Concrete Contractors in Gladstone, OR

Gladstone sits at the confluence of the Clackamas and Willamette rivers, at about 89 feet above sea level, and that low ground is the first thing we think about as concrete contractors in Gladstone. Water is never far away. The city had 12,017 residents and 4,943 housing units at the 2020 census, and about 60 percent of occupied homes were owner-occupied. We pour and replace driveways, patios, walks, steps and slabs across town.

Built mostly from 1950 to 1980

Gladstone was founded by Judge Harvey Cross in 1889 and incorporated on January 10, 1911. Its fastest growth came after World War II. The population rose from 2,434 in 1950 to 3,854 in 1960, 6,254 in 1970 and 9,500 in 1980, then grew slowly after that. So a large share of Gladstone's driveways, walks and patios are 45 to 75 years old.

At that age, concrete tends to show it. Driveways have cracked into separate slabs, some of them sunk. Front steps have pulled away from the porch. Patios have tipped as the soil under them settled. Many older homes also have narrow drives with no room for a second car.

Planning for wet ground

Low, flat ground near two rivers holds water. Wikipedia notes the Great Flood of 1862 destroyed what was left of nearby Linn City. For everyday concrete, the risks are smaller but steady: saturated base material, water that pools next to the house, and slabs that settle where the soil stays soft.

We dig out soft material and build a compacted base before we pour. Every patio and walk gets a pitch away from the house, and driveways are graded to send water to the street. We also look at downspouts and gutters, since a single downspout emptying on a slab edge can undermine it over a few winters.

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The Chautauqua park

In 1894 Judge Cross leased Gladstone Park to the Willamette Valley Chautauqua Association, and the park became the third-largest permanent Chautauqua assembly park in the United States. William Jennings Bryan drew about 6,000 people there in 1896. The association went bankrupt in 1927. That history gives Gladstone some of the area's older homes near the park, where walks and steps are part of the house's character.

Matching old neighborhoods

On older Gladstone streets, the concrete in front of each house often dates from different years: a 1950s walk, a 1970s driveway, a newer approach. When we replace one piece, we match thickness, broom direction and joint spacing as closely as practical so the new work does not stand out more than it has to. If the rest is failing, we tell you so and give you the option to replace it all in one pour.

Rental properties

With about 40 percent of occupied homes renter-occupied, Gladstone has many landlords. We often replace a cracked walk or a failed step at a rental to remove a trip hazard. We can schedule around tenants and keep the work area safe while the concrete cures.

Common Gladstone projects

• Full driveway replacement on 1950s to 1970s homes
• Driveway widening for a second car
• Front step and stoop replacement
• Patio replacement where old slabs have tipped
• Walks around the side of the house to the back yard
• Garage and shed slabs

Before we schedule, we check whether your project reaches the right-of-way or needs a city permit. Call (971) 370-7838 to book a visit.