Sidewalks & Walkways in Suffolk, VA

Concrete sidewalks and walkways get less attention than driveways until one starts to trip people. A front walk that has heaved at a joint, a side path that turns into a puddle every time it rains, or a city sidewalk panel split by a tree root: those are the usual reasons people start looking. We pour new sidewalks and walkways around Suffolk homes and replace failed sections, building each one level, well-drained and wide enough to use comfortably.

Common walkway problems

• Panels lifted by tree roots, leaving a lip that catches a toe
• Sections that have sunk next to the house where roof water soaks in
• Walks that slope toward the foundation instead of away from it
• Old, thin walks that have cracked into pieces
• Surfaces that have flaked or pitted after winters of freezing and thawing
• A path that simply does not exist where people actually walk

In older parts of Suffolk, front walks can be decades old and were often poured thinner than we would pour today. In newer neighborhoods, the usual issue is settling where the builder backfilled next to the foundation.

How we build a walkway

We dig out the old walk or the sod, remove soft soil, and place a compacted crushed stone base. HomeGuide notes most concrete walkways are 4 to 6 inches thick, and we go thicker where a walk doubles as a path for a mower, cart or wheelbarrow. Every walk gets a slight cross slope so rain runs off the side instead of sitting on top, and a fall away from the house where it meets the foundation. Control joints go in at regular intervals, about every 4 to 5 feet on a standard walk, so cracks form in the joints instead of across the panels.

Width matters. A 3-foot walk feels tight for two people side by side; 4 feet is more comfortable, and a front walk to the main entrance can go wider. If the walk meets steps, we plan the landing so it is level and drains.

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City sidewalk sections

The public sidewalk in front of many homes sits in the city right-of-way. The City of Suffolk's right-of-way excavation and restoration manual says damaged sidewalk is removed and replaced in full sections, to the nearest joint, with edges saw cut and new backfill compacted before the pour. Work in the right-of-way needs a permit from the city, and closing a sidewalk during the job has its own permit form. Before we touch a public sidewalk, we confirm who is responsible for it and what the city requires.

Finish options

• Broom finish: the standard, with good traction in rain
• Exposed aggregate: textured stone surface with good grip
• Stamped or colored: a brick border or a stone pattern to match a patio
• Tooled edges and joints: a clean, finished look along the lawn

We avoid smooth trowel finishes on outdoor walks because they get slick when wet.

Care

• Keep downspouts and sprinklers from soaking the ground beside the walk
• Use sand rather than salt on icy mornings, especially in the first winter
• Fill hairline cracks early so water does not get under the slab