Here are the questions that did not belong on our other guide pages. For anything else, call (225) 529-0954.
How long does a concrete driveway last?
Decades, when it is built well. In Ascension Parish the base decides. Concrete here does not wear out from frost or salt. It is ended early by clay movement, washouts, roots and overloading. Good base, steel, joints and drainage are what buy the long life.
Can I pour concrete myself, or should I hire a crew?
Doing it yourself is realistic for small jobs: a pad for the bins, a short walk, a step. Hire a crew for anything that carries a car or needs a truckload. Concrete is heavy, it will not wait, and in our heat the working time is short. Digging and compacting clay by hand is also harder than most people expect.
Can I pour a small shed pad with bagged concrete?
Yes. A small shed pad is a fair weekend job with bags. Strip the grass, dig out soft soil, compact a few inches of base, set level forms and put in mesh or rebar. Mix each bag to the same consistency and get a second person to help. Start early in the day. Past a certain size, a short load of ready-mix is less work and gives a better slab.
I poured my own walkway and it cracked and sank. Redo it myself or hire someone?
You can redo it yourself if you change what was under it. A walk that sank was sitting on soft or loose ground. Take it out, dig to firm clay, compact a base in thin lifts, add steel and tool a joint every four feet or so. If the digging is the part you dread, pay someone for the base and do the pour with them. A second layer on top of the failed walk will fail the same way.
How do I get oil stains out of concrete?
For a fresh spill, cover it with cat litter, sweep it up, then scrub with a concrete degreaser and rinse. Old oil stains have soaked in. A poultice or a degreaser left to dwell pulls more out, and repeat rounds help. Some shadow may remain. Pressure wash afterward, and consider sealing a garage floor so the next spill wipes up.
Can an old concrete floor be stained or dyed?
Yes. Almost any old floor can be stained once it is stripped back to bare concrete. Glue, paint and sealer have to go first. The color is translucent, so repairs, cracks and old marks stay visible, and acid stain takes unevenly on aged concrete. Always look at a test patch. Sort out any dampness in the slab before stain and sealer go on.
A customer tripped on concrete outside my business. Am I liable?
Whether you are liable is for your insurer and a lawyer to judge on the facts. Broadly, whoever owns or controls a walking surface is expected to keep it reasonably safe and to act on hazards they know of. Tell your insurer, photograph the spot and repair it promptly. Check who is responsible for the public sidewalk on your street, since many Louisiana cities place that on the adjoining owner. General information, not legal advice.
Can you replace sections while my business stays open?
Normally, yes. We phase the work so one entrance and part of the parking are always usable while the business stays open. Barriers mark a safe path, pours are timed around your busy hours where possible, and you get the reopening date for each section in advance. Plan deliveries with us, because heavy trucks must stay off new concrete for several weeks.
Can you pour a basketball pad or a sport court?
Yes. A basketball pad wants a flat slab with a slight fall, a fine broom or light trowel finish that grips without tearing up a ball, and joints kept out of the key where possible. On clay, steel and a good base keep the panels at one height so the ball bounces true. No national price was published for sport courts. We quote after seeing the site.
Do frost depth, earthquakes or salt air matter for concrete in Gonzales?
Very little. The ground here does not freeze to any depth, so footings are sized for soft, wet soil and for the building code, not for frost. Earthquakes are not a routine design concern for home flatwork in this area. Gonzales is well inland, so salt air is not a factor either. The local forces that count are clay, rain, heat and flood water.
How do I keep a shaded slab from turning green and slick?
Wash it once or twice a year with an outdoor concrete cleaner and a pressure washer on a wide tip. Trim back shrubs so sun and air reach it, fix any spot where water stands, and redirect dripping roof edges. The growth returns in our humidity, so think of it as routine upkeep.
Is my house slab post-tensioned, and why does it matter?
Many houses built in this area in recent decades have post-tensioned slabs, with steel cables tightened inside the concrete. Look for a stamp in the garage floor near the door. It matters because nobody should cut, core or trench that slab without locating the cables. Driveways, patios and walks poured beside the house are kept separate from it.
Want a real number for your property? We measure on site and write the quote down, free. Call (225) 529-0954 or text a photo of the concrete.