Concrete Contractors in Collbran, CO

Collbran sits higher and colder than the Grand Valley, and concrete contractors working for Collbran homeowners and ranchers plan for that from the first visit. The statutory town lies at 5,988 feet along Plateau Creek, at the eastern end of the Plateau Valley, a small cattle-ranching valley east of Grand Junction. It is a gateway to Vega State Park and the northeast side of Grand Mesa by way of the Grand Mesa Scenic and Historic Byway. The town itself is small, covering about 357 acres, with 369 residents counted in 2020.

A continental climate, not a desert one

Wikipedia classifies Collbran as warm-summer continental, not semi-arid like the valley floor. January averages a high of 35 and a low of 10 degrees. July runs from about 50 at night to 86 in the afternoon. Annual precipitation is about 15 inches, well above Grand Junction. For concrete that means:

• More freeze-thaw cycles and more moisture to freeze in the surface
• A narrower window for comfortable pours
• More need for drainage away from slabs

We use air-entrained concrete on every exterior job, pay close attention to slope, and recommend a penetrating sealer to slow water from getting into the surface.

Ranch slabs

Cattle country needs working concrete:

Feed bunk aprons that stay firm where animals stand and tractors turn.

Barn alleys and tack room floors, broom-finished for grip and sloped to drain.

Waterer pads around tanks, where constant moisture and hoof traffic break down dirt fast.

Equipment and hay slabs that keep machinery and bales off wet ground.

These slabs see more abuse than a house driveway. We thicken them, reinforce them with rebar, and roughen the finish where animals walk.

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In town: drives, walks and steps

Inside Collbran, most work is about the house: replacing an old driveway, adding a walk from the street, or rebuilding front steps that have heaved. Older town homes often have thin, unreinforced flatwork that has broken up after years of hard winters. Replacing it with air-entrained concrete on a compacted base, with joints at proper spacing, gives you a slab built for this climate.

Hauling concrete up the valley

Collbran is a long haul from the valley's ready-mix plants, and the road climbs. We schedule deliveries with that time in mind, use set-retarding admixture in warm weather so the load stays workable, and have forms and reinforcement checked and ready before the truck rolls. On cool days, we may ask for heated water or an accelerator instead.

Snow and freeze on new concrete

Fresh concrete must not freeze before it gains strength. In Collbran's shoulder seasons, we check the overnight forecast before every pour, keep blankets on site, and leave forms in place a little longer. We also tell homeowners to skip de-icing salt the first winter and use sand for traction.

Seal and maintain

In a colder, wetter climate, maintenance makes a bigger difference. We suggest a penetrating silane or siloxane sealer on drives and walks about every two to three years. Keep joints filled with a flexible sealant so water cannot run under the slab and freeze there. Clear snow promptly instead of letting it pack down and refreeze, and use sand for grip instead of salt.

Driveway permits

If your project creates a new driveway onto a county road outside town, Mesa County says a driveway permit is required, and processing takes 10 to 15 working days. Inside town limits, we check with the Town of Collbran on what applies. Call (970) 367-1391 to set up a visit.