The 1999 driveway in Fresno that still looks new, and the 2010 one that's crumbling

I helped pour a driveway off Herndon back in 1999, and the owner just sent me a photo, it's got zero cracks after 25 years. The mix was simple, 5 bag, and we used a 2x4 screed, no power float, just hand troweled twice. Anyway, I did a stamped patio in Clovis in 2010 with all the fancy additives and sealers, and it's already spalling in three spots. Anyone else noticing the older plain mixes holding up better than the modern stuff, or is it just the ground prep?

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lily57415d ago

ground prep matters but it aint the whole story. those old 5 bag mixes were just denser, less water, no extra junk. modern admixtures let contractors cut corners on cure time and it shows. plus that 2010 stamped job probably had a weak base or they sealed too early. plain concrete wins again.