#2 to dust base needed how should I do it

[stevenf]

Thanks for the formula Rob that was my first problem. Now knowing how to operate my new tractor and box blade is probably going to be my next hurdle but nothing like jumping in with both feet. If learning how to box blade a road properly is anything as hard as all the threads I've read on the subject. I can see my wife now shaking her finger and saying put it back is was smoother when we were driving on dirt.

 

[bczoom]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( If learning how to box blade a road properly is anything as hard as all the threads I've read on the subject. I can see my wife now shaking her finger and saying put it back is was smoother when we were driving on dirt. )</font>

stevenf,

A box blade on a stone driveway is normally pretty easy. Trying to put a finish grade on dirt with a box blade is harder.

 

[ccdck20hst]

stevenf. I just read your post asking about how much base you would need for a 500' driveway. I had 24 tons of 3/4" "processed stone" (slip I got at delivery calls it "proc stone - fine) delivered yesterday and put about, I would guess 6 tons, on my driveway to replace snowplowed off (last season) stone. This 6 tons covered (at a depth of about 2")about one quarter of my driveway and added about 8" to a 5' by 30' area that had little or no gravel on it. The other 18 tons or so I placed (with my Kioti CK20HST) for a future probable patio project that will be 38' by 16' with a base 12" to 20" or so deep. The 18 tons only covered a portion of this area. After my 80' gravel drive was put down in 1997 I decided to have stone delivered as the initial layer of stone seemed to be sinking in. I had 16 tons dropped off 3 years ago. Had a "tailgate pour" done to help me spread it. Moved some of it with a wheelbarrow - hard work! The sixteen tons was adequate to cover most of my driveway and parking area. The parking area is about 30' by 35' and is part of the 80' diveway. Covered this all with about with about 2-3". Anyway, seems to me, IMHO depending on your soil conditions in Texas, that you might need more like 100 plus tons to get in a good base. By way of example. Ideal pavers puts out a brochure. It states that for pavers for a driveway, in good soil excavate to 11", in poor soil excavate to 15" then base thickness should be 8" for good soil or 12" for poor soil. For every 100 sf of either 1 1/2" processed gravel, 3/4" crusher run, or dense graded gravel figure on 4" thick = 2 tons, 6" thick =3 tons, 8" thick = 4 tons and 12" thick = 6 tons. Part of the trick is to learn the exact name by which the material goes in your area that you want to put down. Find out how much a cubic yard of that material weighs. Several people have told me that the bottom of the base material should be larger size stone and as you build up the stone size can be or should be smaller. These standards would cause your driveway to be possibly overbuilt. Anyway these are just ideas. I have no expertise in building driveways. Good luck. Charlie

 

[drm]

Stevenf,

I am a structural engineer and have just finished a gravel driveway. I do not design driveway or road bases but have worked on enough projects to know what should be done and what you can get away with.

It sounds as though you have been driving on the dirt for some time. It it hard & compacted. Has it been driven over for several years with cars & pick-up sized vehicles? If so you can get away with a thinner base course. Say 4" - 6" vs 8" - 12" of what should be a large angular stone or slag. Do not use river rock (rounded pebbles) for a gravel drive. The maximum diameter of stone should be 1/2 of the total thickness. And you do want larger stone down first.

As for the springs, you should provide drainage under the base course. Dig a trench a lot larger than the flow (minimum 12" x 12"), fill with 4" river gravel (rounded 2" or smaller), schedule 40 PVC drainage pipe wrapped with filter cloth, 4" minimum of river gravel over pipe (12" total). Wraping just the river gravel in the trench will also work if you regularly have heavy loads over the road.

The top coat should be an angular crushed limestone 3/4" maximum with fines (sometimes the fines are called dirt). The gravel must have a good gradation (3/4", 1/2", 3/8", 1/4",... sized stones). This is a typical gradation for road project and any large gravel supplyer will give you the correct designation (called 2A in PA). It should be 3" thick minimum. Let it be driven on for a winter & spring to consolidate, cleaning up & dressing then recoat remembering if you use 3/4" and smaller any additional layer must be at least 1 1/2" thick.

As for quanity, I covered a 10 foot x 925' portion of my drive with 3+" of this gravel two months ago. It took 5 triaxle dumps 25 tons each load tail spread. The drive had a base course of 3" slag with little if any top coat. I am going to put down another triaxle to try to level some soft spots that have sunk and will recaot most of the drive if not all in the spring. I costs alot for the material to put in a good road but once done right you will have little cost beside the occational dressing and pothole filling.

Good luck and let me know how the box blade works. I am using a rear blade that is difficult when trying to level dips. I am also a tractor newbie so that does not help. Trying to talk my wife into a box blade but she is not convinced. Thinks it's an pperator problem not equipment.

 

[scout180]

Here's a quarry in WV that has a pretty good page and table of crushed stone sizes/uses. Hope it helps any readers. As I've always understood, most crushed rock is referred to by numeric designations while screened gravel (vs. pit-run) is described by alpabetic size (P gravel being smaller that U gravel, etc.).
http://www.rbsinc.com/limestone/pageone.htm

Dave in VA