Concrete Overlays in West Seattle, WA

Concrete overlays in West Seattle: what to know

SDCI’s paving page is explicit: resurfacing existing paving does not need a grading permit, while removing and replacing it does once the total reaches 750 square feet. For a large old driveway, or a driveway, walk, and patio together, that difference shapes the choice between overlay and tear-out. In a mapped critical area, exemptions can cover repair of existing development whose size does not grow, and SDCI decides whether a surface coat qualifies.

An overlay is only as stable as the ground and base below it. The city’s landslide records name many slides on the peninsula and put water in nearly all of them. A slab that has tilted downhill, or opened a crack along its uphill edge, may be following the ground. We tap-test for hollow spots and trace roof and yard water first.

Permits and rules in West Seattle

An overlay leaves a slab’s footprint and height close to what they were, and SDCI’s paving page treats resurfacing separately from replacement. The sidewalk and apron are different, because they sit in the right-of-way where SDOT’s Street Use permits apply. We confirm with SDCI and SDOT how each treats a surface coat on your slab, apron, and walk, and the answer decides what the overlay includes.

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

How we approach it

Tap-test for hollow spots and mark cracks that opened since last winter
Keep the new surface inside the old footprint so it stays a resurface
Trace gutters and yard water toward the slab edge before coating anything
Leave the sidewalk to SDOT’s repair rules, since coatings do not fix lifts

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 West Seattle

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

Questions from West Seattle homeowners

Does resurfacing my West Seattle driveway need a grading permit?

SDCI’s paving page says resurfacing existing paving does not need one, while removing and replacing paving does once it reaches 750 square feet. A mapped steep slope or other critical area changes the picture, so we check the map first.

Can an overlay fix a lifted sidewalk slab in West Seattle?

No. SDOT’s sidewalk memo treats a fault over half an inch as a repair trigger, allows grinding of lifts under an inch, and calls for replacing larger lifts. A coating does none of that, and sidewalk repair needs a Street Use permit. The adjoining owner is responsible.

Is an overlay wise on a sloped West Seattle slab?

Only if the slab is stable. A slab that has slid or tilted is replaced and its base fixed, since an overlay follows the movement. Where roof and yard water goes gets checked first, because water is behind nearly all Seattle landslides.