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Thread: Concrete over asphalt?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
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    Concrete over asphalt?

    I am pouring a small pad to act as the first step to my front porch. Half the step will land on the driveway and half in the dirt. I will dig out and lay gravel in the dirt area, but was wondering if I can pour concrete right on top of the asphalt or do I need to cut it away?
    The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything. ~Edward Phelps

  2. #2
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    I would bet it's best to cut out the asphalt and prepare the whole area the same. Otherwise you might get differential settling.

  3. #3
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    Travelers Rest, S.C.
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    I agree with Russ.....Cut the asphalt! That way there's no chance the concrete will crack with uneven settling and/or from temperature changes.



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  4. #4
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    Can I use an abrasive blade with my circular saw or is there a better way?
    The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything. ~Edward Phelps

  5. #5
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    Unless you have a saw you're willing to throw away, I'd go rent an electric jack hammer with a wide spade bit. Should get a fairly straight cut. Jim.
    Coolmeadow Setters...Exclusively Irish! When Irish Eyes are smiling....They're usually up to something!!
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  6. Cool Concrete the best stuff on earth!

    Buy a 7 1/4 concrete blade or as called diamond blade for your circular saw and cut a straight line in the asphalt. Then take a pick axe and chop away the asphalt. You can use the small pieces of asphalt anything less than an inch an a half as the base for your concrete make sure you tamp it down with a tamp.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
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    Kansas City, MO
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    Dig out the dirt, fill with rock, compact well, pour pad over asphalt and rock. This is a pad for foot traffic not a driveway. If the pad is uniform thickness it is not going to crack, at worst it would rock.

  8. #8
    IN NJ the road Dept regularly patches old concrete roads with asphalt. It's great stuff~!! Only destroyed one of my cars when a boat size chink came un-moored in an ice storm and ripped my undercarriage out.

    Asphalt and concrete don't work and play well together.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
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    Kansas City, MO
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    832
    Well Cliff, you best keep your car off Jim's patio. There is probably a different set of criteria covering overlayment on the highway than a slab resting on pavement.

  10. #10
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    Jun 2006
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    East Central Missouri
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    We used to live in the 'burbs. One of our patio improvements called for some new concrete steps. The contractor poured over asphalt. Several years later, and foot traffic only, the step would rock. Not a problem, we thought. Until someone stepped onto the rocking step and fell. Thank God for a family tree that is sprinkled with lawyers! I will always recommend cutting through and removing the asphalt. HTH
    Leigh Costello
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    Smile, make them wonder what ya did.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Woodinville, WA
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    Since it is a small section I guess I'll play ultra safe and cut it out. I think I am going to try to score the asphalt with a circular saw and abrasive blade and then use a rotohammer to finish it off. I probably only need to cut about 5-6 lineal feet total.

    Hey thanks for the help.

    Someday I'll post some pics if I can ever finish this year long addition and front porch project.
    The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything. ~Edward Phelps

  12. #12
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    South Windsor, CT
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    Seems to me that a Sawzall would work well here - just put a masonry blade in it.

  13. #13
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    I was going to make a suggestion, but I see Rob beat me to it. Sawzall!
    ________
    Ron

    "Individual commitment to a group effort--that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work."
    Vince Lombardi

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
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    Woodinville, WA
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    Off to the Depot to find a masonry blade for the sawzall. Hadn't thought of that and I always enjoy using the sawzall. I didn't know they even had masonry blades for them. Thanks for the tip.
    I have been procrastinating a little with this step in the process and have used my time to install the decking. Ipe is beautiful and hard. My abs are sore from the pressure required to drill the countersunk plug holes. Cool to see it smoke after each hole is drilled though!
    The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything. ~Edward Phelps

  15. #15
    Hire someone.

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