Concrete driveway do-able??

[RxRatedZ71]

We have a long (1100') gravel driveway put in when we built our house in 2008. It has a 6-8 inch deep base of 3-4" crusher run. Then was top-dressed with 3-4 inches of 1.5" crusher run. About 5-600' is on a good downhill slope and it drains from east to west naturally. With a good rain i have to redress it with my boxblade and drag the sediments back to the top.

My wife and i always said that when we hit the lottery, the first project would be paving the driveway. Since we dont buy lottery tickets, thats not likely to happen. However, my neighbor just built a 4000 sqft concrete house and he has offered to me use his metal driveway forms. Is a project this size do-able in 10 yard increments? We were thinking about 1-2 trucks or sections per year. I was thinking to start in the middle, that way the areas by our garage pad and street approach would look nice. Hopefully we could get our mistakes out of the way early.

 

[300UGUY]

We have a long (1100') gravel driveway put in when we built our house in 2008. It has a 6-8 inch deep base of 3-4" crusher run. Then was top-dressed with 3-4 inches of 1.5" crusher run. About 5-600' is on a good downhill slope and it drains from east to west naturally. With a good rain i have to redress it with my boxblade and drag the sediments back to the top.

My wife and i always said that when we hit the lottery, the first project would be paving the driveway. Since we dont buy lottery tickets, thats not likely to happen. However, my neighbor just built a 4000 sqft concrete house and he has offered to me use his metal driveway forms. Is a project this size do-able in 10 yard increments? We were thinking about 1-2 trucks or sections per year. I was thinking to start in the middle, that way the areas by our garage pad and street approach would look nice. Hopefully we could get our mistakes out of the way early.

I wouldn't take on project going on 11 years. By the time you finish, you might be repairing the 1st section.

 

[Deere Dude]

Just an idea, but I would do a section or two by the garage first. It would be a shame to get the center done and then leak out or you have to worry about a big cement truck driving over it and busting up what you just poured a month before..

Depending how wide it is, a couple guys should be able to do 10 yards, and then do a section every other day or whatever fits your schedule. If you are good and have a crew, start at one end and keep in poring till the forms run out. I'm envious of your plan. I'm sitting on a gravel driveway and I can't figure out how to start pouring the thing because of the design of it and I'm to cheap to hire it out...

 

[RxRatedZ71]

Here are a few pics to help with the "visual" members. I always appreciate pics when people upload them too! Pic1 is looking uphill towards our gate and Pic2 looks downhill towards the creek then up to the house.

 

[RxRatedZ71]

Both good points. I was worried about a truck ruining a previous section. I thought about an alternate "traffic route" for the concrete truck but with the creek in the middle, he's gonna have to cross it eventually. Would the concrete look "patchworked" together with lots of multiple pours??

 

[rekees4300]

Sounds like a project that's beyond DIY. Concrete has a tendency to crack no matter how well it's installed. Just got an estimate to replace 33X13 section of my cracked concrete drive ... $2000! Have you considered hiring a reputable asphalt installer?

 

[RxRatedZ71]

I haven't been able to find a reputable contractor for asphalt. I've talked with a couple of hot-mix suppliers but they said they wouldnt use the few names they keep on hand to even pave their own private drives. I hear so much about the "fly by night gypsy pavers" that I'm leery. But yes, I have considered it. I would prefer asphalt but thought the concrete might end up being cheaper if I took the labor component out.

 

[dave1949]

Nice setting you have there. There is no doubt, gravel drives are a lifetime project, but I actually prefer their more rustic/rural/natural look over concrete. But, it's not my driveway, so...

I would begin at the garage. You will have less tracked in grit, and by the looks of it, you will be needing a place for a basketball hoop and someplace smooth for toys with wheels

Have you experimented with water bars to keep the water from eroding the gravel? It doesn't look like you would need very many.

 

[rekees4300]

I would prefer asphalt but thought the concrete might end up being cheaper if I took the labor component out.

You have a beautiful home in a country setting. IMHO an asphalt driveway would complement it better than a concrete one. :2cents:

 

[RxRatedZ71]

Thanks again for the kind words. We have worked hard to get it to the point we are at. We first thought that gravel wouldn't be bad but as our kids get older, they can't enjoy the luxury of having a big area to play on. I know I'm fussing about petty issues in the grand scheme of things. However, I would like a big area for them to learn to ride their bikes on and other activities.
Its funny that you mention water bars. I actually found a post about them on TBN and have installed 2 of them. One is about 50' into the long straight-run on the hill and the other is about 350' further downhill. They are reclaimed cedar boards and constructed out of 1 2x6 laid flat and then 2 2x4s spaced apart standing on their spine to make a trough. I cut spacers out of conduit and place that in between them. They are about 4 inches deep and work to kick the water off into the trees at strategic locations. They are dug into the driveway so they lie flat and you dont notice them when you drive over them. They work adequately in slow, steady rain that produces a small downhill stream. However, we got 4 inches this past Saturday night and it overwhelmed them and they filled with gravel and sediment and then they are useless until cleaned out.They also are a pain to work around when boxblading the gravel. You have to stop, scoop up any extra gravel, pour onto uphill side, then begin again to the next on.
The local city and county are scheduled to "redo" our roads within the next few months. Currently, the roads are "tar and chip" and are pot-hole havens. I would even consider that material for a driveway, but it seems to be an antiquated roadway material. Anyone ever heard of this type of road? I'm gonna to buy several truck loads of the roto-millings when they are working on the roadway so at least I can get some more gravel. I think a driver would easily dump his load on our driveway for a quick $50 in his pockets. Easier than driving it back to the plant to recycle and it fattens his wallet faster too!