Concrete Contractors in Brenham, TX

Brenham is the county seat of Washington County, 15 miles southeast of Somerville, and we serve it as concrete contractors who take the local soil seriously. The Handbook of Texas places the county in the Blackland Prairies region and says that away from the Brazos, shallow to deep clayey soils cover a bed of chalk. Clay like that swells when it gets wet and shrinks when it dries, and every driveway and patio in town rides on it.

A growing city

Brenham was established in 1844 and chosen as county seat that February. The 2010 census counted 15,716 people and the 2020 census 17,369, a 10.5 percent increase, with a 2022 estimate of 18,469. The 2020 count found 7,254 housing units, 56.8 percent of the occupied ones owner-occupied. Growth like that means new driveways and patios on the edges of town and plenty of aging concrete in the older neighborhoods near downtown and the Washington County Courthouse.

How we build on expansive clay

Clay movement is the main reason flatwork fails in this area. Our approach:

• Dig past the topsoil and remove anything soft or organic.
• Build a select-fill or crushed-stone base, compacted in lifts, so the slab sits on more uniform support.
• Moisture-condition the subgrade before pouring, so dry clay does not swell later under the new slab.
• Use rebar on chairs, at mid-depth, on a grid suited to the slab size.
• Cut joints the same day, close enough that cracks form in the cuts.
• Control water. Gutters, downspouts and yard grading should keep water away from slab edges, since wet-dry cycles at the edge cause most movement.

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Older neighborhoods near downtown

Brenham's older streets have driveways and walks that have ridden the clay for decades. Typical problems are panels that tipped toward the house, joints that opened wide and walks lifted by tree roots. Replacing a tipped panel next to the foundation is worth doing promptly, because it sends water toward the house every time it rains. We cut out the failed section, rebuild the base and pour a new panel doweled into its neighbors so it stays level.

For patios on these lots, we often recommend tying in a downspout drain line under the new slab during construction. It is far easier to place the pipe before the pour than to trench beside a finished patio later.

Heat, rain and the occasional freeze

Wikipedia's climate figures for Brenham show about 48 inches of rain a year, a July average high of 93.7 degrees, a record high of 113 and a record low of minus 2. That is more rain than College Station gets, which makes drainage design even more important. We pitch patios away from homes, shed driveway water to the street and keep walkways a little higher than the surrounding yard. Air-entrained mixes protect against scaling on the rare freeze.

Services in Brenham

Concrete driveways. Replacement, widening, and new driveways for new homes, with thickened aprons.

Concrete patios. Backyard patios and extensions, pitched for drainage.

Stamped concrete. Patterned, colored patios and pool decks, sealed after curing.

Sidewalks and walkways. Front walks, side paths and step landings.

Concrete slabs. Shop floors, sheds, carports and equipment pads.

Concrete repair. Crack and joint sealing and replacement of settled sections.

Rain and the downspout plan

With about 48 inches of rain a year, a Brenham roof sheds a lot of water, and most of it lands within a few feet of the house, right where patios, walks and driveways meet the foundation. Before a pour we trace each downspout and decide where its water will go once the new slab is in: across the surface, into a pipe under the slab, or out to a splash block beyond the edge. We check with the City of Brenham about permits for your project, especially for driveways and sidewalks at the street, and schedule around any inspection.