Concrete Work for Wichita and Nearby Towns
Driveways, walks and approaches, patios, decorative finishes, repairs, slab lifting, sealing and shop slabs, explained for Kansas clay and Kansas winters. Describe the project and request a free estimate.
Concrete here, in three lines
- Ground: clay that grows and shrinks with moisture.
- Winter: freezing nights most of December through February, with thaws in between.
- Rules: the strip by the street belongs to the city's specifications.
Free concrete estimate
About a minute. Send the details and expect a call back to talk the project through.
1991–2020 normals for the Wichita Eisenhower airport station: NWS Wichita, annual climate normals for Wichita, Salina and Chanute; NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 annual normals, Wichita Eisenhower airport station.
Choose the work that fits
Each page covers how that job is planned for local soil and weather, what to ask for in writing, and the questions homeowners raise most often.
Driveways and walks
Concrete Driveways
New driveways, wider driveways and full replacements, planned around clay soil, freeze-thaw winters and the weight of the vehicles that park on them.
Sidewalks, Walkways & Drive Approaches
Front walks, side paths, public sidewalk panels and the drive approach at the curb, including what the City of Wichita expects in the right-of-way.
Backyard and decorative
Concrete Patios
Backyard patios, slab extensions and pads for grills, hot tubs and seating, sloped so water leaves the house instead of collecting at it.
Stamped & Decorative Concrete
Stamped patterns, integral color, stains, exposed aggregate and decorative borders, and the extra care they need in a freeze-thaw climate.
Concrete Steps & Retaining Walls
Front stoops, back steps and low retaining walls, with attention to frost, drainage behind walls and the code exemptions for low walls.
Fixing what is there
Concrete Repair & Resurfacing
Crack sealing, spall and scaling repair, joint resealing and thin bonded overlays for concrete that is tired on top but sound underneath.
Sunken Slab Lifting & Leveling
Raising sunken driveway, walk, patio and garage-apron panels with injected grout or foam, when the slab is intact and the cause is understood.
Concrete Sealing
Breathable penetrating sealers, film-forming sealers for decorative work, and joint and crack sealing that keep water and salt out of Wichita slabs.
Slabs and tear-outs
Garage Floors, Shop & Foundation Slabs
Garage floors, detached garage and shop slabs, barn and outbuilding pads, and slab foundations, where thickness, moisture and frost protection matter most.
Concrete Tear-Out & Replacement
Breaking out failed driveways, walks, patios and slabs, hauling the debris, fixing the base and pouring new concrete in its place.
Ground that moves under every slab
The Kansas Geological Survey describes expansive soils as a pervasive problem in Kansas: clays that swell when water gets between their layers and shrink in dry spells, heaving and settling from season to season and cracking foundations, driveways and sidewalks (Kansas Geological Survey, GeoRecord: geologic hazards and expansive soils). K-State Research and Extension compares clay to a sponge and notes that the pressure from that movement is enough to shift concrete sidewalks (K-State Research and Extension, Clay Soil: It Shrinks and Swells).
Around Wichita that shows up as sidewalk panels with trip edges, patios that tip toward the house after a dry summer, and driveway cracks that run in a line just past the garage door. Concrete cannot stop clay from moving, but a slab can be built and maintained so it moves less and more evenly:
- Uniform support. NRMCA calls for removing topsoil and soft spots and compacting the soil or granular fill under a slab (NRMCA, CIP 4: Cracking Concrete Surfaces).
- Steady moisture. Downspouts carried past slab edges, sprinklers aimed away, and joints sealed so water does not reach the clay.
- Planned joints. Panels close to square with joints no farther apart than 24 to 36 times the slab thickness (NRMCA, CIP 6: Joints in Concrete Slabs on Grade).
- Good grades. K-State recommends sloping ground away from a foundation about one inch for every foot for 15 feet where possible (K-State Research and Extension, MF2809 Dry Basements and Crawl Spaces).
