bottom section of the driveway is there anything I can do to make sides of the approach a little more 'low car' friendly? I was thinking even with the driveway staying as is, cutting the curb to eliminate the abrupt drop should help...? The driveway was poured 8in thick so it could technically be ground down as long as it doesn't ruin the exposed aggregate look.

The city will cut the curbs if I ask but I am just trying to gauge if it will even benefit me without also modifying the driveway.

Thanks!

 

[txvwnut]

Grinding the drive will most likely change the consistency on the exposed aggregate look you have now. Even if you cut the curb you will still have that same rise to deal with.

 

[RivennHewn]

Check with your local authorities.

there may be a reason they left it.

City street use codes may dictate what you can/can't do.

 

[bczygan]

Many places require a permit.

If you decide to just di it, make it look professional.

You are working on city property.

 

[stage20]

While id want a wider opening at my driveway too, I think you might be opening a can of worms. The aggregate will change with grinding, and if you had to do a pour, the new stuff will never match perfectly.

 

[wssix99]

Nothing you can do will keep the look of what you have. That exposed aggregate look is made by using water to wash off the top layer of cement from the concrete as it's curing. Typically, the aggregate is a special decorative mix (for the purpose) and you won't be able to match it.

It looks like you have scraped the narrower curb a few times. You could probably replace just the curb and gutter, contouring it a little differently to match the profile of your driveway and make it less curb like. As long as the new contour doesn't take up the physical space of your current scrapes, you may be OK.

... until you have a teenage driver.

 

[James-W]

Cutting the curb so it slopes toward the street will help with the drop-off, but it won't look right. It would be best to rip out the old concrete towards the sides of the driveway and then pour new concrete to make it look right, but you will never match the concrete you already have. I hate to say it but I don't think there is much you can do to fix the problem and make it look seamless. It will always look like the driveway was cobbled together.

 

[RivennHewn]

On second look, you have curb and gutter. The strip outside the curb, up to the pavement is poured together with the curb, and usually pretty thick.

 

[CJ7VFR]

Check with your local authorities.

there may be a reason they left it.

City street use codes may dictate what you can/can't do.

This.

There may be a code that says the apron of the driveway can only be so wide, and yours might be at the limit.

When the previous owners poured the new concrete, they matched the slope of the apron as you said. It looks nice enough.

Do you know if they asked the town if they could widen the apron of the driveway? Maybe they could not, or perhaps they could, if they paid alot of money in permits and variances. Or do you live in a community that is governed by a Home Owners Association? They might have rules and regulations as to just how wide a driveway apron can be, so that everything looks the same.

Like the other has said, you can't just cut the curb away. If you did, then your existing concrete at the end of the driveway will also have to be cut away, as it currently comes all the way up to meet the curb, and instead of hitting the curb, you will end up hitting the end of your driveway instead.

Jim

 

[ADCS]

Thanks for the comments/advice guys and sorry for my late reply!

Grinding the drive will most likely change the consistency on the exposed aggregate look you have now. Even if you cut the curb you will still have that same rise to deal with.

While id want a wider opening at my driveway too, I think you might be opening a can of worms. The aggregate will change with grinding, and if you had to do a pour, the new stuff will never match perfectly.

I really want to avoid touching the existing driveway. That means no grinding and definitely no ripping out to re-pour if I can avoid it. At least for now. I would much rather try re-sloping the curb as-is first before touching the driveway.

Nothing you can do will keep the look of what you have. That exposed aggregate look is made by using water to wash off the top layer of cement from the concrete as it's curing. Typically, the aggregate is a special decorative mix (for the purpose) and you won't be able to match it.

It looks like you have scraped the narrower curb a few times. You could probably replace just the curb and gutter, contouring it a little differently to match the profile of your driveway and make it less curb like. As long as the new contour doesn't take up the physical space of your current scrapes, you may be OK.

... until you have a teenage driver.

