Residential & Commercial Concrete Services

Boss PDX is a licensed concrete contractor serving Portland, Oregon and the surrounding metro for residential and commercial concrete work — driveways, patios, sidewalks, foundations, garage slabs, parking lots, loading docks, and decorative concrete. Oregon CCB #232383, Washington BOSSPPL793RN. Every concrete project starts with a free on-site consultation, a fixed written scope, and same-day pricing before any crew shows up. Portland's ground conditions — expansive clay soils, seasonal freeze-thaw cycling, heavy rainfall from October through April, and seismic design requirements — make concrete work here fundamentally different from concrete work in most of the country. We pour in these conditions every week, and every mix design, subbase specification, and reinforcement schedule we write reflects the ground and climate your slab will actually sit in.

Residential Concrete Services in Portland

Residential concrete is the backbone of most outdoor construction projects in Portland. Whether you are replacing a cracked driveway, adding a patio for an outdoor living space, or pouring the foundation for a new ADU, the quality of the concrete work determines how long everything built on top of it lasts.

Concrete Driveways

A concrete driveway in Portland has to handle more than vehicle weight — it has to survive the Willamette Valley's freeze-thaw cycles without spalling, drain properly through eight months of rain, and meet the grade requirements of your lot's stormwater plan. We pour residential driveways using air-entrained concrete (typically 5-7% air content) because Portland's winter temperatures regularly dip below freezing. Air entrainment creates microscopic voids in the cured concrete that give expanding ice crystals room to form without fracturing the slab surface. Skip this step and you get surface spalling within two to three winters.

Every driveway pour starts with subbase preparation. Portland's native soils are predominantly clay — the Willamette Silt series and Portland Hills Silt — which expand when wet and shrink when dry. We excavate to depth, install a compacted aggregate subbase (typically 4-6 inches of 3/4-minus crushed rock), and verify compaction before the forms go in. The subbase provides a stable bearing surface and creates a drainage layer that prevents water from pooling beneath the slab where freeze-thaw damage starts.

Patios and Outdoor Living Slabs

Patios are the second most common residential concrete project we pour, and in Portland they almost always tie into a larger outdoor living scope — a covered structure, an outdoor kitchen, or a connection to a retaining wall on a sloped lot. Every patio slab needs proper slope for drainage (minimum 1/8 inch per foot away from the house) and a finish that provides traction when wet. Portland patios are wet for seven to eight months of the year, so a broom finish or exposed aggregate provides the grip that a smooth trowel finish does not.

Sidewalks, Foundations, and Garage Slabs

Residential sidewalks in Portland often trigger Bureau of Development Services (BDS) review and must meet ADA slope requirements and city standards for width and scoring pattern. We install control joints at proper intervals to control where the concrete cracks — because all concrete cracks, and the only question is whether it cracks where you planned or where it wants to.

Structural concrete — foundations, footings, stem walls, and grade beams — is where concrete work intersects with engineering and building code. Portland sits in Seismic Design Category D, which means foundation concrete must meet specific reinforcement requirements for earthquake resistance: properly sized rebar (typically #4 or #5 bars on 12-16 inch centers), adequate concrete cover over the steel, and hold-down anchors placed to the engineer's plan. Boss PDX pours foundations as part of full-scope construction projects, coordinating excavation, forming, rebar placement, inspection scheduling, and the pour as one integrated workflow.

Garage slabs take more abuse than most residential concrete — vehicle weight, chemical exposure, and impact loads. We pour garage slabs at a minimum of 4 inches thick (6 inches for shops expecting heavy equipment), over a compacted aggregate subbase, with welded wire mesh or fiber reinforcement throughout.

Commercial Concrete Services

Commercial concrete operates under different standards than residential — heavier loads, stricter code requirements, more complex joint layouts, and ADA compliance on every walking surface. Boss PDX pours commercial concrete across the Portland metro for parking lots, loading docks, warehouse floors, curb and gutter, equipment pads, and tenant improvement flatwork. For our full commercial capabilities, see the commercial concrete page.

Concrete parking lots need to handle constant vehicle traffic and the weight of delivery trucks, so we design commercial pours with thicker sections (typically 5-6 inches), heavier reinforcement, and engineered joint spacing. Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services stormwater requirements apply to all impervious surfaces, and commercial lots often require on-site detention or infiltration features integrated into the concrete work.

Loading dock and warehouse floor concrete sees concentrated loads from forklifts and pallet jacks that standard residential flatwork cannot handle. We pour these at 6-8 inches thick with #4 rebar on 12-inch centers in both directions, using a minimum 4,000 PSI mix design. Curb and gutter work is poured to each jurisdiction's specifications — Portland BDS, Washington County, and Clackamas County each have slightly different curb profiles and inspection requirements.

Stamped and Decorative Concrete

Decorative concrete gives you the look of natural stone, brick, or tile at a fraction of the material and installation cost. Stamped concrete involves pressing patterns into freshly poured concrete using rubber stamps, then applying color hardener and release agent to create a realistic stone or brick appearance. Portland's cooler temperatures give us a wider working window than hot-climate pours, but exterior stamped concrete should be scheduled during the drier months (late May through October) or protected with temporary weather enclosures during curing.

Common patterns include ashlar slate, cobblestone, herringbone brick, flagstone, and wood plank textures. Integral color and surface-applied color hardener are available in a wide range of earth tones, grays, and custom colors. Every decorative installation gets sealed with a high-quality acrylic or polyurethane sealer to protect the color from Portland's UV exposure and moisture penetration. Resealing every 2-3 years extends the life and appearance significantly.

