Installing bluestone gravel driveway and i dont want weeds. What should i use?

[roadhawk]

We finally gave up and said "why?". Normal driving keeps most of the grass/weeds at rock height, and the lawn mower on the edges keeps the rest looking good. A side benefit is that the roots/grass keep everything anchored in better, so even the big fat brown UPS truck isn't messing things up when he goes up the hill now.

 

[BTDT2]

Forget the geofabric and enjoy the free soil binder.

Life's too short to worry about weeds in your driveway

 

[Redneck in training]

The geofabric will prevent mud permeating up and slow down the process of fertile soil collecting in the rock. But you are right sooner or later the weeds and grass start growing there.
You can do the opposite. Cultivate the grass on the driveway preventing weeds growing there. Very popular in Europe. They sell concrete tiles of various sizes that look like a grid with holes about 5X5" separated by about 2" wide "bars". The holes are filled with topsoil. The concrete provides stability while the grass makes that look like lawn.

Permeable and Porous Concrete Pavers - The Concrete Network

 

[mustangsallysdad]

Hey guys i am planning on installing a bluestone gravel driveway. I dont want weeds or would like to keep them at a minimum. The driveway is 15ft wide by 150ft long. I was thinking i could roll out some type of rotproof plastic or a tarp and then cover it with 4-5 inches of bluestone? I cannot find a underlayment product that i am asking for. All the tarps i found are rotproof but thats above grade. Any help is appreciated. Thanks guys.:thumbsup:

Have it "chip sealed" or "surface treatment" in some parts of the country...I'm on my sixth year after having mine done (12' x 1,400') and have yet to have any weeds...the contractor applied an herbicide prior to first coat.

 

[Jeff244]

I'm not exactly sure what the bluestone is that you are using. What I am familiar with is small size (3/8"-1/2") stone chips. If that is what you are planning on using, I think you will have problems with it moving all over the place. There is no "fines" in it to bond the stone together like crushed limestone, so it will move. Like mustangsallysdad said, you should have it "chip sealed" or "tar and chips" is what I always called it.


Jeff

 

[spruce Deere]

Hey guys i am planning on installing a bluestone gravel driveway. I dont want weeds or would like to keep them at a minimum. The driveway is 15ft wide by 150ft long. I was thinking i could roll out some type of rotproof plastic or a tarp and then cover it with 4-5 inches of bluestone? I cannot find a underlayment product that i am asking for. All the tarps i found are rotproof but thats above grade. Any help is appreciated. Thanks guys.:thumbsup:

Lay geofabric down first, it will not so much keep the weeds down but keep the rock up... Get your rock all spread nice and smooth and then spray or have it sprayed by someone with a pre-emergent herbicide like valpar, simazine, oust over the rock. Once a year application in later spring should keep it green free. Mabe mix in a little round-up or stinger to smoke off what ever is alive will help too.

 

[ampa]

Cement is the expensive way to go,but also....not done correctly is a bummer,weeds find their way through,I have an older friend that done his own driveway using a small cement mixer,still in good shape after 30 years, took him a long time,but saved the $$,just my 2 cents,.......Ampa