Driveways Patios and Footpath

Graham Contracting constructs new concrete works from scratch or replaces existing concrete. We do the entire job from excavation to concrete finishing and reinstatement of surrounds.

Driveways provide not only all-weather access for vehicles, but also an excellent surface for children to play on, while also improving the look of your property and enhancing its value. Patios at ground level provide a private entertaining and relaxation area below the line sight of surrounding properties. Footpaths provide all-weather access around the property and can be styled to match the other concrete.

A pre-work meeting and survey is undertaken between the customer, the manager and the job’s Leading Hand. Underground services are marked, and the heights of the boxing and edges are measured by laser to ensure that surface water will drain away.

To prepare the site, we demolish any existing concrete, excavate the sub-soil and dump or recycle the spoil. Any drains are installed in trenches. We mark and box the edges, then level and compact a base of road metal to prevent the driveway from slumping or buckling. We lay steel mesh, tied together and stood up on “chairs” to ensure that it is suspended in the concrete to prevent cracking or splitting. Expansion joints are marked and set out. When the concrete is delivered, our experienced team places and screeds it, and repeatedly trowels it through the day to achieve a durable, attractive finish. Ideally concreting is completed in fine weather at temperatures between 16° and 24°. We may install crack control strips during placing.

We cut expansion joints in the concrete and remove the boxing after a few days when the concrete has hardened. Finally we reinstate the surrounding grounds to achieve a tidy site.

We follow the NZ Cement and Concrete Association recommended standards. Concrete can usually be walked on the following day and driven on with light vehicles after 2 weeks. Standard driveways are suitable for vehicles up to 3 tons, the weight of small delivery trucks and tandem trailers.

Decorative Concrete

We can style your concrete to match your home and preferences. Concrete can be coloured, the natural stones exposed and other stones added. “Flagstones” can be created with cuts, borders added with pavers or other concrete, the surface preserved and the texture and colour enhanced by coating with a sealer. These treatments can be combined for a wide variety of finishes:

Exposed Aggregate

We achieve an exposed aggregate surface by carefully removing the top cement layer to expose the underlying stones, producing an attractive, natural-looking surface.

Paver Borders

Attractive borders can be formed by laying pavers along the edges.

Coloured Concrete

We colour concrete by adding dye to the mix. We can provide colour charts with a wide range of colours.

Concrete Sealer

Cured concrete can be coated with a hard-wearing polyurethane or other seal. The sealer enhances the appearance of the concrete and helps keep it clean.