More in expansive clay soil under slabs and drainage around driveways and patios.
Winters that freeze, thaw and freeze again
Wichita does not stay frozen for long stretches. NWS normals list about 103 nights a year at or below 32 degrees, but only about 16 days that stay below freezing all day (NWS Wichita, annual climate normals for Wichita, Salina and Chanute). Each night-freeze, day-thaw swing is a cycle for any water soaked into the top of a slab. NRMCA explains that water expands as it freezes, stressing saturated concrete, and that scaling becomes more likely as cycles add up; de-icers make it worse by keeping the surface wetter (NRMCA, CIP 2: Scaling Concrete Surfaces).
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precipitation (in) | 0.85 | 1.20 | 2.30 | 3.10 | 5.17 | 4.93 | 3.98 | 4.30 | 3.05 | 2.85 | 1.36 | 1.22 |
| Nights at or below 32°F | 27.7 | 21.0 | 11.4 | 2.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.9 | 12.9 | 25.0 |
Monthly normals, Wichita Eisenhower airport station, 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 monthly normals, Wichita Eisenhower airport station).
The defense starts with the mix. For exterior slabs that stay moist, freeze and see de-icers, NRMCA recommends air-entrained concrete with a specified strength of 4,000 psi and about 6 percent air for typical aggregate (NRMCA, CIP 2: Scaling Concrete Surfaces). It continues with finishing and curing, a breathable sealer, and a light hand with ice melt. K-State Research and Extension rates calcium chloride as its first pick among home ice melters and notes rock salt is documented to damage unsealed concrete (K-State Research and Extension, Choosing the Best Ice Melt Product). Read freeze-thaw cycles and Wichita concrete and ice melt and concrete scaling.
Heat, wind and the pour-day calendar
Summer brings the opposite problem. The same normals count about 65 days a year at 90 degrees or more and about 12 at 100, and an average wind of about 11.5 mph (NWS Wichita, annual climate normals for Wichita, Salina and Chanute). Hot, dry, windy conditions pull water from fresh concrete before it sets. NRMCA's plastic shrinkage guidance describes the shallow, parallel cracks that follow and recommends windbreaks, fog sprays and covering between finishing steps (NRMCA, CIP 5: Plastic Shrinkage Cracking); its hot-weather guidance adds avoiding the hottest part of the day (NRMCA, CIP 12: Hot Weather Concreting).
The friendliest windows tend to be mid-April through May and mid-September through mid-October. NWS Wichita puts the average last spring freeze near April 9 and the average first fall freeze near October 25. Pours outside those windows are routine with the right precautions; see when to pour concrete in Kansas.
Who owns the concrete by the street
Kansas law, K.S.A. 12-1808, makes the owner of abutting property responsible for keeping the sidewalk in repair and lets a city repair it after notice and assess the cost to the lot (K.S.A. 12-1808, sidewalk repairs by owner or city). In Wichita, a City ordinance requires public sidewalks, curbs, gutters and private drive approaches to be concrete built to the City Engineer's specifications (City of Wichita ordinance amending Code sections 10.12.010 and 10.12.020 (sidewalks, curbs and drive approaches)), and that work goes through the City's Traffic, Street and Construction Permitting office by a contractor holding a current City concrete contractor license (City of Wichita, Traffic, Street and Construction Permitting).
On the private side of the lot line, the Wichita-Sedgwick County Unified Building and Trade Code generally exempts sidewalks and driveways not more than 30 inches above adjacent grade, and not over a basement, from building permits (Wichita-Sedgwick County Unified Building and Trade Code (MABCD)). Suburbs such as Derby, Andover and Park City set their own rules. The sidewalk and approach guide lays it out.
Before anything is broken out or dug, Kansas law requires notice of excavation at least two full working days, and not more than 20 calendar days, before work starts (K.S.A. 66-1804, notice of intent of excavation). See calling 811 before tear-out.
