Driveway gravel question

grandmajo · #1 06/13/13, 06:46 PM

When my late husband and I bought this place the driveway was a nightmare. It has a pretty steep grade to it and that part had very deep ruts in it. Like 6 to 12 inch deep ruts that were long and wide. Part of the problem was that the guy who built the house let them clean out the cement truck in the driveway and they only did it on one side. So there's a patch of cement on one side and the water ran down the other side when it rained.

So, he had some gravel hauled in, it was the bigger size, I think #3 & #4 and he worked that down into those ruts. Followed that up with the smaller gravel. It was a huge improvement.

Now I have a new guy in my life. He's telling me that my late husband didn't do the driveway repair right and he wants to tear the driveway down in that area and removed all of the big gravel.

Is this correct?

jwal10 · #2 06/13/13, 07:02 PM

IF it is holding I would leave it alone. Maybe add some more small rock to topdress it. IF it is a mess again, may be better to lay fabric and rebuild the road on top of that. IF the big rock is removed it may wash again To keep the road from washing ruts, the road may need more crown to get the water into the ditches quicker, instead of the water running down the tire tracks....James

primal1 · #3 06/13/13, 07:03 PM

sounds like a waste of time and or money to me.. a good layer of stonedust, compacted would be all you need to finish it.. the pro's might give you a better answer/way though

simi-steading · #4 06/13/13, 07:11 PM

Do you have problems with it? Is water collecting or running to the wrong areas? Is he willing to pay for it?

Too many variables we can't see to tell you what to do..

maverickxxx · #5 06/13/13, 07:15 PM

Really depends on what sub grade is under the stone but if u were wanting to fix driveway with out the cost of fabric I would recommend doing exactly what your late husband did. If its getting mushy agin I would recommend bigger stone agin then top dressing that agin with smaller stone on top. Drainage might be better answer though if its getting really bad. If its really wet area drying it up could stabilize everything.

Darren · #6 06/13/13, 07:23 PM

Since it's on a slope, I would hope in dry weather you don't have soft spots. If that's the case put down a smaller sized crush & run stone. The fines will pack down and bind every thing together.

grandmajo · #7 06/13/13, 07:43 PM

Thanks everyone.

No it is holding up well in my opinion. We drove over it for the last 1.5 years and it has packed in nice. There are no soft spots in it, even when we had all the rain earlier in the spring.

He's telling me that the way it was done isn't the way he did it when he worked for his dad building roads for logging. But, those weren't permanent roads, they only needed to last as long as the job did. My late husband on the other hand was the site manager for our local landfill. He built roads there that had to stand up to hundreds of trucks driving over them daily for years.

And no, he isn't willing to pay for it.

simi-steading · #8 06/13/13, 08:01 PM

Sounds like you don't need to fix what's not broken then.... Sounds like your husband really knew what he was doing...

agmantoo · #9 06/13/13, 08:34 PM

On steep slopes it is usual and customary around here for those in the know to put large stone or creek rock down first and then top dress that with small stone. To save money I now put down unscreened crushed concrete and then put screened (smaller) crushed concrete on top. This looks good and holds rather decently. I have never seen a stoned or crushed concrete drive on steep terrain that does not need maintenance from time to time. Tell you friend that in the old days it was common to dynamite potholes but now since dynamite is hard to come by we use alternate methods. You have lived at the location and have a history of what works. Price the quarry stone and that will quench the discussion to change the process.

Ana Bluebird · #10 06/13/13, 08:36 PM

Sounds to me like this whole discussion is NOT about the drive-way.

MichaelZ · #11 06/13/13, 08:43 PM

We live in clay country with lots of frost heaving, where putting in a decent driveway can be tough. We put them in the exact same way you did. Large gravel covered with smaller gravel. The large gravel locks together (as opposed to being swallowed up) and the smaller gravel gives you a nice surface. Your late husband did this right.

Time for a diversion. Find something your late husband actually did not do correctly and get the new guy working on that.

wannabechef · #12 06/13/13, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ana Bluebird

Sounds to me like this whole discussion is NOT about the drive-way.

I agree, maybe the new fellow is a know it all?

Allen W · #13 06/13/13, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wannabechef

I agree, maybe the new fellow is a know it all?

I've got a friend who would say it is time for him to go, but she has gotten pretty narrow minded.

mekasmom · #14 06/13/13, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grandmajo

Is this correct?

No. You want the larger gravel on bottom. My husband does driveways and parking lots for a living. You want the larger gravel on the bottom of the base. C6 on top would be fine or even a finer gravel. I wouldn't use pea gravel on top on a steep grade, but if you did it's ok. You might just have a lot more loss and erosion with it than with c6. If that becomes a problem, you can just add more gravel.
And, if you ever get the drive blacktopped on a steep grade like that, don't seal it. It will be really slick in winter if it gets too much sealer on it.

Wolf mom · #15 06/13/13, 09:19 PM

The way your former husband did it is the way gravel roads are built around here.
It's the way my neighbor who worked for a gravel company and built roads and driveways built mine.
All I've ever done is top dress it with pea gravel cause I like the looks & feel it's better on horses hooves.

Trust yourself -

davel745 · #16 06/14/13, 07:46 AM

Note don't use fabric on a steep slope as it will slip. I would stay with what you got.
Maybe you could use some crusher run if put down correctly the water tends to shed off of it. Slope the driveway to the low side just a little and the rain will tend to run off.
I have three inch stone as a base and then 1 1/2 inch for a top layer. After awhile the stone will support the weight of the vehicle's and then it is just a matter of pulling the stuff that spreads to the edges back into the tracks. It took three applications of stone to get it to support the truck. I think it is about 6 to 8 inches deep.

jwal10 · #17 06/14/13, 10:24 AM

I have seen roads built right over a spring, water seeps right through the roadbed, right on a step slope and no amount of BIG rock will stop a pot hole starting right there. Even seen it after pavement was laid, had to go back, dig out the pothole and lay fabric and up to 2' of BIG rock. Then rebuild the roadbed. There has to be enough rock applied to keep the roadbed from slipping, AND the roadbed has to be built up properly....James

Ozarks Tom · #18 06/14/13, 03:23 PM

We've got a fairly steep gravel driveway, plus a neighbor way up the hill who put in a too small culvert that gets plugged, diverting ditch water back out on the road and our drive. I did our drive just like your late husband, 2" covered with 1" base/grit. I just touch it up on the edges now and then. It's been 4 years since we've needed another load of gravel. As long as it's crowned, you shouldn't have any problems.

am1too · #19 06/14/13, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grandmajo

Thanks everyone.

No it is holding up well in my opinion. We drove over it for the last 1.5 years and it has packed in nice. There are no soft spots in it, even when we had all the rain earlier in the spring.

He's telling me that the way it was done isn't the way he did it when he worked for his dad building roads for logging. But, those weren't permanent roads, they only needed to last as long as the job did. My late husband on the other hand was the site manager for our local landfill. He built roads there that had to stand up to hundreds of trucks driving over them daily for years.

And no, he isn't willing to pay for it.

Tell em no. If he still pushes it tell em go.

am1too · #20 06/14/13, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelZ

We live in clay country with lots of frost heaving, where putting in a decent driveway can be tough. We put them in the exact same way you did. Large gravel covered with smaller gravel. The large gravel locks together (as opposed to being swallowed up) and the smaller gravel gives you a nice surface. Your late husband did this right.

Time for a diversion. Find something your late husband actually did not do correctly and get the new guy working on that.

The new man is at war with the old one or taking a widow for a ride. All to common. I think it would be better to tell him to go.