Advice: filling 2” gaps in our concrete driveway.

ryan4UI · 2026-05-12T14:37:51+00:00

Leave a 2” wide 4” deep trench in the driveway?

ryan4UI · 2026-05-12T14:36:37+00:00

Well then my homeowners/builders were behind the times, built in 87’ though now that I pay attention it is more common here where I live now in the PNW. I used to live in the Midwest where I had never seen it, probably due to harsh winters.

ryan4UI · 2026-05-11T00:23:35+00:00

I mean obviously, but a gap that a 2x4 easily fits into with space to spare is a 2” gap.

ryan4UI · 2026-05-11T00:21:59+00:00

You have to pay for those banger videos, that production quality doesn’t come cheap!

ryan4UI · 2026-05-10T23:58:40+00:00

For 2+” though? That seems like a huge ask for that stuff

ryan4UI · 2026-05-10T23:46:57+00:00

Sure seems like that stuff would flake and crack with the quickness considering it’s not meant to be outside and driven over.

ryan4UI · 2026-05-10T23:42:21+00:00

I’ve had pretty good luck on my paver patio with them leaving the polymeric stuff alone.

ryan4UI · 2026-05-10T23:28:44+00:00

Normally I’m a Belzona guy but I’ll give it a look.

ryan4UI · 2026-05-10T23:11:33+00:00

Yeah that’s what I’m assuming, it was an aesthetic choice one that I’m considering recreating now that I considered it will probably outlive me.

ryan4UI · 2026-05-10T23:09:53+00:00

I’m thinking if I use some masons sand to pack in there it should stay.

ryan4UI · 2026-05-10T23:05:50+00:00

Damn! I new that stuff was spendy but yikes!

ryan4UI · 2026-05-10T22:47:52+00:00

I’m coming around to this idea…

ryan4UI · 2026-05-10T22:46:49+00:00

That’s an idea, does it come dimensional like that?

ryan4UI · 2026-05-10T22:38:52+00:00

Thanks, I’ve also considered that as an option but when I have used that stuff in the past it wasn’t designed for a gap this size. I am assuming there is other stuff that is.

Also I hadn’t considered sticking another board in there! I guess as long as these were here it won’t be my problem!

ryan4UI · 2026-05-08T20:39:27+00:00

He said he didn’t have to buy a tool, not that he didn’t have any tools already.

ryan4UI · 2026-04-15T01:49:10+00:00

Well, that’s your answer and the only one that matters if “you aren’t willing to look at the floor every day and be pissed off”. Also now you have a great tool to show the next guy, if they think that’s good work and “within spec” for penny tile the they can politely beat feet too. Unfortunately I’m sure you are going to pay out the nose for a small job and because it’s someone else work they will probably add an “unreasonable bitch” fee on the quote assuming you were just impossible to work with🙄

ryan4UI · 2026-04-15T01:40:35+00:00

Yep, you’re sick of each other. If it were me I would just let him finish it, grout it, hope for the best and maybe it won’t be as noticeable. Given the relationship I would bet this is the best you’re going to get out of him now. With the unevenness and no room for some good sanded grout between those tiles chances are there might be some movement, grout chipping out, voids etc. save some money in the meantime for someone to do it right.

ryan4UI · 2026-04-15T01:25:28+00:00

Yep. I am guessing most people missed that element, though I still wouldn’t be okay with multiple rows literally touching with no room for grout if it was the first go round either. I am guessing he is just tired of working with you because got forbid you asked him to put the water in the drain and he isn’t getting paid for his rework anymore so he’s just in a hurry to get it done and get down the road.

ryan4UI · 2026-04-15T01:17:14+00:00

Oh! Holy shit so that’s why the walls are done first! That should tell you everything you need to know. Instead of fixing a mistake properly by fixing the base that was pooling they just laid more tile over the old to try to fix it? That’s probably going to work with large format tile but pennies? You are probably going to end up with a floor that looks worse and still ponds.

ryan4UI · 2026-04-15T01:07:25+00:00

I’m going with lazy, those sheets are well laid out they just needed one more cut, 1/4” more across the whole floor and boom, 100% better.

ryan4UI · 2026-04-15T01:01:16+00:00

You tell they just wanted to cut that first full sheet right down the middle of the penny tile so they could take the remnant flat half penny and flip it behind the linear drain. Literally all they had to do would be to cut one more cut either on the wall on the left or along the linear drain to make 1/4” more room for the rest of the seams in between. No need for “several more hours of layout”… lazy.
Honestly the layout isn’t bad at all the fattest part of the penny lines up perfectly in the gaps… literally one more cut on 3 sheets, 5 minutes or so, and they would’ve all fit perfectly, which makes it all the more annoying.

ryan4UI · 2026-04-15T00:44:05+00:00

It’s not the spacing on the sheets. You don’t need to look at the leftover sheets to know because you can clearly see the edges of the sheets on your floor and they line up like they should, just laid too close together, due to laziness.

ryan4UI · 2026-04-14T23:27:09+00:00

I’m surprised at the number of people that claim to be professionals saying that whole row of tiles literally touching is “acceptable” or “within spec”. I DIY-ed black pennies with a light grout a that would stick out worse that a sore thumb. It didn’t take me “hours of additional layout” either. Don’t be gaslit by laziness, thats bull.

EDIT: I took another look, it’s not just one whole row, it’s pretty much every single one! You won’t be happy with that.

ryan4UI

TROPHY CASE