Concrete Driveways in Burlington — Poured, Stamped, Exposed
We pour concrete driveways across Burlington — Aldershot, downtown, Roseland, Tyandaga, Alton, and the Lakeshore strip. Broom-finish, stamped, or exposed aggregate, built on a proper 6-8 inch granular base with rebar or mesh reinforcement. Burlington sits on freeze-thaw clay between Lake Ontario and the escarpment, so base prep is the difference between a slab that lasts 25-30 years and one that cracks in three winters. Call 416-317-3090 for a free on-site quote.
Why Burlington Driveways Fail Early (and How We Build Them So They Don’t)
Most failed concrete driveways in Burlington trace back to one of three things: a thin or contaminated granular base, undersized slab thickness, or no control joints. The freeze-thaw cycle pulls water through every hairline crack. Once that water freezes, it pries the slab apart from underneath. We dig out 10-14 inches of native clay, lay 6-8 inches of compacted Granular A, then pour a 4-5 inch slab with 10M rebar grid or 6×6 wire mesh. Driveways near the Lakeshore — Roseland, downtown south of Lakeshore Road — often sit on heavier clay and need closer attention to drainage.
Finishes We Pour in Burlington
- Broom finish — the workhorse. Straight grey concrete, light broom texture for grip. The most cost-effective option per square foot.
- Stamped concrete — slate, ashlar, cobblestone, or wood-plank patterns. Integral colour plus release powder. Sealer every 2-3 years to hold the colour.
- Exposed aggregate — pea-stone finish washed back to reveal the stone. Excellent traction in winter, common ask in Tyandaga and Alton on sloped driveways.
- Coloured / saw-cut — integral colour with a saw-cut grid to mimic large-format pavers. Cleaner look for modern Burlington builds.
Our Build Process
- Site walk and quote — we measure, check grades, flag any drainage issues toward the house, and confirm where the city sidewalk and curb sit.
- Demolition — old asphalt or concrete out, debris hauled off the same day.
- Excavation — 10-14 inches down to undisturbed subgrade, native clay graded for runoff away from the foundation.
- Base — 6-8 inches of Granular A in lifts, compacted with a plate or roller. This is where corners get cut by cheap contractors. We don’t.
- Forms and rebar — 2×6 forms set to grade, 10M rebar grid or mesh, chairs to keep steel in the middle third of the slab.
- Pour — 32 MPa air-entrained mix, screeded, bull-floated, edged, troweled, then your chosen finish.
- Joints and cure — control joints saw-cut within 24 hours, curing compound applied, walk-on at 48 hours, drive-on after 7 days.
Widening, Curb Cuts, and Burlington Permits
If you’re widening the driveway or moving the curb cut, that’s a City of Burlington matter — Roads, Parks and Forestry reviews the curb-cut application and Planning may need to sign off on lot coverage. Bigger projects can also trip Burlington’s Site Alteration By-law 064-2014 if you’re regrading any volume of soil. We coordinate the curb-cut paperwork and pull what’s needed before the saw comes out. North Burlington lots near Mount Nemo or Rattlesnake Point can sit inside the Niagara Escarpment Commission’s Regulation 826/90 area — if your property is in there, we flag it during the quote.
Why Homeowners Pick OCM as Their Concrete Contractor in Burlington
- Full-stack crew — excavation, base, forming, pour, and finish all done in-house. No subcontracted concrete finishers showing up at hour zero.
- Honest base specs. We’ll tell you on the quote exactly how deep we’re digging and what’s going underneath.
- We work across the GTA so we’re not booked solid every spring — start dates are usually weeks, not months.
- Clean job sites. Slurry contained, forms stripped, sod edges restored.
If pavers are more your speed, check our interlocking paver work in Burlington, or see the full GTA service area list for nearby cities we cover.
Frequently Asked Questions
How thick should a concrete driveway slab be in Burlington?
For a residential driveway we pour 4 inches minimum, 5 inches where you’ve got an SUV or truck and 6 inches at any apron that takes heavier loads. The slab thickness matters less than what’s underneath — a 5-inch slab on a poor base will fail before a 4-inch slab on a properly compacted 6-8 inch granular base. Burlington’s freeze-thaw cycles punish weak bases first.
Do I need a permit to replace my driveway in Burlington?
Like-for-like replacement on the existing footprint typically doesn’t need a building permit, but widening, moving the curb cut, or changing lot coverage involves the City of Burlington. Heavier regrading can also trigger Site Alteration By-law 064-2014. We confirm what applies during the site walk and handle the paperwork. Call 416-317-3090 if you’re not sure where your project lands.
Stamped concrete vs interlocking pavers — which is better?
Stamped concrete is one continuous slab — fewer joints, less weed growth, cleaner sweep. Downside is that when it cracks, you patch a crack. Pavers move with the ground, individual units lift out for repair, and snow shovels don’t catch on joints. For a Burlington driveway that sees salt and freeze-thaw, both work — it comes down to look and how you want to maintain it.
How long before I can drive on a new concrete driveway?
Walk-on traffic at 48 hours. Light vehicle at 7 days. Heavy vehicles, trailers, or dumpsters should wait 28 days for full design strength. Cold pours late in the season cure slower — we use blankets and adjust the mix when the overnight temperature drops. Sealing is best left 28-30 days after the pour so the slab fully releases moisture.
Will my driveway crack?
Every concrete slab develops some hairline shrinkage cracks — that’s how concrete relieves stress as it cures. Our job is to control where those cracks happen by saw-cutting joints into the slab within the first 24 hours. Done right, cracks follow the joints and stay invisible. Done wrong, they wander across the middle of the slab. That’s why joint spacing and timing matter as much as the mix.
What does a concrete driveway cost in Burlington?
Pricing depends on square footage, demo, base depth, reinforcement, and finish. Broom finish is the most affordable, stamped and exposed aggregate run higher because of the extra labour and materials. Steep grades in Tyandaga or extra excavation on heavy clay near the Lakeshore can add to the number. We give a written quote after the site walk — no guessing over the phone. Reach us at 416-317-3090.
Get a Quote on Your Burlington Driveway
Ready to replace, widen, or upgrade? Call 416-317-3090 or use our free quote form. We’ll walk the site, measure the driveway, talk through finishes, and give you a written number. Concrete done right in Burlington — pour once, drive on it for thirty years.
Related Services in Burlington
- Concrete Driveway in Newmarke
- Concrete Driveway in Vaughan
- Concrete Driveway in Markham
- Concrete Driveway in Toronto
- Interlocking Paver in Burlington
- Demolition in Burlington
- All Service Areas
in Burlington? Let’s talk.