Where do I get gravel for driveway?

[clovergamecock]

I think the base is good. Where I am at it is a very hard clay. The driveway is definately not soft and is very well packed since it was built 7 years ago. I do think that the tynes on the box blade would cut into the clay in a lot of bare area's.

 

[Ranger Rick]

Hi all!


What kind of gravel would you all recommend?
Where do I go to get it and eliminate the middle man?
Any idea what a truck load would cost in South Carolina?

I have a Kubota L2800 that I would think could handle this job. My driveway does not flood and I don't live in an area that gets an unusual amount of rain so washing has not been a problem just reappearing pot holes.


Thanks
Wade

Go to Google maps for your area and search on crushed stone or construction aggregates and you should get a list of companies that supply stone for driveways and where they are located in relation to you. The quarries will charge delivery based on mileage to where you are. They can also tell you what they call the stone that would be best for you. Each region of the country calls the same type of stone something different.

As for fixing pot holes do a search in project and you will find it all discussed recently.
Rick

 

[clemsonfor]

Welcome! There should be a variety of rock/gravel companies in your area. #72 is usually a good size for driveways but that somewhat depends on what the issue is. #72 is good if you have a good base and you just need to build it up because it is not draining properly and therefore getting softspots that become potholes. If the problem is not a good base you will need larger stone to create a base that need to be packed in. This can be done with putting the stone done and having it packed in or, if you are more patient, putting the stone down and driving on it for six months to get it set. then go over it with smaller rock like #72. $3-400 per tri-ax load is normal. the shorter the distance they have to haul it the better.

Gravel trucks are pretty good at getting it spread evenly and, if you get a good driver, you cannot even tell where one load stops and the next load starts. It will probably need some leveling though and how to do this depends on the condition after the truck driver is done. The leveling plane is the best tool but not a lot of people have one. Back blades can work but they tend to go and down with the tractor with the up and down motion amplified by the tractor pivoting around the back axle. So if you are not very careful you can easily make it much worse quickly. i have a 1200' long drive and had seven loads of rock delivered and the driver did so sell I smoothed it a little with the hand landscape rake and it has been wonderful. How smooth they lay it down all depends on the driver though! I got lucky!

Yea he brings up something i meant to mention. Driver is the key in this thing. A good driver can "tailgate" spread the gravel as good as a contracotor with a loader or bobcat can lay it down. They hook the chain on the tailgate so only say 6" or 10"s of opening are able to occur. He lifts the dump bed before he hits the spot to start so that the gravel will start pouring out just in the right spot and he is smoothly moving down the road and gets an even laydown of the gravel. The next guy needs to be just as god or you end up with a mound where he started. Its a tallent, some guys can do it others cant, they just set gate lift then start and you may end up with a 10" tall pile of gravel then a spread load, i have had one just dump a third or a load in one spot before he started moving!

If i was you i would see if you can find a privite hauler that can tailgate spread and have him haul all 3 loads. This is a guy that owns a dump truck and either hauls full time or is just a grading contractor that can do what you want. Like we siad a good driver can make it so you wont have to do a thing after. If you go the route i said before you will probly get 3 different drivers as they will usually haul them back to back to get you through unless you ask otherwise. So you may get 3 bad ones 3 good ones or some various assortment of tallent.

What i would do if you plan to try and see what the tailgate spread can do i WOULD get some dirt or rock and fill the potholes by hand so its more level or work just these spots with the box blade to level them out so the gravel is going on a mostly level surfce.

As for the box blade you do want to have the center side of the blade higher than the edges so that it puts a crown on the road.

 

[powerpace]

Paid for five 10 Yard dumps lasy month. Two of 3" minus and three 3/4"minus rock. Paid $750 total.

When I had the new drive put in six years ago all the rock was spread by the delivery driver. He really did a good job. 75 truck loads. Plus the base for the barn pad.

Three years after I had a few potholes develop below a slope that drained water all the time. Mounded 3" minus rock above the surface of the road and packed it by running the vehicle over it. Smooth as can be now and no sign of a new pothole.

Check past post for how-to's, I'm sure your situation will find a fix.

 

[clemsonfor]

You must have been pretty close to the quarry for that price!!

 

[forgeblast]

Im a few miles from the quarry and its 285 delivered for 20 ton which is 14.25 a ton for modified/crusher run.

 

[bearcreek paul]

If your road dept berms the highways in your area they are always looking for a place close to dump it.The price is right it's free.My neighbor took 10 tri axels for his road.

 

[Diamondpilot]

In my area its $15 per ton on average with a $75 delivery charge and they can haul 25 tons. I live within 1.5 miles of one gravel pit, 3 miles from another, and 5 miles from a third. All are the same price.

Anyway, around here we put #2's down then #53's for a top coat. If you get real fancy you do #10's on top.

That works out to $476.25 per load with tax.

Your guy is treating you fair.


Chris

 

[powerpace]

You must have been pretty close to the quarry for that price!!

If your refering to me. Driver lives 35 miles and Quarrys were 10 and 15 miles away. We got rock!!!! Out here we don't use salt or other chemicals on roads in the winter. Gravel and Volcanic Cinder rock are used for all of it.
We also don't buy rock by the ton. It's all by the cubic yard. The logging roads use much of the rock. We have a lot of logging roads that are built to the standards required by the Forest Service, BLM or whoever manages that area.

 

[Oldtractorfixer]

When you work it with your blade angle your blade to the direction of travel if it has that adjustment. About 45 deg. this will take the humps out. If your blade doesn't angle it's hard not to get a wash board. You can help that by turning around after each pass. (not backing up and trying again) The geometry of the tractor/blade changes with the direction.

Roy