Indiana's smallest fifth-class city
Concrete Contractors in Woodburn, IN
Driveways, walks, patios and outbuilding slabs in Woodburn and the farm country of Maumee Township.
- Free on-site measuring and a written, line-item quote
- Leveling or resurfacing priced beside replacement when it will work
- Public walk and drive approach permits checked before the pour
Concrete on Woodburn's Flat, Drained Land
Woodburn is a small city near the Ohio line, and the concrete contractors who work here spend most of their attention on one thing: water. The city covers just under a square mile in Maumee Township and had 1,551 residents and 672 housing units at the 2020 census. Wikipedia calls it the smallest fifth-class city in Indiana. We pour driveways, walks, steps, patios and garage and shed slabs in town and on the farms around it.
A town that started with drainage
Woodburn's history is tied to clearing wet ground. It was platted in 1865 by Joseph Edgerton and Joseph Smith as Phelps Station, and Wikipedia records that pioneers cleared the land and put in a drainage system, which opened the way for commerce. Early businesses even included a brick and tile mill, the kind that made drain tile for farm fields. The ground around town is very flat and sits at about 751 feet, a little lower than downtown Fort Wayne.
Flat, once-wet land is the hardest kind to pour on well. Concrete needs a firm, well-drained base, and slabs need enough pitch to shed water when the surrounding yard does not. On Woodburn jobs we dig deeper for the base, compact it in lifts, and set every patio and walk with deliberate fall. Where a downspout or sump outlet dumps next to a slab, we plan where that water goes before anything is formed.
Names and decades
The town was incorporated in 1895 as Shirley City, named for Senator Robert B. Shirley, and returned to the Woodburn name when it became a city in 1956. Its population grew from 688 in 1970 to 1,321 in 1990, so a large share of the homes and driveways in town date from those two decades. Concrete that old has usually seen several cycles of patching. When cracks run all the way through and panels are rocking, we recommend replacement instead of another round of repair.
After the 2016 tornado
An EF-3 tornado struck the area around Woodburn on August 24, 2016. Storms like that leave behind cracked slabs where trees fell or heavy equipment drove during cleanup. If you have a pad, walk or drive that was damaged and patched in a hurry, we can look at whether it should be replaced properly.
Farm and shop slabs
The land around town is mostly farms, and many of our calls are for slabs under pole barns, shops and grain equipment, or aprons at a barn door. We pour those thicker and on a stronger base. Call (260) 300-8234 to set up a visit in Woodburn or anywhere in Maumee Township.
Woodburn Facts That Affect Concrete
- Drainage history. Pioneers cleared the land and built a drainage system, and an early brick and tile mill operated in town.
- Low, flat ground. Woodburn sits at about 751 feet in Maumee Township, next to U.S. Route 24.
- City since 1956. First platted as Phelps Station in 1865, incorporated as Shirley City in 1895 and as the city of Woodburn in 1956.
- 2016 tornado. An EF-3 tornado struck the area around Woodburn on August 24, 2016.
Woodburn Questions
Why does water pool on my patio in Woodburn?
On flat ground, a patio needs to be built with deliberate pitch. If it was poured level or the base settled, water sits on it. We check the grade and base and recommend a fix or a new slab with proper fall.
Do you pour slabs for farm buildings?
Yes. We pour pole barn floors, shop slabs and barn aprons, sized and reinforced for the equipment that will use them.
Is it worth patching my old driveway again?
If the cracks are tight and panels are level, patching can buy time. If panels move or water gets under the slab, replacement is the better value.
Free Estimates in Woodburn, IN
Tell us about your driveway, slab or walk in Woodburn, and we will set up a free on-site estimate.
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