Concrete Flatwork & Paving in Kansas City
Horizontal concrete surfaces including driveways, sidewalks, patios, parking lots, and curb-and-gutter work.
What Is Concrete Flatwork?
Flatwork is every horizontal concrete surface on a property — driveways, sidewalks, patios, pool decks, parking lots, and curbs. Ford Concrete pours all of it across Kansas City on a compacted subgrade, in air-entrained 4,000 PSI concrete, with saw-cut control joints placed to manage cracking before it starts.
This page is the category overview — it routes you to each flatwork surface we pour: driveways, parking lots, sidewalks and walkways, patios, pool decks, and curbs and gutters. From a single front walk to a multi-acre commercial lot, the fundamentals are the same.
Good flatwork is decided below the surface. It starts with a compacted subgrade, a 4,000 PSI air-entrained mix for freeze-thaw resistance, saw-cut control joints at the right spacing, isolation joints where slabs meet fixed structures, and a broom finish for traction. We control every step with our own crew — excavation through curing — so nothing gets lost in a handoff. Need the ground prepped first? That is our sitework scope.
The Flatwork Spec Sheet — Thickness, Strength & Joints by Surface
Different surfaces carry different loads, so they get different specs. These are the typical Kansas City figures we build to — click any surface for its full page.
| Surface | Slab Thickness | Concrete Strength | Control-Joint Spacing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential driveway | 4" (5–6" for RVs / trucks) | 4,000 PSI, air-entrained | ≈ 10 ft on center |
| Commercial parking lot | 6"+ over compacted base | 4,000–4,500 PSI (ACI 330) | 12–15 ft on center |
| Sidewalk / walkway | 4" (6" at driveway crossings) | 4,000 PSI | ≈ slab width (4–5 ft) |
| Patio | 4" | 4,000 PSI | 8–10 ft on center |
| Pool deck | 4" | 4,000 PSI, air-entrained | 8–10 ft on center |
| Curb & gutter | Per plan section | 4,000 PSI | 10–15 ft on center |
Figures are typical residential and light-commercial specs; final thickness, reinforcement, and mix follow the soil report and the load. Every exterior slab we pour is air-entrained (5–7%) for Kansas City freeze-thaw protection.
Flatwork & Paving Services
Concrete Driveways
Professional concrete driveway installation and replacement for residential and commercial properties across the Kansas City metro.
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Concrete Parking Lots
Commercial parking lot construction, expansion, and replacement for businesses, restaurants, and retail centers.
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Concrete Sidewalks & Walkways
Concrete sidewalk and walkway installation for residential properties, commercial buildings, and municipal projects.
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Concrete Patios & Outdoor Spaces
Custom concrete patio design and installation for backyards, outdoor living areas, and commercial courtyards.
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Concrete Pool Decks
Slip-resistant concrete pool deck installation and resurfacing for residential and commercial swimming pools.
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Concrete Curbs & Gutters
Concrete curb and gutter installation for parking lots, subdivisions, roadways, and commercial developments.
Learn MoreTrusted by National Brands
From your driveway to an Amazon warehouse — the same crew, the same standards, every project.
Taco Bell
New Construction
Overland Park, KS
Domino's Pizza
New Construction
Independence, MO
Freddy's
New Construction
Kansas City
Tidal Wave Car Wash
New Construction
Kansas City
Amazon
New Construction
Riverside, MO
Nortian Food Grade Protein Facility
New Construction
Springfield, MO
Flatwork Across the KC Metro
Residential and commercial flatwork on both sides of the state line. A few of the most requested pairings:
- ▶Concrete driveways in Overland Park, KS
- ▶Concrete patios in Lee's Summit, MO
- ▶Commercial parking lots in Shawnee, KS
- ▶Sidewalks and walkways in Independence, MO
Explore the other categories
Concrete Flatwork in Kansas City — FAQs
How thick should a concrete driveway be in Kansas City?
A standard residential driveway is poured at 4 inches over a compacted base. If you park an RV, a work truck, or a loaded trailer, we step it up to 5–6 inches and add reinforcement. Thickness matters less than what is under it — a driveway on a properly compacted subgrade outlasts a thicker slab poured on soft, unprepared clay.
Why does my concrete need control joints?
Concrete shrinks as it cures and moves with temperature, so it will crack — the only question is where. Saw-cut control joints create a planned weak line so the crack forms straight and hidden at the joint instead of wandering across the surface. We cut them within 6 to 12 hours of the pour, spaced roughly 24 to 30 times the slab thickness in feet, and add isolation joints where flatwork meets a building or a footing.
How long before I can drive or walk on new flatwork?
Foot traffic is usually fine after 24 to 48 hours. Wait about 7 days before driving a passenger vehicle onto a new driveway, and longer for heavy trucks. Concrete keeps gaining strength for weeks and reaches its design strength around 28 days. We give you the exact timeline for your pour and the weather it cured in.
Will Kansas City freeze-thaw cracking ruin my new concrete?
Not if the slab is built for it. The metro sees 35 to 40 freeze-thaw cycles a year, so every exterior slab we pour uses an air-entrained mix — microscopic air bubbles that give freezing water room to expand without scaling the surface. Combined with proper drainage slope, correct joint spacing, and a compacted base, air entrainment is what separates flatwork that lasts decades from flatwork that spalls in five years.
Do you handle both residential and commercial flatwork?
Yes — the same crew that pours a backyard patio pours the parking lots for national brands like Amazon and Taco Bell. We run the full sequence in-house — excavation and sitework, base prep, forming, reinforcement, placement, finishing, and curing — with no subcontractor handoffs on either scale.
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From call to concrete — the fastest in KC.
Get a free, no-obligation estimate for your concrete project. We serve the entire Kansas City metro — call (816) 721-1699 or request your estimate online.