Crushed Concrete as a stone base?

   / Crushed Concrete as a stone base? #1  

BrianDT

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Sep 4, 2010
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I am building a barn about 800 feet off the road and plan to make a road by building it up with sand and then putting down a layer of large rock. My excavator recommended I use large crushed concrete.

I am unsure of that! He would then cap it with fine crushed concrete and finally lime stone.

Since this is all on sand, it seems to me the sane will work its way up eventually?

Anyone have experience with this?
 
   / Crushed Concrete as a stone base? #2  
I wouldn't recommend it if you want a smooth drive. Over 12 years ago ours was built using damaged cinder block that was further crushed by a dozer. The big chunks still work up through whenever the drive is groomed. If and when I do it over all the crushed block will all be removed.
 
   / Crushed Concrete as a stone base? #3  
My situation is a bit different.

I have 1/2 mile of old gravel road to my acual concrete driveway. I have about .3 miles of it actually on my property with a loop at the house.

The original road was for logging. 25 or 30 years ago people started buying and sectioning it off and selling it. In about 1989 or 90 they upgraded the old logging road to a gravel road. Rumor is there were 39 dump trucks of material...

When I bought this place in August 2010, the driveway was in disrepair, the easment has 2 other properties on it an it relatively maintained. I had logging done in Nov 2010 and they trashed the gravel an dumped 50 tons of what is called "57" locally, or 1/2" to 3/4" rock. It looked good for a couple months but just rolled around like marbles in some spots. Made riding my Harley almost impossible on the property. I regroomed it with a 4' little york rake and my riding mower and that helped a little. Finally I got ~75 tons what is locally caled "recycled concrete" it has no metal, and ranges from 1.5" to dust.

It was VERY difficult to tailgate, it was clumpy and heavy. I ended up with some spots that were/are way too thick, etc. I planned for extra for a couple of parking spots, but did not get it. By then I did have the tractor, an I used the bucket and back dragging to groom and fix mucc of the clumpy problems, but not all. then winter hit. That was last fall.

I've not groomed the loop (it is on a steep slope and that is where MOST of the excess got dropped) at all. I have groomed the top to the gate, and the easment (which I did not add the recycled concrete to) a couple times with my 72" ratchet rake (it ROCKS, takes 15 minutes to do .25 miles or more). What it did was pack down SOLID. I can ride my Harley (slowly) up and down the hill. It tends to not wash out, there is minimal vegetation, and it is packed solid.

Is it pretty? NO.

Is it functional? VERY

My biggest complaint is during the seriously wet, or seriously dry season, it either splashes or dusts EVERYTHING with concrete dust, which may be abrasive, and is sure dirty.

But it is a solid roadbed for my uses.

Best of luck.

David
 
   / Crushed Concrete as a stone base? #4  
My neighbor did his drive and has been finding steel ever since I would be careful. I know I wont ever use it unless its 110% guaranteed steel free. My 440 ft drive and my 1/2 acre parking lot I did with 1 1/4" crushed rock expensive but nice and its year round ingress and egress no matter what the weather.

The plan he says sounds about right except the sand at the bottom but I am no road builder? I put the big stuff down first he is recommending sand probably so it will automatically level itself is my guess? Yes the whole thing will settle and rearrange itself over the years with the smallest stuff back on top is my experience with mine after 22 years.
 
   / Crushed Concrete as a stone base? #5  
Brian, this scenario can work with the use of a woven stabilization geotextile fabric. Are you using sand for the road base because it`s already on site (free) ? If not and your contractor is hauling in the base material ask him to supply somethoing like a select fill of 60/40. Cost difference should be negligable ($15-$20 a truck load around here) and you could go with a 6-8" base, get good compaction, and loose the crushed concrete all together and lay 6" limestome. Crushed concrete is good stuff but the larger it is the easier the fines wash away, leaving you with big rollers that like to bruise tires! Fine for 18 wheelers to get on the pipeline, not so good for pick-up and horse trailer if ya` know what I mean:) Good luck on your project and keep us posted on what you figure out! Later
 
   / Crushed Concrete as a stone base? #6  
Sorry, but around here recycled crushed concrete is what the cheap guys use for residential / ranch work and the pipeline / location folks use. There's no such thing as 100% steel-free recycled. Maybe 80%, but not 100%.

Like cat tracks said, crushed limestone is a better base and the fines are much more cohesive when compacted. I'll second the woven geotextile as well. It's not very expensive if you shop around for a manufacturer-direct source.
 
 
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