Driveway - Gravel vs Coarse Asphalt

[Haoleguy]

I could use some help. Recently I purchased land that is 1100 ft back in on a shared gravel driveway with 2 neighbors who have houses on their properties. The gravel driveway is full of potholes for ~600 ft from poor drainage. Prior to our land acquisition one neighbor has the road fixed at $2-3K twice a year. I have stepped in to contribute in the search for a fix. The 2 options we have at the moment are: (1) cut below potholes, regrade and add additional stone with a slope for water runoff and stay at it with periodic grooming(initial cost $3-4K and my effort on followup grooming), and (2) same as 1 but add a layer of coarse asphalt($12K) often used as a road base and forget about it. I know it is all about the water movement and with either option we need to move the water. My question is a coarse asphalt final layer a legit way to pave? What is it's durability and maintenance compared to finish asphalt? Many thanks for your input.

 

[Tevi]

A coarse layer actually works better than a finish.Finish is more for cosmetics.There is better traction on a coarse layer

 

[roccon31]

we have three common types of asphalt here, base, binder, and top. alot of the driveways we do get one 2-1/2 to 3" shot of a fine base (aka binder), and thats it. works great. the base is a little bit larger, and being so, it tends to unravel over time. the fine base (aka binder) that we use is commonly called "airport mix" in this area. im sure they call it something different where you live.

you can do just base, but it wont last. you can do just top, but it wont last. you can base and top, it will look pretty and will last a long time, but will be pricey. finally, you can compromise and do one thick coat (3") of binder and be done with it. thats what i would do.

my advice is to call your local driveway paving contractor and ask them what they use for driveways. they should steer you in the right direction. i am a paving contractor here in S.E. PA, and we use the fine base very often for people with the exact same problem as you describe. its cheaper, requires no maintenance, and will last almost as long as a base/top job. in 10 years if you want to pretty it up some, you can just top over it with 1-1/2 to 2" of topcoat, and then you have a fresh, pretty surface. after that it should be good for another 10-15 years minimum. hope this helps you! good luck!

 

[Haoleguy]

Rocco - Many thanks for your reply. What you describe makes sense. Is there a common grading grading system which would describe this binder/fine base? What makes the binder/fine base durable? And, is lansdcape fabric ever used under the asphalt paving layers? I have seen several posts here that use some fabric in wetter areas?.....Thank you.

 

[LarryRB]

CT/MA use base and top. On most gravel roads (always due to costs) we chip seal the roads,. Found that this works much better because of rocks pushed up yearly through frost heaving.. Here, they do 3/4 stone first layer, 1/2 minus, second layer, and 1/4 for the final.. Chip sealed roads tend to last longer because chip seal acts like a rubber band. As long as the heaving rocks do not tear through, the roads hold up extremely well.

 

[coveredbridge]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Is there a common grading grading system which would describe this binder/fine base? )</font>

I recently got bids for paving my gravel driveway. Most of the contractors recommended the binder (they referred to it as "ID-3"). They said that is often what they use for larger residential jobs because it's more economical than a base/topcoat application and wears just about as well. It just isn't as "pretty", but as someone else mentioned, the topcoat will be much smoother than the binder, which may or may not be preferable, depending on your particular situation. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

As far as maintenance, at least two of the contractors who bid my driveway (about 15,000 sf total) recommended sealcoating every few years, but it wasn't clear to me whether that was for durability or simply appearance.

 

[roccon31]

as was posted, the binder is "ID3" here in PA. each state has different mixes. basically it is a mixture of the 3/4" base mix, and the 1/2" top mix. it also is a "wetter" mixture, meaning it has more tar in it than base.

our base for roads 4" ballast stone, then 3/4" modified stone, then 3/4" base, then binder which is a mix of top and base, then our top is 1/2". usually 2-3" per layer. the only thing i have ever used 1/4" top on is a tennis court. 1/4" top would crumble on our roads with the amount of frost heaving we have.

 

[Varmintmist]

roccon is pretty much right on the money.

The main differences are the amount of fine material in the most often used grades of asphalt. We called them BCBC, Binder, and Top.

The BCBC has less fines in it and is ok as a BASE layer. Binder has more fines and asphalt in it and will resist water going through it better than BCBC. Top is 1/2 in stone and a lot of Choke, or manufactured sand. It provides a much tighter surface and keeps water from going through best.

You want to seal coat for a couple of different reasons. First is that the actual asphalt (tar) will wear off. A good coal tar emulsion will bind to the stone and tar and help keep the rocks in place. Seal coat will also fill small cracks and that keeps water from getting under the asphalt.

Stay away from the shiney seal coat that is not a coal tar emulsion. It is basicly paint and while pretty, is a waste of money for preservation purposes. If you hire someone to do it, dont get a spray contractor. A seal coat machine that has brushes and squeegees will seal the cracks better and the guy can add sand to the mix for a better fill.

Your other option is tar and chip. It is normally a good bit cheaper, and if done right can last almost as long as a good top over BCBC blacktop job.

 

[RockRapidsDeere]

I built a 450'+ driveway for my new house last fall. I used 9 loads or about 130 ton of black top millings. So far they've worked great. I had no pot holes or frost heaving this spring. There is some loose material on top, but it has packed in very well. One note, I only did a one lane driveway since no other houses will use it. Cost was $5.75 per ton plus delivery.

 

[JimMorrissey]

I'd forget the pavement until you can afford it or you've run out of options. Personally, I like a nice gravel drive better....not so "city".

Get youself a backhoe (rent if you don't have one) and excavate down about a foot or more.....lay down some geotextile fabric and then cover the fabric with 1 1/2 crushed gravel....top that with a few inches of "surepak" or whatever you call the fine top material in your area....get a bit of a crown to it and you'll be happy. However, if you want pavement, ask the other guys...sounds expensive to me. A well built gravel drive is a thing of beauty IMO.