Concrete Repair and Replacement

Not every concrete project is a new pour. Cracked driveways, spalling patios, settled sidewalks, and deteriorating garage floors are some of the most common calls we get. Surface-level damage — minor cracking, shallow spalling, discoloration — can often be addressed with crack sealing, patching, or a resurfacing overlay at significantly less cost than full replacement. Structural damage — cracks through the full depth of the slab, sections settled or heaved more than an inch, or subbase failure — typically requires removal and replacement. Trying to patch structural damage is a waste of money because the underlying cause continues to work on the new patch. Boss PDX will tell you straight whether your slab needs repair or replacement.

Reinforcement, Drainage, and Grading

Concrete is strong in compression but weak in tension. Reinforcement — rebar, welded wire mesh, or synthetic fibers — adds tensile strength and holds the slab together across cracks. In Portland, where clay soil movement and seismic loads both create tensile forces, proper reinforcement is the difference between a slab that lasts 30 years and one that breaks up in 5. For residential flatwork we typically install welded wire mesh or #3 rebar on 18-inch centers. For structural concrete, rebar size and spacing are specified by the engineer and inspected by the city before the pour.

Every concrete surface stops absorbing water, and in Portland that water has to go somewhere that is not your foundation or your neighbor's property. We grade every slab to drain away from structures at a minimum slope of 1/8 inch per foot, install subgrade drainage where needed, and coordinate with the site's stormwater management plan. Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services may require on-site stormwater management for new impervious surfaces — drywells, infiltration trenches, or permeable concrete depending on lot conditions.

What Does Concrete Cost in Portland?

• Standard flatwork (driveways, sidewalks, patios): $8 to $12 per square foot for a broom-finish slab with proper subbase and reinforcement.
• Stamped and decorative concrete: $12 to $18 per square foot depending on pattern complexity and color work.
• Foundations and structural concrete: $15 to $20+ per square foot, reflecting heavier reinforcement, engineering, and inspections.
• Commercial flatwork: $10 to $16 per square foot depending on thickness and reinforcement.
• Concrete repair and resurfacing: $500 to $3,000+ depending on the area and type of repair.

These ranges reflect materials, labor, subbase preparation, and reinforcement for properly installed concrete in Portland conditions. Complex site conditions — steep grades, poor soil, limited access, or phased pours — push costs higher. Boss PDX gives you the actual number in writing after walking the site. Request a free estimate and we will have a scope back to you the same day.

Frequently Asked Questions

How thick should a concrete driveway be in Portland?

A standard residential driveway should be a minimum of 4 inches thick, poured over 4-6 inches of compacted crushed aggregate subbase. If the driveway will support heavier vehicles — RVs, work trucks, trailers — we recommend 5-6 inches. The subbase is just as important as slab thickness: Portland's clay soils move with moisture changes, and without a stable aggregate layer between the clay and the concrete, even a thick slab will crack as the ground shifts beneath it.

Do I need a permit for concrete work in Portland?

It depends on the scope. Replacing an existing driveway or patio on the same footprint typically does not require a BDS permit. Pouring a new foundation, expanding a driveway footprint, building a retaining wall over 4 feet, or any structural concrete tied to a new structure requires a permit and inspections. Boss PDX confirms permit requirements during the initial scope review and handles all applications and inspections as part of the project.

Can you pour concrete in the rain in Portland?

No — fresh concrete that gets rained on during the pour or finishing process will have a weakened, pitted surface that deteriorates rapidly. Portland's rainy season does not stop concrete work entirely, but it requires scheduling around weather windows. We monitor forecasts closely and will reschedule a pour rather than risk a compromised finish. For time-sensitive projects during wet months, we use temporary weather protection over the pour area and cover freshly poured slabs for the first 48-72 hours to prevent rain damage during early curing.

How long does concrete last in Portland's climate?

Properly installed concrete with air entrainment, adequate reinforcement, and correct subbase preparation lasts 25-50 years in Portland's climate. The biggest threats to longevity are freeze-thaw cycling (addressed with air-entrained mix designs), clay soil movement (addressed with proper subbase), and poor drainage (addressed with correct grading). Concrete poured without these measures can start showing damage within 3-5 years.

What is the difference between stamped concrete and pavers?

Stamped concrete is a single monolithic slab with a pattern pressed into the surface, while pavers are individual units set on a sand or aggregate bed. In Portland, stamped concrete generally costs less to install ($12-$18 per square foot versus $15-$25+ for pavers), requires less maintenance (no weeds between joints, no resetting shifted units), and provides a more stable surface. Pavers offer easier repair of individual damaged sections and allow water infiltration between joints. Boss PDX installs both and can walk you through the tradeoffs for your specific project.

Does Boss PDX handle excavation and grading for concrete projects?

Yes. Boss PDX is a full-service general contractor, and our concrete projects include all site preparation — excavation, grading, subbase installation, compaction, and drainage work — as part of a single scope. You do not need to hire a separate excavation contractor and coordinate handoffs. One scope, one team, one point of accountability.

Get a Free Concrete Estimate

Call 844-BOSS-PDX (844-267-7739) or submit a free estimate request online and a licensed lead will be on your property to scope the job, with same-day written pricing guaranteed. The estimate is free, the scope is fixed, and nothing starts until you have approved it in writing. Whether your project is a driveway replacement, a new patio, a commercial parking lot, or a full foundation pour, Boss PDX delivers concrete work built for Portland's ground and climate — not generic flatwork that ignores the conditions that will test it for the next 30 years.