What makes the best driveway

Once or twice a year, use a tractor with a grading blade to renew the crown by pulling gravel from the sides back to the center of the driveway. Rake the driveway on a consistent basis to remove sticks, leaves, and other materials.

If low patches appear and begin to collect water when it rains, fill them in with more gravel, along with any potholes that develop.

Set the snowplow up with shoes set about half an inch above the ground. First plow the middle of the driveway, then work up and down alongside your initial line, rolling snow off to the side.

Avoid creating large banks on the sides of the driveway, which can become harder to move with each snowfall. Leave about an inch of snow on the driveway; it will provide a good driving surface and prevent the plow from disturbing the gravel. Your tires will still get plenty of traction from the gravel with an inch of snow on top.

The question of driveway durability comes down to how well that driveway is maintained. When properly cared for, a gravel driveway can last decades. Make sure to add new gravel as needed every two to four years. Once or twice a year, you should use a tractor with a grading blade to move gravel from the sides up to the center of the driveway to create a crown.

The crown should be one inch for every three or four feet of driveway width. Your total amount of gravel underneath a concrete slab should be eight inches. Four inches of gravel will act as the base, and four inches will be used in the concrete slab.

How far your gravel will go depends on how deep you are planning to pour it. A one-inch layer of gravel covers square feet, while a ton spread at a depth of three inches covers eighty feet.

Plan to use about a ton for every 70 square feet. You should also re-grade the driveway with a tractor and a grading blade once or twice a year to reset the crown by moving gravel from the sides to the center. Pea gravel is also a durable, low-maintenance driveway material. Salting a gravel driveway will kill grass and weeds growing there and keep the driveway clear of plants for several years.

However, the salts can also spread through the soil due to rainfall and damage other plants growing nearby. For these reasons, salt should be used carefully and sparingly on gravel driveways. Moistening the top of your gravel driveway with plain water will help keep dust to a minimum. Apply some water with your garden hose or sprinkler system every couple of days.

Using salt or binding materials is more effective and permanent, but they can also spread through the soil as rain falls to poison nearby plant life. Salt and binder treatments should be used carefully and sparingly for these reasons. Potholes develop in low spots because of water trapped under the surface of your gravel driveway.

To fill a pothole, first check the hole for any large stones or other debris and remove it from the driveway. You may need to use a spade or other tool to make the sides of the hole even. Then fill it with gravel, compacting it and adding in layers until the hole is full.

Self-binding gravel settles to create a compact surface for walking and driving without the need for binding materials. Asphalt is cheaper than concrete when it comes to building a driveway, but gravel is the cheapest option of all.

Leave a comment! Today, she lives and gardens on the high plains of Colorado. I had no idea that gravel consisted of three different sizes of rock. It sounds like there are many benefits of using the three different sizes so making sure that the contractor does it will be important.

Getting a sample of what to expect for your gravel driveway would also be important. I was wondering if there is a way to do only two layers and get a fairly decent outcome. We are on a tight budget but the drive desperately needs done.

I want a colored reddish tint rock for the top, What would the two best sizes for the layers be if we went with only two? It really depends on the stability of the ground. The reason for the big gravel is to establish a non sinking firm base. Support heavy traffic. As an alternative, you can use a strong geo-textile underneath a medium sized gravel, but more often than not, I find it just as expensive, if.

It more. The idea is to use a heavy-duty material with a long-life guarantee. Any advise? On our existing uphill gravel driveway, what size gravel is best to use? Seems as if all gravel used in the past eventually sinks into the driveway. Also how is best way to keep gravel from spreading to the side and off the driveway. We live in Florida where it is very Sandy.

Between our houses it is ten feet wide. Nothing will grow there it is all sand. We decided to cover the area with 2 river rock. This we hoped would make it look better and less sand to blow. We dug down four inches and layed barrier then 2 river rock. Other than walking on it we want to be able to drive our golf cart on it to the back of the house. The problem is it seems too loose makes grooves from the cart to the point of almost getting stuck.

What can we do to. This dust will fill the spaces between the gravel and help it to support weight better without moving. Also, do NOT use rounded stones like river rock. They will never lock together like angular stones and will always shift under weight.

I am thinking of using gravel for my driveway. When combined with stabilizing grid paving system, this provides a super durable and beautiful driveway.

Some of the aforementioned gravel types require stabilization, but the best way to construct any gravel driveway is by using TRUEGRID permeable pavers to lock in your gravel. The fill gravel is poured over the top of a piece of fabric at the bottom of the excavated area where you want your driveway that provides drainage for water and other liquids. Next, your surface gravel of choice is poured over the pavers and locked into place using a heavy roller or vehicle.

This weighs the pavers down and locks them securely into place. A properly installed and maintained TRUEGRID gravel driveway is durable enough to handle all types of vehicle traffic and will last up to 60 years without cracking or breaking down in the sun, rain, or other types of weather like asphalt does..

Choosing the best gravel for driveway usage is only part of the equation. Buy Now. Buy Now Compare Products. Call or email and our engineers or customer team will be happy to help. Blog Home. Get an Estimate. Prev 1 of 1 Next. Compare Products. Get an Estimate Today Call for immediate pricing or submit form for hour Quote. If you prefer an extra-fine type of gravel, stone dust could be a smart driveway choice. It can be practical for many situations such as avoiding the growth of weeds on the driveway.

You will most likely need different sizes to create a reliable gravel surface for the driveway. The stone is crushed using machines to reach a specific size that makes the gravel fragments balanced and versatile.

A very popular type of gravel for the driveway, item 4 is a highly recommended option to form a sturdy base layer. The exact composition can differ so you can get item 4 gravel variations that offer more distinctive colors or durability characteristics. The texture and size make this type of gravel ideal for lots of driveways. It can make your driveway stand out through the sparkling whitish stones that show off different shades of tan and yellow.

This type of gravel is popular in New England and lots of other states due to resembling the look of beach sand. Using Jersey Shore gravel is recommended if you plan on making a more inviting atmosphere for your driveway. The stability of the gravel is comparable to pea gravel because of similarities in terms of size and texture. That means proper edging is mandatory to be able to drive on the gravel without issues. For a sparkling driveway appearance, marble chips could be an optimal choice.

Marble chips are also recommended for walkways if you can afford a complete makeover of the front yard. This type of gravel provides smooth and small stones that shimmer in the sunlight. Hold them in place with reliable edging materials to ensure adequate tidiness.

Most marble chips come in white and gray color combinations that bring a lot of visual interest. Granite that becomes weathered can get a nice texture for covering driveways. The fine style of decomposed granite represents a great solution, especially when considering the stylish color of this material. It incorporates varied rust and tan shades to create a unique look for the driveway. Decomposed granite gravel could be a good option considering the affordable cost per square foot.

This type of gravel is often laid in multiple layers for enhancing its strength through a compacting process. It could be a good idea to include a stabilizer in the rocky mix to ensure that pieces hold together well. Some homeowners dislike this kind of granite gravel due to its stickiness that makes it easy to drag into the home. Having cars sitting in the driveway can be a different situation. Unless the driveway is small enough to manage by yourself, larger areas will most likely require the professional services of a local landscape supplier.