Towns and neighborhoods
Eighteen pages, each with its own history, soil and housing notes: three older Wichita neighborhoods, the city itself, and the towns around it in Sedgwick and Butler counties.
In Wichita
North of Wichita
West and northwest
South of Wichita
East into Butler County
Guides worth reading first
- Freeze-Thaw Cycles and Wichita ConcreteHow Wichita winters wear on driveways, walks and patios: freezing nights by month from NOAA and NWS, why saturated concrete scales, and what mix,…
- Expansive Clay Soil and the Slabs That Sit on ItWhy clay soil shrinks and swells under Wichita-area driveways, walks and patios, what K-State and the Kansas Geological Survey say, and how…
- City of Wichita Sidewalk and Drive Approach RulesWho maintains the sidewalk in front of a Wichita home, what the City requires for public sidewalks and drive approaches, permits, contractor…
- When to Pour Concrete in Kansas WeatherThe best months to pour concrete around Wichita, using NWS freeze dates and heat normals, plus NRMCA cold- and hot-weather guidance on curing, wind…
- Ice Melt, Salt and Concrete ScalingWhich de-icers are gentler on Wichita concrete and plants, why rock salt and magnesium products cause scaling, and how to protect a new driveway…
- Reading a Concrete Estimate or Contract in KansasWhat a Wichita-area concrete estimate and contract should spell out, plus Kansas consumer protections: the Attorney General’s tips and the…
Getting ready to send the form
- Note the town or ZIP, and whether any of the concrete sits between the sidewalk and the street.
- Measure roughly, or pace it off: length and width of the area, and how many steps if there are any.
- Look at what is there now: cracked, sunken, flaking, or nothing at all.
- Watch where water goes in a hard rain and where ice forms in winter.
- Think about loads: cars, a trailer, a lift in a shop, or just foot traffic.
Those details make the call back useful. The estimate-factors page explains what each of them changes.
Questions about concrete around Wichita
How do I ask for a concrete estimate?
Fill in the short form: which project, your name, a phone number and the town or ZIP where the concrete is. Send the details and expect a call back to talk the project through.
What concrete work can I ask about?
Driveways, sidewalks and drive approaches, patios, stamped and decorative concrete, steps and low retaining walls, crack repair and resurfacing, lifting sunken slabs, sealing, garage and shop slabs, and tear-out and replacement.
Which towns are covered?
Requests are welcome from Wichita and nearby towns in Sedgwick and Butler counties. The towns page lists every neighborhood and city with its own notes.
Why does concrete crack so often around here?
Two reasons dominate: clay soil that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, and winters with many freeze-thaw cycles. Good base, planned joints, air-entrained concrete and drainage reduce both.
When is the best time of year to pour?
Mid-April through May and mid-September through mid-October usually bring mild temperatures. Concrete can be poured in other months with hot- or cold-weather precautions.
Do I need a permit?
For a private driveway or walk on your own lot in Wichita and unincorporated Sedgwick County, the building code generally exempts flatwork not more than 30 inches above grade. Public sidewalks and drive approaches in the right-of-way are different and go through the city.
Are prices listed anywhere?
No. Concrete jobs vary too much for a posted number to be useful. The estimate-factors page explains what changes the scope so a written estimate is easier to read.
Is there a phone number?
Not right now. The site is form-only, and requests get a call back.
About this site
WichitaConcreteCompany.com publishes concrete information for Wichita and nearby towns and takes free estimate requests through a short form. Weather, soil, code and legal facts link to the public sources they come from, including the National Weather Service, NOAA, NRMCA, K-State Research and Extension, the Kansas Geological Survey, the Kansas Legislature and Revisor of Statutes, Kansas 811, Sedgwick County MABCD and the City of Wichita. The site lists no prices, street address or review badges. See about this site.
Ready to talk about your concrete?
Send the details and expect a call back to talk the project through.