What is a Concrete Slab?

Concreting Sydney are concrete experts in all types of driveways and concrete slabs. With the many types of slab pouring options available, we are often asked during a concrete driveway quote what is a concrete slab? 

A concrete slab is used in construction as a structural element. Also known as slabs concrete, it is used to create flat horizontal surfaces such as concrete floors, roofs and driveways. Slabs can range from a shelter covering to a practical flat surface.

Slabs concrete is used as it can support heavy loads. Residential driveway slabs or car park slabs are common structures built by us.

Slabs concrete are created to have top and bottom surfaces parallel with each other. This is an important part of the construction process. As concrete experts we take great care to achieve uniform strong slabs.   

A slab usually is concrete pouring on site to a predefined form. Also known as in situ concrete slab construction, it is commonly used for concrete floors and driveways.

Form work for slab pouring is built by us. Form work is made from specialty wooden planks and boards. Plastic and steel forms are also used.

Form work for slab pouring is a type of boxing where wet concrete can be placed into a form. While pouring, the formwork acts as the finished height for the concrete slab. Slab pouring requires a dedicated team on the pouring day to get a flat concrete slab. 

After pouring the wet mix concrete is left to cure. Once the concrete has hardened, we then knock off and remove the form work. The correct time to remove the form work depends on the concrete project.

For driveway projects, form work is reusable. As a driveway slab has form work that is on the ground, this makes it easier to remove. The form work is then cleaned in preparation for the next concrete pouring project. Pressure washers are usually used to clean driveway slab form work.     

By cleaning slab form work, we can provide consistency in driveway slab edging. It makes concrete pouring for a driveway slab much more accurate. The ability to re-use driveway slab form work reduces the concrete driveway cost compared with other types of slab pouring.

Concrete pouring for a driveway is usually completed in one day by us. This makes concreting a drive one of the most common pouring projects, as concrete driveway costs are much less than other driveway surfaces such as paving. 

Once a concrete driveway is poured the slab is complete. There is no need for additional work such as laying cobblestones, slate or travertine on top. By choosing a concrete slab driveway, there is no need to organise multiple tradesmen as we provide an all in one service.

With paving, a concrete base is preferred as the concrete base provides support for the pavers. With this method it still does not stop pavers shifting as pavers need to be laid on a sand base. Also a driveway concrete base does not stop weed growth as the sand provides a place for seeds to germinate and grow on the surface.

This makes the concrete driveway cost advantageous to other paving methods. A concrete slab driveway needs fewer steps to get to the final product. Paving a driveway requires many added steps to get to the stage to lay pavers.

- Concreting Sydney