Concrete Overlays in Sumner, WA

Concrete overlays in Sumner: what to know

A sound slab comes first. We check for cracks that move, edges that have settled, and any spot where the old surface has lifted, because a thin layer holds only to concrete that is firm. Oil and old coatings come off by grinding or blasting, and the surface gets a profile the new layer can grip. An overlay will not hide a slab that keeps moving, so we say so before we quote.

On an approach, the overlay meets the sidewalk, and the city’s standard drawing allows sidewalk ramping only where it is needed to keep the approach at 8 percent or less. We measure the existing grade, then work out what the new surface does to it. If the change would take the approach past what the drawing allows, we confirm the sidewalk and approach work with the city before we pour.

Permits and rules in Sumner

We check whether the overlay stays on your lot or reaches the approach, the sidewalk, or the street edge. Work on the lot follows the building path, which we confirm for your address. Anything that reaches the right-of-way follows the Sumner permit center’s written permit for grading, and the approach limit is confirmed against the city’s drawing before the pour. Our quote names which of those items are settled.

Rules change and vary by parcel, so we confirm the current requirements with the city before we start.

How we approach it

Test the slab for movement, lifting, and a firm bond before anything else
Grind or blast the surface to a profile the new layer can grip
Measure the approach grade and what the overlay does to the 8 percent limit
Confirm any sidewalk or street-edge work with the city before the pour

For the full process, see our Concrete Overlays page.

Building in the cold months? See our guide to winter concrete pours.

Our concrete overlays work, serving Sumner

Examples of our work. We build concrete overlays in Sumner and the cities around it. See all of our work

Questions from Sumner homeowners

Can a concrete overlay go over a cracked Sumner driveway?

Some cracks can be overlaid, but a crack that moves or a slab that has settled will show through the new surface. We test the slab first and tell you whether an overlay is the right fix or whether the slab needs replacing before anything goes on.

Does an overlay change a Sumner driveway approach?

It can. An overlay raises the surface, so on an approach we measure the grade against the city’s standard drawing, which keeps the approach at 8 percent or less where the sidewalk ramps. We confirm the approach work with the city before we pour.

Do I need a permit for a driveway overlay in Sumner?

A flat overlay on your own lot is checked against the building path for your address. Work that reaches the street edge or the right-of-way needs the Sumner permit center’s written permit for grading, and we confirm that before the job is scheduled.