5inch minus spreadability?

[MAX-24-Dean]

I want to raise a section of our driveway (where it meets the main road) about 1ft. I'm thinking about putting 5" minus on the bottom and then 3/4" minus on top. How easy will it be to "grade" the 5" minus? I have a back blade and a crappy box blade (and a bucket of course).

Or should I go for all 3/4" minus (it is about $50 more per load)?

Thanks!

p.s. I guess I mention the the existing driveway is in good shape (gravel over fabric). I just want to raise it so it is easier to pull out onto the local 50mph road (especially when it gets a little slippery)

Go with rock size you know you can grade. Most locations are fine to build up 1 1/4" minus to 12". Then fines for final grade.

 

[LD1]

Around here we dont have 5" minus.

We have 2" minus and we call it 304's and we have 3/4" minus and we call that 411's.

The 2" minus is difficult. You have to be good at spreading it the FIRST time. BEcause the more you work it, the more the fines settle to the bottom and the larger stone ends up on top with not enough fines to lock them in.

We also have whats called 1's and 2's. Which is what we use for driveway base. IT has no fines....its just all larger rock, 3"-4" or so, washed and screened.

IF it were me, Id build up with large stone with no fines.....(ones and twos as we call them). Then a generous 2-3" layer of 3/4" minus on top of that. The fines lock in the large stone and you have a solid drive.

Drives around here are 10-12" thick normally....and done with ~6-8" of the large base rock (ones and twos), then 3-4" of 411's (3/4" minus) on top to lock it in. Then a ~1" topcoat of whatever the homeowner wants. Usually 57's (3/4" washed and screened) or #8's (3/8" washed and screened)

 

[Raul-02]

I want to raise a section of our driveway (where it meets the main road) about 1ft.

That description leaves me a tad confused.
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[Rebeldad1]

3" minus seems like the easier way to go. If not at least use 1 1/4". last layer can be 3/4"

 

[JasperFrank]

I do know that larger rock will try to float to the surface due to frost heave if its not under the frost depth. At least it does in my area.

 

[Red Horse]

The local quarry makes a 3” minus that’s not horrible. 5” will be terrible without a dozer.

Agree 100% with this. You will be frustrated trying to work with big stone like that and the only thing you will likely do is wreck your equipment.

 

[JohnnyMX]

I did 2" minus in lower areas where I saw a lot of water and put 3/4 minus on top. I do have areas that people say it is bumpy where I spread the 2 and it does seem to mix together over time. I have no fabric so regular maintenance is required.

 

[Ron50]

The bigger the rock, the bigger the equipment needed to spread it. Five inch minus will surely need a dozer to spread and walk it in some.
The other truism is,” the more fabric you buy, the less rock you buy.” It might be worth putting fabric over the 5”, if you can get it flat enough, before you put 3/4 minus over it. I watched a state road project in Utah where they layered rock and fabric to build the base from about 6” to 3/4”. The fabric for the first layer looked more like the hole size of chain link fence. Drainage I suppose.

 

[LD1]

The bigger the rock, the bigger the equipment needed to spread it. Five inch minus will surely need a dozer to spread and walk it in some.
The other truism is,” the more fabric you buy, the less rock you buy.” It might be worth putting fabric over the 5”, if you can get it flat enough, before you put 3/4 minus over it. I watched a state road project in Utah where they layered rock and fabric to build the base from about 6” to 3/4”. The fabric for the first layer looked more like the hole size of chain link fence. Drainage I suppose.

Fabric OVER the 5" is a bad idea.

Fabric first, separate stone from dirt, or no fabric at all

 

[SnagDump]

I want to raise a section of our driveway (where it meets the main road) about 1ft. I'm thinking about putting 5" minus on the bottom and then 3/4" minus on top. How easy will it be to "grade" the 5" minus? I have a back blade and a crappy box blade (and a bucket of course).

Or should I go for all 3/4" minus (it is about $50 more per load)?

Thanks!

p.s. I guess I mention the the existing driveway is in good shape (gravel over fabric). I just want to raise it so it is easier to pull out onto the local 50mph road (especially when it gets a little slippery).

Unless you're going to put in a really deep lift (like a foot or more) you won't get as much support from the 5" minus base course material as you might think. Without a deep enough lift the pieces don't have the opportunity to interlock. As others have noted, spreading 5" minus is more like dozer work and compacting it almost takes a grid roller. Smaller material like 3" minus or 2" minus will work better for you.

Filter fabric works great to keep aggregate separated from the native material. But, if you put it underneath the surface course instead, that surface course better be pretty thick. Otherwise, at some future date you'll hook it while grading the driveway and filter fabric that gets pulled up through gravel makes a a sweet mess that's hard to ever put back right.

Similar things will happen if your surface course (the 3/4") isn't good and deep over the base course. I see you're in Vermont so you'll surely displace some surface course during snow plowing. At some point you'll try to smooth up the surface course and start pulling up the base course material. That makes a mess of it's own. Most of my driveway is 3/4" minus about 6" deep with no base course underneath. The one spot I did put 3" minus base course has a continuing problem with base course getting pulled up during grading. A few large pieces can really make a mess of the surface when you're back dragging. If I had it to do over I would have just gone full depth there with the 3/4".