Cutting the curb so it slopes toward the street will help with the drop-off, but it won't look right. It would be best to rip out the old concrete towards the sides of the driveway and then pour new concrete to make it look right, but you will never match the concrete you already have. I hate to say it but I don't think there is much you can do to fix the problem and make it look seamless. It will always look like the driveway was cobbled together.

I was kinda hoping I could at least cut the curb slightly to reduce the sudden drop. Not so much for my cars since they would still be to low to clear the curb but for my wife and friends/family that stop by. I cringe every time I see somebody reverse out of the drive and drop off the curb.

Aside from aesthetics, I think it can only improve the sudden drop.

Check with your local authorities.

there may be a reason they left it.

City street use codes may dictate what you can/can't do.

Many places require a permit.

If you decide to just di it, make it look professional.

You are working on city property.

This.

There may be a code that says the apron of the driveway can only be so wide, and yours might be at the limit.

When the previous owners poured the new concrete, they matched the slope of the apron as you said. It looks nice enough.

Do you know if they asked the town if they could widen the apron of the driveway? Maybe they could not, or perhaps they could, if they paid alot of money in permits and variances. Or do you live in a community that is governed by a Home Owners Association? They might have rules and regulations as to just how wide a driveway apron can be, so that everything looks the same.

Like the other has said, you can't just cut the curb away. If you did, then your existing concrete at the end of the driveway will also have to be cut away, as it currently comes all the way up to meet the curb, and instead of hitting the curb, you will end up hitting the end of your driveway instead.

Jim

You guys are exactly right. No home owners associations or anything like that just city by-laws to abide by. The by-law for my location is a maximum driveway approach width of 27ft. The width of my driveway is 20.5ft and the approach is currently 15ft so it can be widened 'legally'. The only gripe will be the reduction in 'parking' space between the neighbors and my driveway. This shouldn't be an issue though since it is technically not wide enough for parking as is. I need to get a city inspector to come out and evaluate. Luckily my neighbor works for the city so he can 'help' get the permit put through.

I managed to seal it on the weekend as well...

 

[CNGsaves]

Wow, nice driveway . . . that is "dream drive" for me as prior owner just left single-lane driveway up to 2-wide garage that is 2 cars deep (thus 4 car garage).

I'd CUT corners of driveway and put in different color tone on purpose to make it decorative. Maybe your house number/address could be cut in new driveway triangle on each side (like names cut in headstone).

Then have CURB CUT and widened on both sides with city blessing.

If you want "Over The Top" . . . your new triangle driveway sections could also have embedded electrical lights in concrete like you would have in a swimming pool !!!

 

[stage20]

I was kinda hoping I could at least cut the curb slightly to reduce the sudden drop. Not so much for my cars since they would still be to low to clear the curb but for my wife and friends/family that stop by. I cringe every time I see somebody reverse out of the drive and drop off the curb.

i dont want to sound rude, but some folks just arent good drivers. you have to be aware of your surroundings.

 

[southalabama]

Check with everyone involved and do it assuming nothing holding it up.

Will it be a perfect match? No

But beats heck out of everyone hitting it. The car you save may be your own. My wife's honda bottoms out on everything.

I'd rather live with slightly off coloration than knocking hell out of bottom of car.

 

[wssix99]

I was kinda hoping I could at least cut the curb slightly to reduce the sudden drop. Not so much for my cars since they would still be to low to clear the curb but for my wife and friends/family that stop by. I cringe every time I see somebody reverse out of the drive and drop off the curb.

You can cut it and even use a grinder to round it over. It won't look good, but you can test the concept out. If it works and you want it to look nice, you can blast out the curb and re-pour it.

Even though the elevation change will still be there, if you can reduce the sudden drop, it should be kinder to the cars' shocks and make them less likely to bottom out.

Other ideas:
- Try some psychology. Put an object (mailbox, pathway lights, giant yard gnome, pink flamingo, etc.) right by that corner of the driveway so people will be more likely to turn in to the middle of the drive to avoid it.
- Start only hanging out with people who drive SUV's.