crashz
Elite Member
In all cases, good compaction will be key. Once shaped and graded the way you want the driveway, rent or hire a contractor to use a vibratory roller to pack in the gravel.
When I took Soil Mechancis in school the rule of thumb for most compaction equipment is that in most cases three passes will bring the material to 90% or more of the lab determined dry unit weight. The moisture content must be within the optimal range, and for a granular material is 7-15%. Compaction depths would vary with equipment used, but for a finished surface, the vibratory smooth drum roller gives the best bang for the buck.
The benefit to compaction with a roller verses anything else is that it will smooth things over so well that the gravel will have a surface similar to asphalt. And once you get a good frost, the rear blade won't do any damage while plowing snow.
When I took Soil Mechancis in school the rule of thumb for most compaction equipment is that in most cases three passes will bring the material to 90% or more of the lab determined dry unit weight. The moisture content must be within the optimal range, and for a granular material is 7-15%. Compaction depths would vary with equipment used, but for a finished surface, the vibratory smooth drum roller gives the best bang for the buck.
The benefit to compaction with a roller verses anything else is that it will smooth things over so well that the gravel will have a surface similar to asphalt. And once you get a good frost, the rear blade won't do any damage while plowing snow.