Gravel Type on a steep slope

[ecard]

Searching the posts on gravel I read that for steep slopes >30 degrees that #2 stone is a good choice. My road will just be for tractor and equipment.

I have a good soil base and I really only want to put one layer of gravel. I thought about #1, but that seems too much since I would most likely need another layer. #53's worry me because the dust might wash out. Does anybody have any suggestions on the least expensive and least maintenance stone for my hill road?

Eric

 

[MossRoad]

You might want to look into slag. We get it in South Bend from the steel mills over in Gary. It locks together well and is very reasonable in price.

 

[poorboy]

Eric, when I first built the driveway my wife ordered the gravel before I could get home to see it. she went with 57's and they were gone by the end of the month. Later I had a drive built for the other place and put down the first layer in #2's. This was the best money I have ever spent. Almost instant road bed from now on. This year I had another 100 tons brought in for the drives for two barns that I use during the winter to keep and haul livestock on.

I could rattle on for days, but for my money go with the 2's and later fill in with cheaper stuff or finer stones later on. Cost a little more up front but you will have to use less of the other later on. Although I enjoy hauling the 57's back up the hill in the spring as the first project, six years is ridiculous.

 

[ecard]

Thanks for the advice. I don't know of any slag sources in the area so I will try for #2's. I will post some picks when the triaxle arrives - I wonder if he will be able to dump down the hill?

Thanks,

Eric

 

[JJT]

When we started building I put in 800 feet of rough driveway. First I removed the top 6 inches of topsoil and had 9 inches of bank run gravel, (fist size cobbles and smaller), hauled in for the road bed base. The bank run was half the price of #2 crushed stone. I waited for most of the heavy trucks, (concrete, delivery, excavation) to wrap up before laying down an additional 2 - 3 inches of #1 crushed stone. 12 years later the road is in great shape. I top dress with ~40 tons of material every few years. We have 1 steep portion on the drive and have had no problems. I have an excavator friend that swears round stone is the way to go for a road base, it holds up to freeze thaw cycles better than crushed stone or flat shale.

 

[poorboy]

The guys I had started at the bottom and emptied going up. One guy had bad tires and didn't want to drive over the fresh poured #2's. But the ground was dry back then so I don't their capabilities.

Don't forget to watch the over head lines when the bed raises. I had my electric lines running from the barn over to the well house and they got tore out. I should have noticed but I didn't since it was dark thirty when they came. Cheaper for me if the guys delivered on the last load on the way home. After electric repair I will probably break even on that deal.

Depends on your location on the gravel type. Here in Ky crushed gravel readily available and round stone source rare.
I deer hunted in Ohio at a gravel washer plant where they said I could have all the waste product I wanted, mountains of acres of small round stones, if I could haul it off. Seems like I hunted in Brookville Ind. area and there where a lot gravel in that area as well. See what the locals are using and their source.

Good Luck,
Patrick

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Got some time and a way haul the rock? Go to your ready-mix plant and ask about hauling off their wash-out mat. Most are glad to be rid of it! This stuff will contain rock, sand, cement, fly ash, and all the stuff in a load of ready-mix concrete. Plus it will be damp so it will compact almost like concrete when it dries up. Kind of dusty in the summer though. I bought an older chevy farm truck with a flatbed dump with short side boards, did the job, then sold the truck for what I paid for it. I was only out the cost of gas and my time. One of the most cost effective projects I ever completed here.