# Lip between Garage and Driveway formed over Winter



## ivanl3 (Apr 3, 2010)

See pic for Lip that has formed this winter between garage and sealed driveway. This is the second winter we had the driveway, but the first since the driveway was sealed. This problem did not occur last year.

Questions:



Did the driveway raise or did the garage sink? I assume the driveway raised.
I assume this was caused by the elements, correct?
What needs to be done to correct the damage? Will it drop at all on its own?
What needs to be done to prevent a recurrence?
My guess is that there is water below the driveway that froze and raised it. Once it thaws, the driveway may settle. But this can't be good. 

The lip measures 1.5" higher than the garage.


Thanks.


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

> What needs to be done to correct the damage? Will it drop at all on its own?
> What needs to be done to prevent a recurrence?


Ayuh,... Give it a month, 6 weeks, 'n it'll lay back down by itself....

Fixin' the general drainage should stop it from happenin' during winters...
Water, freezes, 'n expands, lifting things...


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## Wildie (Jul 23, 2008)

It appears to me that water logged soil (clay) is laying underneath.
The process of heaving and settling will shorten the life of the pavement.
In my area a rolled and tamped base of gravel of at least 8" is used to ensure proper drainage.
When your pavement was installed, was it excavated and a gravel base installed.:huh:


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

If you compare the Winters, you'll probably see this Winter was colder and had more precipitation. As a result, the lift was greater for the reasons Wildie stated.
Will it go down, probably. Will it go _all_ the way down, maybe, over time.
Ron


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## ivanl3 (Apr 3, 2010)

Wildie said:


> It appears to me that water logged soil (clay) is laying underneath.
> The process of heaving and settling will shorten the life of the pavement.
> In my area a rolled and tamped base of gravel of at least 8" is used to ensure proper drainage.
> When your pavement was installed, was it excavated and a gravel base installed.:huh:


Before the driveway was paved, there was a "red stone" driveway there for about 20 years. Additional stone was added every 3-4 years as the existing stone was compressed into the Earth. You cannot see the entire driveway from the pic, but it is very long (about 1/4 mile). When the paving company inspected the job, they indicated that additional gravel would be added as needed to ensure the proper base throughout the entire driveway. In the end, I don't think they added it in very many spots. I would have to check the contract, but I think they were shooting for 6", not 8". I know they dug in several areas to determine the depth of the stone, but I don't think they added gravel in many sports (and I am pretty sure not in this spot) which was the area where we always were most conscious about adding stone every few years.


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