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<h4 class="dechead">On One Hand: Four-Inch Minimum
Pour your concrete driveway to a thickness of no less than 4 inches. Consider going even an inch or two thicker at your driveway's edges, extending out as much as 8 inches. You can increase its load capacity even more by reinforcing the foundation with wire mesh or steel bars set in a grid pattern. And don't forget to compact your soil before pouring over it.
On the Other: Pour Even Thicker For Heavier Loads
This 4-inch minimum thickness is assuming your concrete drive will mostly carry passenger cars and lighter-weight traffic. If it will regularly accommodate trucks and heavier vehicles, go with a concrete thickness of 5 inches or more.
Bottom Line
The thicker the better. That's the major factor in determining your driveway's structural capacity. Pad the pour from 4 to 5 inches and you increase the load-carrying capacity by almost half---while only adding 20 percent to your concrete cost. Go for it.
Source:
Placing Concrete at the Proper Thickness -- and -- Reinforcement
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