Concrete Contractors in Bessemer City, NC

Bessemer City is about six miles northwest of Gastonia, and it is higher and hillier than most of the towns we serve as concrete contractors. City hall sits at about 904 feet, and Whetstone Mountain rises west of town. The city had 5,428 people in 2020 and an estimated 5,834 in 2025. With a downtown historic district and a charter dating to 1893, the town has plenty of older concrete.

Iron first, then cotton

The area's history starts with iron. In 1754 King George II granted about 2,000 acres to James Ormand, who formed a mining company to extract iron ore. By 1786 the Washington Furnace stood on the land, and the Old Ormand Furnace is among the oldest remaining furnaces in the country. The city takes its name from Sir Henry Bessemer, whose steel process made small furnaces like this one uneconomical.

The Richmond & Danville Railroad came through in 1871. Bessemer City was chartered on March 6, 1893, and Southern Cotton Mills was incorporated in 1895. Several mills followed and gave the city its industrial base. The Bessemer City Downtown Historic District and Central School are on the National Register.

Building on a slope

Hilly ground changes how we pour. A driveway that climbs from the street needs a finish that gives tires grip, and a slope that is not so steep that cars scrape at the bottom. A patio on a sloping yard may need a thicker edge on the low side, or the yard may need to be cut back to make room. A walk that goes up a hill may need steps, and steps need even rises so no one trips.

We also think about water. On a slope, runoff picks up speed. If it runs along the edge of a slab, it can wash out the base and leave the edge hanging. We grade the soil along the edges and give water a path that does not run under the concrete.

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Older driveways and how to fix them

On older Bessemer City homes, it is common to see a driveway with a crack across the middle, a section that has dropped near the street, or a surface worn down to the stone. The fix depends on the damage. Narrow cracks can be sealed. A dropped section can be cut out and poured again. A driveway that is broken in many places is usually better replaced as a whole, with a new base and properly spaced joints.

What we pour in Bessemer City

• Concrete driveways: sloped driveways with good grip and drainage
• Sidewalks and walkways: walks and steps that handle the grade
• Concrete patios: level patios on sloped yards
• Stamped concrete: decorative surfaces for patios and entries
• Concrete slabs: sheds, carports and equipment pads
• Concrete repair: crack sealing, section replacement and step repair

Roads in and out

NC 274 and NC 161 meet in Bessemer City. The railroad through town was laid through Whetstone Mountain to the west, which the town's history counts as a major engineering feat. On steep driveways, we plan the truck's position so the chute or pump reaches the whole pour without the truck sitting on the slope.

Cold mornings

Fresh concrete must not freeze before it gains strength. For late fall and winter pours we watch the forecast, use curing blankets when nights drop near freezing, and give the slab more time before it carries traffic. Outdoor flatwork gets an air-entrained mix so it holds up to freeze-thaw cycles for years.

Call (980) 350-7807 for a free estimate.