To Add Gravel or not to Add Gravel

JayJ · Aug 7, 2004

Our quarter mile gravel driveway has disappeared ( Did it fill up or sink? ) Can I simply rejuvenate it with the box blade and scarifier(sp?) or do I need to have fresh gravel laid in?

( ..."This ain't no dress rehearsal"...Bill Mills )

Junkman · Aug 7, 2004

Without more information about your local soil conditions, weather and climatic variations, usage, size, etc. I can't hazard a guess as to whether you need more or just try to rejuvenate.. Usually if the gravel has disappeared, it has sunk into the sub layer and more should be put on top to re establish the top surface. This will be a never ending situation if the underlying sub soils have not been removed. If the driveway gets a lot of traffic and develop pot holes, then some of the material is being sprayed off the drive and into the surrounding area every time someone drives thought hat pot hole. Fill out your profile and give us some more information and you will receive the help that you request.. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Darren · Aug 7, 2004

What's the terrain like where your driveway is located. Is it sloped or flat? What about drainage? Did heavy rains wash out the gravel? What size stone did you use?

phantom309 · Aug 7, 2004

FWIW, I've had much better luck with crushed asphalt instead of gravel. When we used gravel, it would constantly move around, would not pack and would eventually be ground into the mud and/or pushed off the road.

Crushed asphalt will bond together under heat and pressure and will eventually become a solid mass that will shed water and will last for a very long time.

have_blue · Aug 7, 2004

( Our quarter mile gravel driveway has disappeared )

If the roadbed is still raised, you can kill the grass and rake it to freshen it up. But I wouldn't. Each additional layer of gravel will take longer to compact than the last, especially crushed limestone. In fact, it may not sink ever again unless your roadbed is low and mushy to begin with.

I would just add a layer of crushed limstone. The smallest you can afford, even down to pea size. It will settle into the underlying larger gravel, fill in the voids, and become very smooth.

The best new roads I have seen were 1-1/2", followed by 1/2", followed by 1/4" layers of sharp, crushed limestone. Expensive, but permanent if the bed is decent.

Soundguy · Aug 8, 2004

Really depends on what happened to the gravel, and the bed. If the gravel simply migrated and the bed or sub base is still good.. just revravel it. if the base is damaged.. repair that first.

As cheap as gravel is.. and as easy as it is to move.. you may be cost effective at a simple regravel.. if there are no huge potholes or blowouts.

Soundguy

JayJ · Aug 8, 2004

Guys...Thanks for your help! I'm going to regravel with 1/2" stone and regravel again with pea a couple of years from now. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

herdfan · Aug 8, 2004

Jay

FWIW

You may want to consider putting a layer of geotextile fabric down before you lay down that course of 2s. We used this fabric on our new road and it really helps to prevent the base dirt from swallowing up your stone. The stuff isn't cheap, but we have already recouped it's cost in stone savings.

Dave___in___CT · Aug 9, 2004

( Jay

FWIW

You may want to consider putting a layer of geotextile fabric down before you lay down that course of 2s. We used this fabric on our new road and it really helps to prevent the base dirt from swallowing up your stone. The stuff isn't cheap, but we have already recouped it's cost in stone savings. )

I agree with this...

...the "road base" fabric solved the disappearing stone for me too...

It's available in different qualities/thickness's...

Dave...