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Concrete should be at least 2 inches thick to maintain its stability and quality. Most concrete slabs fall between 4 and 6 inches thick, but you should be careful not to make the new slab too high or heavy. If you're considering a stamped concrete overlay, hire an experienced stamped concrete contractor to determine the ideal concrete thickness.

You will know concrete is fully cured after 28 days when the new concrete reaches its maximum strength. Follow the cure time information on the manufacturer’s label or ask your concrete pro about when your concrete is fully cured. You can drive your concrete once it’s partially cured, usually around seven days after it’s poured. After one week, the concrete is strong enough to hold up to regular-size vehicles.

You can dry pour concrete over existing concrete, but it’s best to use wet pour concrete instead. Dry pour concrete is easier to apply, but in order for new concrete to adhere to old concrete, it needs the right mixture for slow, uniform curing. Additionally, dry pour concrete is less durable and less resistant to cracking and concrete sinking, so dry pouring over an existing slab may result in surface imperfections appearing prematurely.

Concrete slump can be affected by the amount of water in the mix, the size of the aggregate components, the mix’s temperature, how long the concrete is mixed, and more. Mixing concrete with the correct slump depends on almost every component of the concrete mix being correctly balanced and is critical to ensure the concrete performs as expected.