Best "cheap" materials for gravel parking area?

[The-AJ88]

I would like to add a 30 ft x 30 ft parking area directly off my main gravel driveway. I would like this project completed the correct way, but I do not want to spend a lot of cash on this one. In my area (Ohio) our winters provide a good freeze/thaw cycle, so I will need something that packs well and will hold up to the weather and snowplowing.

My plan is to:

1. Strip organic material
2. Add and compact base
3. Add and compact dressing material

What do you suggest for a base and top dressing material that is "cheap"? My main driveway is topped with 57 limestone so I would prefer something that is similar in color.

 

[chris.benjamin1]

Around here we use 2A or modified under $10 a ton at quarry. But delivery costs vary. I paid about $340 last year for 22 tons delivered

 

[deereman75]

Are you looking at a substantial fill or basically topping the existing grade?
Hard packed clean clay is the best base you can ask for.
Strip organics, top with clean clay until you're 4-6" below your desired finish grade.
My preference at that point is to use pit run. It generally packs well, and the big rocks will pound down into the clay giving a base as solid as you can ask for. Leave it like that for the winter. In spring once it's dry enough regrade it all with what is available to you, and top with your topping of choice. I use traffic gravel (basically cheap 3/4" minus crusher run) but smaller clear crush, or whatever is common in your area and looks the way you want. You only need an inch or two of your topping gravel, just enough to give you something to blade around without disturbing the larger rocks in the pit run.

You could do the whole thing with crushed rock, such as a 2" base mix topped with 1/2" clear crush or crusher fines, but at least in my area you'd be looking at over double the cost for a result no better.

The good clay base is the important part

 

[PILOON]

Recycled asphalt!
The hot sun cooks it and it is as good as new.
Bonus: in many areas it is cheaper than crushed stone.

 

[ArlyA]

Crushed concrete is the lowest cost here. I've used it and liked it.

 

[old and tired]

Cheapest? Grass... if it's only cars and pickup trucks.

 

[4570Man]

I’d use the same gravel that’s on your driveway. Gravel is about the cheapest material that provides suitable results.

 

[fried1765]

Recycled asphalt!
The hot sun cooks it and it is as good as new.
Bonus: in many areas it is cheaper than crushed stone.

Recycled asphalt is great stuff, but nearly impossible to find in my area.
They truck it back to the mix plant, and use it in new asphalt.

 

[MossRoad]

Look into steel slag.

 

[Streetcar]

Recycled asphalt will be darker than existing driveway
recycled concrete will breakdown if exposed to weather in ohio
steel slag is expensive due to trucking cost in most spots
use local gravel for good cheap parking area