From Grass to Driveway

[MOG]

Standard practice here in northwestern PA would be to remove the topsoil and then bring in the gravel. If you don't remove the topsoil and have any rain or, frost you'll be sorry. The first driveway I put in I used my father-inlaws' L4200 w/loader and 60" tiller. It worked great. Tilled it first, then removed the topsoil and stockpiled it for later use. If your land is naturally wet you may want to haul in a coarse gravel with softball size stones (sometimes called "overrun") for a good base then a crushed or, screened for the top and finish grading.

 

[Bird]

This thread puzzles me a bit. You mention a picture and some of the other guys mention it looking good, but I don't get any picture and it doesn't show any attachment.

Bird

 

[Gatorboy]

Bird,

I just inserted the image in my message. But click here to see the same picture.


Regards,
Dave "Gatorboy" Hoffmann
Fallston, Maryland

 

[cowboydoc]

Gatorboy,
I would take off the first 4" of soil with your loader bucket. It's much easier with a skidsteer if you could rent one for a few days but you can do it with loader bucket. You will need a toothbar to do it though. Next put down the geotextile fabric that Harv mentioned. Then I would put down a layer of 2 and 3" rock. Then put your road mix on top of that. That should make a really nice road for a long time.

If you're going to asphalt it later then I wouldn't go to all that work. All I would do is bring in some 3" rock. If you have a good dumptruck driver they can spread it as they dump it. Put one layer of this over the top of that road you already have started. Drive on this for a few weeks and it will all settle into the ground and give you a nice base. Then bring in your road mix and put that on top and you will be fine. Definitely the route I would go if you're going to be blacktopping later.

Also I agree with the other guys that no way I would till that up. You will be dumping rock in there forever and a day if you till it up. But if you only tilled say the top couple inches and you were going to go with the soil removal, fabric, etc. route then you would be ok. Just make sure you took out all of the dirt that you tilled and you were down to hard packed dirt before you put down the fabric and then the rock.

 

[RichNJ]

Here in NJ we do the following with the local materials:
1. Take out the topsoil.
2. Make any adjustments for water, swales, pipe, etc.
3. Lay in a base of shale to just above grade.
4. Drive on this until the house construction is done.
5. Re-grade level across the driveway.
5. Put on 2 or 3 inches of 3/4" or 5/8" roadstone. Have the dumptruck "tailgate" the stone out making at least one pass on each side and overlapping the passes in the middle of the driveway. By overlapping this will make a slight raised crown in the middle of the drive for water runoff. Roadstone is 3/4" or 5/8" crushed gravel with "screenings" added. This packs done to make a very good surface to drive on.
I'd wait a couple of years before paving to make sure everything is settled in.

To save time you may want to get a bulldozer to strip the topsoil. I've learned to leave the big jobs to the big equipment.

 

[Gatorboy]

Richard,

There sure is alot of ways to do a job. I think I am still leaning towards tilling (couple inches down) and using the Rear Blade to clear off the loosend soil. I would then use the geotextile fabric and then lay down the rock. I should then have a decent driveway, and if/when I asphalt, I should have a beautiful base.

It seems to me that the rear blade I linked to above, would be more useful than a box blade, for I can tilt left up/right up, forward/reverse, angle, etc. and with attaching sideplates can move dirt like a box blade. Am I missing something? Please excuse my ignorance, for I have not used either attachment.

I am in no rush, so I may do my 1500' of driveway in sections, and though it would be faster and easier to hire a bulldozer to come in, it would be more fun for me to do it myself.

By the way, I don't have a loader on my tractor.

Regards,
Dave "Gatorboy" Hoffmann
Fallston, Maryland

 

[TerryinMD]

Dave,

What are you going to do with all of the soil you've tilled and bladed? You're going to have to move it somewhere. Not having a FEL may be an issue.

I just did a quick calculation and you should have somewhere near 146 cubic yards of soil that you've moved with a tiller and rear blade.

Just a consideration.....

Terry

 

[Gatorboy]

Terry,

<font color=blue>What are you going to do with all of the soil you've tilled and bladed? </font color=blue>

That question is easy -- I have 11 acres of open field that could use some fill.

But you have uncovered a huge weakness in my plan -- How in the heck do I get it there? Looks like I'm gonna have to dig down deeper and buy myself a FEL and a hydraulic tilt on my pickup truck bed.

I think it is time to call Regis Philben and get on that show "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire"

But actually, I have plenty of room along the entire driveway to spread out the fill.

Regards,
Dave "Gatorboy" Hoffmann
Fallston, Maryland

 

[MOG]

Dave,

I wish you had a loader. If you tilled and stockpiled that topsoil the next year you could sell it and make a buck. People are always wanting topsoil around here.

 

[TerryinMD]

Dave,

Just bring 20 or so yards up to Sharpsburg - I'll be able to use it. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

MOG has a good idea. Storing it for sale might not be a bad idea. It could offset the cost of some new implements. Or, you might be able to find someone local who will haul it away for the cost of cutting your new driveway and maybe hauling in some stone.... Never hurts to ask. Good topsoil is a valuable commodity. Just look at what happens to the topsoil from many of the developements in our area. It is stripped and sold off.

Terry