Best method to clean up a long stone/dirt driveway

[jenkinsph]

I will stick with what I posted earlier and add that I would clean off or remove the leaves and debris from the driveway and shoulders first. The old leaves and mulch should not be mixed in during the rebuilding process, second these leaves and mulch will tend to block the drainage of the road. So I would start by clearing about 4 to 6 ft from the edge of the driveway first. you could probably use a blower to maintain it afterwards.

 

[Code54]

Another thing you can do to save a little cash is if you get rock, ask the driver to put a concrete block or two in the center of the dump truck at the rear gate. That way when he tailgates the stone in it will do it as a two track where you really need it. Makes a truck go a fair amount further than having it tailgated full width.

 

[JIGBUILDER]

How much gravel you need for a base depends. My place is in sandstone country which requires no base. My drive way is 1/4 mile long. Gravel actually works to the surface in the winter freezing/thawing here in the hills. My gravel is approx 2" deep and is gong on 12 years. No potholes or muddy spots

My former place was in deep top soil country and adding gravel was a yearly process. Even 3inch rock disapeared in the winter and wet season.

I use 3/4" and 1 1/2" crusher run limestone from area gravel pits.

The dump truck driver can chain his gate open to spread it along. You just need to let him know how many loads and how deep you need.

I use my 6' box blade with the rear tilted down so only the rear blade is touching to move gravel and level it.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I agree with the other about the run off. Another big problem is the shade you have. The ground never really gets to dry up. We use #53 stone for drives around here. Packs well. Many call it 3/4" fines.

I finally got my 280' long drive in shape last year and now want to pave it. It ranges from 40' wide to 25' wide. I have put well over 150 tons on it in the last 7 years. I guess the birds carry it off. Go figure. I just look back at all the money I have spent on stone and I am 1/2' the way to a $7600 paving job.

These are the best pictures I have of the drive. It really needs 50 tons put on this spring if I do not go for the paving.

Chris

 

[coobie]

Gravel,drainage & and cut some of those trees back to get some sun in there to keep it dry.coobie.

 

[bjr]

I've heard good reviews on the duragrader attachment for long driveways. I think the duragrader would be the ticket after you get the gravel or somekind of base to work with. bjr

 

[FLHayman]

Another thing you can do to save a little cash is if you get rock, ask the driver to put a concrete block or two in the center of the dump truck at the rear gate. That way when he tailgates the stone in it will do it as a two track where you really need it. Makes a truck go a fair amount further than having it tailgated full width.

I really like that idea. With this road, you don't seem to have room for drainage ditches, shoulders, and would have to clear a lot of brush and trees to do that. Why not just go with the technique of 2 tracking the drive, since there is really no room to drive anywhere but in the same ruts. Go with bigger stones, they won't wash away, it may be a little rumbly to drive on when it hardens up, but you'll be out of the mud, for the most part. I imagine the rocks will get driven down into the muck after some time, since the low spots will still be there, and will still hold moisture. Lots of people survive with drives like yours that aren't graded at all, just larger stone gravel.

Fixing it right is the proper way, of course. Quick fix might be to hit the drive with the 2 track technique and maintain it with a boxed blade to smooth it when it's just a little damp.

 

[Tig]

My lane is 600M. Most of it was bad some of it was horrible . After three years of work it's great.
Call the local pit and see what they have for road base. I bought shale one year. It was mixed with clay. Another year I bought "shot rock", also mixed with clay. It was cheaper than 3"- and did a great (better?) job.
As already mentioned you need to get away from the water. Work on drainage and base. Be patient. Do one section at a time and don't skimp. Big stone down one year. A bit of big stone touch up the next and finally top dress with 5/8" crusher run year three. It spreads the cost out and allows you to observe and adjust your strategy.

 

[radioman]

my advice, if I see it right- you seem to have a lower area on the left side in the first pic then the right. I see you don't have a drainage issue, you have a worn out issue.

You need to cut back the branches a foot on each side to allow more sun and air to get to the road. I think you need to scrape the top off- either with a dozer or box blade and scrafiers. Make sure everything is slightly angled higher on the right so the low side is on left. Since everything looks like hard packed dirt, there is no sense of distrubing that layer but just to have a water runoff to the side. Then add some crusher run on top and crown that. Once you do that, the old road base that is so well packed will shed water right, and new layer on top makes it easy for you to maintain for smooooth driving by running the backblade every now and then.

 

[amg280]

All great advice! Thanks so much. How does one put a crown on the road though? Do you adjust the 3 pt links so the attachment is leaning to one side?