Concrete Services in Ann Arbor, MI

Surfaces Built to Survive a Michigan Winter

Exterior flatwork in Michigan is specified long before anyone touches a shovel: 4,000 psi at 28 days, 6.5% air entrainment, and a maximum 5 inch slump. Danaher Family Masonry and Restoration provides concrete services in Ann Arbor, MI to exactly that standard, from driveways at least 4 inches thick over compacted crushed rock to patios, garage floors and stamped surfaces with control joints cut a minimum 1 inch deep. Panels stay square, no longer than 1.5 times the width.


Preparation is where a slab is won or lost, so the subbase gets compacted, reinforcement sits on a grid roughly 12 inches on center, and curing begins within 30 minutes of finishing. You deal with one point of contact from the first call to the last broom pass, 40 years of pours behind the advice, and pricing that stays competitive against bigger outfits. Describe the surface you want on our contact page and we will schedule a consultation.

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Our Concrete Solutions for Your Property

  • Concrete Driveways

    Driveways start at a minimum 4 inches thick, though 5 inches raises load capacity roughly 50% for about 20% more cost. We build over 2 to 8 inches of crushed rock subbase and pitch the surface at least 1/8 inch per foot.

  • Concrete Patios

    Patios take the same freeze-thaw abuse as a driveway with less mass to absorb it, so the mix, the air entrainment and the joint pattern matter. Contraction joints land 24 to 36 times the slab thickness apart, and panels stay near square.

  • Garage Floors

    Inside a garage, the slab has to handle vehicle loads and salt dragged in all winter. Isolation joints with premolded filler separate the slab from footings and walls, and reinforcement is sized to thickness, with #4 rebar in slabs 5 inches or thicker.

  • Stamped and Textured Concrete

    Stamped surfaces get pattern and texture pressed in while the concrete is still workable, which turns a plain slab into something closer to stone or plank. Foot traffic waits 48 hours rather than the usual 24, so plan the schedule accordingly.

  • Stained and Colored Concrete

    Color goes into the slab rather than onto it, so the finish does not peel the way paint does. We review sample options during material selection, then protect the finished surface and hold off on sealer until the concrete has cured 30 days.

  • Custom Concrete Features

    Steps, landings, pads and edging round out most projects, and each one follows the same rules as a larger pour. Risers stay within 3/8 inch of each other across a flight, treads run at least 10 inches deep, and landings measure 36 inches.

Why Choose Us for Concrete Services

A Base Prepared for Clay Soil

Clay soils hold water and swell, which is how a new slab ends up cracked. You get a compacted subbase and 2 to 8 inches of crushed rock under the pour, so the ground moving underneath does not take the concrete with it.

Joints Cut Where They Belong

Concrete cracks; the only question is whether it cracks where you planned. Joints sawcut within 4 to 12 hours of finishing, spaced to a practical maximum of 15 feet, send the movement into straight lines instead of a random break across your patio.

Mixes Specified for Freezing Weather

Air entrainment at 6 to 7% and a 4,000 psi mix are what stand between your surface and scaling once deicing salt shows up. You get that specification written into the pour rather than whatever happens to be on the truck.

Slopes That Move Water Away

Standing water is the enemy of every exterior slab in a freeze-thaw climate. Grading the surface to at least 1/8 inch per foot, away from the house, means meltwater leaves instead of sitting in a low spot and refreezing against your foundation.

Honest Guidance on Curing Time

Knowing when to use a new surface saves a lot of anxiety. Walk on it after 24 hours, 48 for stamped, drive a car at 7 days when it has reached about 70% strength, and park heavy vehicles only after 28 days.

Decorative Finishes Without the Upkeep

Pattern and color give you the look of pavers or flagstone without joints to weed and level every spring. Sealer applied after 30 days and refreshed every 3 to 5 years is most of the maintenance a decorative surface actually asks for.

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Pour Once, Enjoy It for Decades

Getting a slab right is mostly decisions made before the truck arrives: the subbase, the mix, the reinforcement, the joint plan and the weather window. Danaher Family Masonry and Restoration makes those decisions in the open with property owners across Ann Arbor, MI, so you know what you are buying and why it costs what it costs. Materials come from local suppliers, pricing stays competitive, and we handle the work from consultation through final finishing. If you are weighing a driveway, patio or garage floor, send the details through our contact page and we will set up a consultation at your convenience.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How far apart should control joints be placed in a concrete driveway?

    Spacing runs 24 to 36 times the slab thickness, with a practical maximum of 15 feet, so a 4 inch driveway gets joints roughly every 10 feet. Keep panels square or near square, with length no more than 1.5 times width.

  • How long should I let my concrete driveway cure before I drive on it?

    Wait 7 days before driving a car onto new concrete, when the slab has reached roughly 70% strength, and 28 days before parking anything heavy. Danaher Family Masonry and Restoration walks Ann Arbor, MI homeowners through that timeline before the pour.

  • Do you need gravel under a concrete driveway?

    Yes. A crushed rock subbase of 2 to 8 inches gives the slab uniform support and a path for water to drain, which matters most over expansive clay that swells and shrinks with the seasons. Skipping it invites settlement.

  • Does a 4 inch concrete slab need rebar?

    Welded wire mesh is typical for slabs 4 to 5 inches thick, while #4 rebar on a grid about 12 inches on center is used at 5 inches and above. Reinforcement controls crack width; it does not prevent cracking.

  • What is the downside of stamped concrete?

    Upkeep is the main tradeoff. Sealer has to go back on every 3 to 5 years to keep color and pattern looking right, the surface waits 48 hours before foot traffic, and any future repair is harder to blend invisibly.

  • Should you seal a brand new concrete driveway?

    Not immediately. Concrete needs at least 30 days of curing before sealer goes on, then reapplication every 3 to 5 years. Danaher Family Masonry and Restoration schedules that first application with Ann Arbor, MI clients once the slab has fully cured.

  • Is it okay if it rains 5 hours after pouring concrete?

    Rain at that stage is usually survivable, because the surface has typically taken its final finish and curing is already underway. Heavy rain on fresh, unfinished concrete is the real risk, since it dilutes the paste and leaves a weak, dusty top layer.

  • How long after pouring concrete do you have to worry about it freezing?

    Michigan practice keeps fresh concrete above 55 degrees and protected for a minimum of 7 days, with cold-weather procedures beginning at 40 degrees. Freezing inside that window can damage the surface permanently, so protection matters more than the calendar date.