CA License #995715
Open Hours: Mon-Fri 8:00AM - 5:00PM
Concrete sidewalk grinding is an essential process for removing trip hazards from sidewalks. Trip hazards are caused by uneven or raised concrete slabs, posing a risk to pedestrians. Grinding down the raised portions of the sidewalk helps to create a smoother transition between the various sidewalk sections, creating a more even surface that is less likely to cause trips or falls. The grinding process is a fast and cost-effective way to improve the safety and aesthetics of sidewalks.
If you need concrete sidewalk grinding solutions in San Jose, CA, look no further than EARTHTEK. With years of experience, our expert team provides reliable, efficient, and quality services that meet your needs. We specialize in providing professional concrete sidewalk grinding solutions and are committed to providing our clients with the highest quality of service. Let us provide you with a safe, affordable, and effective solution for your sidewalks today.
Did you receive a “Repair Notice & Permit” from San Jose’s Trees & Sidewalks Office? Before receiving the notice, a city inspector inspected your sidewalk to ensure it meets the current code and does not have any trip hazards and is ADA Compliant. The inspectors use green paint to mark areas that need to be repaired. If an area is marked with a green “G” the “G” indicates the area can be fixed by grinding the concrete to remove the trip hazard. Additionally, the notice will call out the number of locations to be ground.
The most common problem we see in concrete sidewalks is tree roots pushing up sections of the sidewalks. This is most common in the area is the park strip, the section between the sidewalk and curb.
If the sidewalk was not installed correctly, this can cause all kinds of problems. The primary reason is the subbase was not properly installed and compacted. If the subbase is not compacted correctly, over time, the subbase will settle under the weight of the concrete, which can cause cracking in the concrete.
While not common in San Jose, some areas have expansive soils. Expansive soils/clay swell when wet and shrink when dry. The soil can become excessively saturated if there is a substantial amount of rain within a brief period. Poor drainage allows the soil to absorb the water, exerting pressure against the sidewalk, thus leading to the sidewalk heaving.
Leaking sprinkler systems or main water lines can cause either cause the soil to become saturated and heave or can erode the soil and cause the sidewalk to sink.
While we typically don’t have to worry about the freeze-thaw cycle in San Jose, we wanted to mention this because in the colder climates, the freeze-thaw process is a significant reason for concrete and even asphalt driveways damage.
For areas that need a larger grind, a scarifier grind is done. This removes larger amounts of concrete.
Once the larger grind is completed, the slope back will be a ratio of 1:8. For example, if we remove 1” of concrete in height, the grind will be at least 8” long, providing for a smooth transition.
Our technicians will use small hand grinders to fine-tune the grind to ensure it meets code requirements.
Once the grinding is done, we will clean and inspect the area.
Yes, grinding concrete is like sanding wood, it creates dust. However, our equipment has built in vacuums or is attached to a vacuum to minimize the dust.
Concrete grinding is a fast process. For most residential jobs, we can have them done in a day. For larger commercial projects, we might need a couple of days.
This is a difficult question to answer because every project is different. We do offer free site evaluation and free estimates.
An avid DIY’er might be able to complete this project themselves. However, we use specialized equipment for dust containment, and if not done correctly can cause expensive repairs to the sidewalk.
The city inspector will mark areas that need to be replaced with green arrows. If parts of the sidewalk are marked with a green “G”, you can choose to have ground or replaced. The replacement must meet the current code and not create a trip hazard. However, you can not apply concrete over existing concrete to form a patch. These kinds of patches quickly fail.
EARTHTEK is a family-owned concrete contractor that takes our responsibility to the San Jose community seriously. We are fully insured and licensed, and we always make it our number one goal to exceed our customers' expectations. For a free estimate call the experts at EARTHTEK at 408-478-9402. Ask us about driveway paving, concrete driveways, commercial asphalt paving too.
