“Flatwork” is an older term, encompassing the “hardscaping”/paving work (usually concrete) found around the exterior of a building: sidewalks, gangways, patios, parking pads, etc.
Of course in our rainy/snowy climate, exterior work must be pitched for drainage. Ideally 1/4″ per foot (i.e. 1/4″ down for every 12″ across) is provided; other standards call for lower minimum like 1/8″ fall per foot. In any case, though, walks driveways and patios need slope to prevent ice slip hazards and drainage/seepage nuisances.
Unfortunately, poor practices often leads to outside work that’s not pitched well. “Flatwork” outside should NOT be flat!
These photos were from new work in Chicago.
CONCRETE WALKWAYS: Walkway leading from garage to building rear area, is largely flat but partially sloped toward the sunken rear stairs; this can pose an ice/slip hazard. Area of silt buildup shows where water collects (and where ice will). NOTE we see many similar walkway to basement stair interfaces. PROPER method has been for the surrounding walkway, to pitch AWAY from the top of the steps so as to limit amount of water managed by steps and sunken areaway/stoop drain. Here there’s a gravel bed to the north (above RT photo); have concrete re-done or ‘mudjacked’ to pitch toward that gravel bed. In our experience concrete is more likely to spall and crack over time when drainage is poor, so repair is needed for maintaining the integrity of the materials in addition to safety/nuisance issues.Poor work here, a little bit of the concrete (below L) was sloped to the drain provided but potential ice buildup areas remain. Consider having a long ‘strip drain’ cut into this areaway with concrete notched or otherwise made to pitch to the drain.
