Driveway from scratch

   / Driveway from scratch #1  

GucciDean

New member
Joined
Apr 26, 2004
Messages
1
Location
Louisiana
The driveway I currently have is HORRIBLE! I have about 160'/ 12' wide. I nned the cheapest way out! I live in Louisiana and am doing this myself. My husband passed away in January and I have NO idea what I'm doing. I've had several people quote me ridiculous prices. I need to build up the base first. Right now, I have a MUDDY MESS! I'm driving thru my yard right now. If someone could just tell me how to start...I would be forever grateful. Please help....I'm desperate! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif thanks!
 
   / Driveway from scratch #2  
I built a 210 foot long driveway for about $850. last week. I first leveled the area with a box blade then laid out 12. 5 foot wide geotextile cloth where I wanted the driveway. Then I had a Stone Shooter deliver 60 tons of crusher run gravel and spread it on the cloth about 4 inches deep. I then touched the drive up with the FEL and box blade. Crusher run contains "fines" that pack the gravel. The geotextile cloth keeps the gravel from sinking into the mud and mud from penetrating the gravel. It is about as cheap as you can get and have a serviceable driveway.
Bill
 
   / Driveway from scratch #3  
Can you tell me where you found the geotextile material. I want to do exactly what you have done, but I am having a tough time finding it in widths over 4 feet her in Middle Tennessee.

Thanks for any info.

Dan
 
   / Driveway from scratch #4  
A friend who happens to be a major construction contractor had some left over from a job, he provided about 60 feet of material, then I checked with most of the major contractor supply houses in Syracuse. I found 12.5 foot in rolls of 435 feet for $370., however, I didn't need but 150'. I checked around some more and finally found a blacktopping contractor who would sell any length I wanted for $1.13 per foot. Suggest you try blacktopping contractors unless you can use a whole roll or have someone else to share a roll. If you can use a whole roll major construction supply houses should carry it.
Bill
 
   / Driveway from scratch #5  
Methods vary from one area to another. I don't know what local materials you have available. But, I might be able to help with the math. Your 160x12 driveway is 1920 square feet, figuring raising it a total of 1 foot, that is 1920 cubic feet, divided by 27 cu ft to a cu yard, that's about 72 yards of material, or about 4 dump truck loads.

In my case, In Florida, I raised the base about 12" with fill just to get it above the potential water (we had massive rain last summer, and much of it flooded a couple of inches). Now, I need to stabilize the fill. In most areas, that's gravel. In Florida, we use "shell rock". It's crushed limestone, coquina and shells dredged from pits about 90' deep, where there was once sediment from the ocean. It packs down almost like concrete. I'll put a 6" layer of that on top of my fill.

The geo textile cloth is great, but not necessary here -- the shell rock won't penetrate the sand the way gravel would, and I don't mind having grass growing up through --- in fact, the roots help to stabilize.

None of this may work in Louisiana, but I thought you'd like to hear another approach, maybe get some ideas.
 
   / Driveway from scratch #6  
Availability of materials will depend on what part of the state you're in. Generally the cheapest will be clay gravel. The small amount of clay with the rocks will hold it together and pack well giving you a good base. That's not readily available in my area and I've used crushed stone. Not sure of the name or grade, but it had fine stone powder that serves the same purpose as the clay in the gravel and it packs well. I think the cost was $300 for 20 tons but not sure. Since then I've found a source for "wash-out" from the local cement company that supposedly is much cheaper but will do a comparable job. May try some of it this summer. Good luck.
 
   / Driveway from scratch #7  
I don't know what you have for rock in your area. Here we use crusher run(crushed limestone) in varing sizes. We built a 650'+ drive from scratch. After building up, packing the base and shoulders with heavy equip we put down 3" crusher run for the base. The topped it with 1 1/2 crusher run months later after the 3" packed/settled in.

The up front cheapest way out would be to dump rock on it after it dries out a little. Have the dump truck driver spread it for you. I'm assuming the drive is already built up some and doesn't have low spots with water sitting running across it anywhere.

Perhaps you can provide more details and/or pictures.
 
   / Driveway from scratch #8  
I live a few miles from Winn Rock (only quarry in LA I think), just outside of Winnfield in north central LA. They have crushed limestone and another type of stone that's softer(can't remember name, balsite or something, but it's like grey sandstone), that's perfect for roads. My drive is quite steep and hardly washes because the stuff is like cement once it packs and gets a rain. DWP Sand and Gravel also has iron ore that works almost as well. Good luck.
 
   / Driveway from scratch #9  
GucciDean,

What kind of equipment do you have? Do you have a culvert? Do you need a culvert?

If you have an FEL and a box blade you can do it.

I put in a good 500 feet of driveway using ABC gravel and geotextile fabric. The trick to the fabric is to have the grade as smooth as possible. The dump trucks have to back up to the fabric and then dump. You then have to push/pull the gravel into the fabric. If you have muddy soil geotextile fabric is the way to go.

I paid $300 for 360 feet x 12.5 feet roll of fabric. DOT grade ABC from the quarry was about $7.50 per ton. I think its 3,500 pounds of ABC for one yard. I was paying $160-170 per 15-16 ton dump truck load. I only have about 3-4 inches of ABC on my fabric. This is another advantage of geotextile fabric, not only doe it keep the ABC from mixing with the soil it takes less gravel to make the driveway.

If you do put down fabric DON'T hit it with the FEL or boxblade when putting down the gravel. It is all but impossible to get the fabric to lay down flat once the tractor has hit it.

Oh, one more thing. People think that the fabric will prevent grass from growing. It wont. My driveway is covered in grass during the summer. At my house, the parking area which has fabric grows weeds/grass very well. 8-( I have learned that if you want to grow weeds/grass put down gravel......

Later,
Dan
 

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