Concrete Contractors in Sour Lake, TX

Sour Lake is a small town now, with 1,773 residents in 2020, but it has had more than one life, and concrete contractors working here see a mix of very old and fairly new property. Highway 105 runs about 14 miles east from town to the US 69 freeway in northern Beaumont. The town sits at 46 feet above sea level in south central Hardin County, higher than Beaumont, and the town is spread out compared with the cities to the south.

Springs, then oil

By 1850 the sulphur springs and pitch around the lake had made Sour Lake a health resort, and the water was bottled and sold. Then oil was found in July 1902 and the town boomed. The Texas State Historical Association says the population sometimes reached 10,000, the field hit 50,000 barrels a day, and as many as 52 saloons operated at once. By 1903, half of the field's 150 wells had been abandoned. The Texas Company, later Texaco, started operating here in 1902. Sour Lake incorporated in 1947.

The boom faded long ago. Wikipedia notes the town has one of the biggest sinkholes in Texas. For ordinary homeowners, that is a reminder that what is under a slab matters as much as the concrete on top.

Base prep in Hardin County soil

We do not pour on whatever dirt is there. A typical Sour Lake job starts with:

• Stripping grass, roots and dark topsoil from the slab area
• Checking for soft spots by probing and proof-rolling where we can
• Bringing in select fill or crushed stone and compacting it in lifts
• Setting forms to a grade that moves water off and away

If we find something unusual, like a soft pocket that keeps going down, we stop and tell you before pouring anything over it.

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What we build here

Driveways. Many Sour Lake homes have gravel or worn asphalt drives. Converting to concrete gives a cleaner, longer-lasting surface. We plan the connection to the road and any culvert crossing first.

Patios. A back patio, often with a cover, is the most common project on larger lots. Broom finish is practical. Stamped concrete adds a stone or brick look.

Slabs. Pads for shops, barns, carports and RV parking, sized and reinforced for what sits on them.

Sidewalks. Walks from the drive to the porch and out to outbuildings.

Repair. Crack sealing, replacing broken panels and rebuilding failed steps.

Housing in town

The 2020 census counted 810 housing units in Sour Lake and 720 households, with a homeowner vacancy rate of 3.3%. Homes range from older houses near the center to newer places on the outskirts. On the older ones, front walks and drives are often thin and cracked into pieces. Replacing them gives a cleaner look and removes trip hazards.

Why joints matter on every slab

All concrete shrinks as it cures, and all concrete cracks somewhere. Control joints decide where. We lay out joints before the pour so panels are close to square, and we cut them early, before random cracks can start. On a patio, that might mean a grid of panels a few feet on a side. On a driveway, joints across the width at regular spacing plus one down the middle on wider drives. When a crack follows a joint, it is hidden in a straight line and is easy to seal. When it wanders across the middle of a panel, it is what people notice.

Scheduling

Being a short drive from Beaumont, Sour Lake is within easy reach for estimates and pours. We plan summer pours for early morning to beat the heat, and we watch for the heavy rain this part of Texas gets. We check with the city or county on any work at the road or in a ditch before scheduling.