Top Dressing Driveway - Gravel or Crushed Concrete

[pjbci]

I just look for milling projects on local roads. They love to give them away. Cant get rid of them!

Heck, they pay us to haul em off.

 

[JohnnyMX]

I am nervous about millings as I don't think I can re-work them as easy as an aggregate product. My base isn't 100% and we get some heavy tractors on the driveway that work the fields. Here is a shot of the rock placed in the parking area and a shot of that area. Nice and flat area and vehicles are moving slowly here. You can see the driveway start. I have some spots that are still softer than others and I will start with some concrete there. If I have to re-top with crusher it will help build it up a bit.

 

[fried1765]

I am nervous about millings as I don't think I can re-work them as easy as an aggregate product. My base isn't 100% and we get some heavy tractors on the driveway that work the fields. Here is a shot of the rock placed in the parking area and a shot of that area. Nice and flat area and vehicles are moving slowly here. You can see the driveway start. I have some spots that are still softer than others and I will start with some concrete there. If I have to re-top with crusher it will help build it up a bit.

I agree with your assumption.
Asphalt millings will become more difficult to re-work as they firm up over time.
If you have a good solid base, millings are excellent.

 

[zzvyb6]

I had gravel at first, then crushed concrete, then crushed asphalt. Asphalt was best maybe because it was fresh still with some tar in it. But, my room mate suggested uncrushed concrete and that's been the favorite by a long shot. No more stones, burned dogs feet, black marks on other surfaces, snowplow sidekick, and constant raking. Downside is that now its a racetrack. I installed a police type radar speed display to catch the race drivers. Been caught twice myself. But, I couldn't turn her suggestion down. !

 

[interactoiw]

I think a more durable material will do in your case. Pebbles are not quite suitable, as they will break under the car's weight and lead to cracks in the rubber of car wheels. Just try to consult someone from this field; I think they understand better than the people on the forum. I used the services of a highly-experienced concrete professionals when my wife and I were doing our garden in the house. I can say that these are good guys who will tell you exactly what to do in such a situation. Good luck to everyone

 

[square1]

In my experience crushed concrete is a bear to maintain compared to gravel and maintenance is a must with both.

 

[JohnnyMX]

Wanted to follow-up with the gravel I placed in the parking area that was clean 1/2 minus. I was worried I was going to plow all of it off over the winter, but it stayed put just fine. I had a few find their way into the yard, but that is normal during the early plowing. It is FAR less after I started using a piece of pipe on the cutting edge or this probably would have been a disaster. Since laying that clean stone, we have had zero issues with mud in the area from dogs, cars, or foot traffic.

The driveway did get laid as well, but I chickened out on the crushed concrete. Each tire, be it mine, a neighbor, or friends, would be a potential nightmare. As mentioned above, they both still require maintenance. I got 40 tons of 1" minus crusher and topped the areas in need and got a land plane. This is working out great so far as it is super easy to maintain and will eventually pack hard in the summer (spring/fall can get sloppy). A couple passes has it renewed and because I'm not using the box blade I'm not dragging material off sections of the drive and more just churning up the crusher in place. If anything I would possibly add the "Rock Chips" to keep things out of the mud as they would work in just fine and keep cars out of the mud, and I do not need any more fines.

 

[EddieWalker]

Thanks for the update. Sounds like you got it figured out and did a good job!!!!