OT: Adding gravel to cottage driveways

[cityfisher]

Hey all,

 

Thinking about adding a layer of gravel to my cottage driveway, right now its mostly mud and old remints of gravel. There are 2 driveways, both about 12 by 100.

 

both are very level with no low areas

 

I called around to local supliers, pit run from 180 a load ... 4 inch pit run from 220 a load... Gran A from 320 ..gran b 340... 3/4 clear from 420. ( 15 tones)

 

One of the driveway is primary access and the other is mostly for storage ..excess parking.

 

Can we use pit run ? or should we be using the $$ gran A or B ???

 

Thanks all..

[Gerritt]

I would be doing a decent layer of crusher run and get yourself a decent base

 

Hope it helps

 

G

[bigugli]

A base of compacted crusher run followed by a 3-4" top layer of crushed lime. Once compacted its as hard as concrete.

[SirWhite]

A base of compacted crusher run followed by a 3-4" top layer of crushed lime. Once compacted its as hard as concrete.

Bang on. However if you do not grade and tamp every 3" you'll have lots of valleys. If your looking for an easier route use 3/4" on top of what u already have, the clear gravel is easier to push around and fill up holes, clear gravel is nasty on bare feet and never truly compacts like limestone screenings or gran "a" but can be moved by a rake regardless of how long it's been down. Just some FYI. Good luck

[buckster]

Personally I wouldn't go to the extreme of compacting it every 3 inches, unless of course you are horrible at grading lol. But the above advice using crusher run as a base and screenings to cap it off is spot on. Also make sure the gravel has good moisture content before compaction.

[HTHM]

Personally I wouldn't go to the extreme of compacting it every 3 inches, unless of course you are horrible at grading lol. But the above advice using crusher run as a base and screenings to cap it off is spot on. Also make sure the gravel has good moisture content before compaction.

To mildly disagree, compacting it every 3" , (even with a plate tamper), will achieve 98% Proctor. And that my friend, is a good solid driveway. I am not a fan of clear anything as a surface treatment unless a concrete pad is planned.

And to add even more stability, place a layer of geo-textile over the existing base.

Edited April 18, 2013 by HTHM

[SirWhite]

Personally I wouldn't go to the extreme of compacting it every 3 inches.

I wouldn't say extreme as much as correct lol

 

If not compacted a vehicles weight will create craters. Fact. You must imagine any vehicles weight is transferred to the ground via the tires and only a small amount (maybe 5"*5") of each tire contacts the ground. This creates tones of pressure on a small area which results in autonomy failure (craters) I've been doing this stuff for a long time and am certified by Landscape Ontario lol I'm not just pissin in the wind. if you went by the "book" 12" of compacted materials in a combo of gran "a" (8") and screenings (4") for a real base and compacted every 2" to 3"

Edited April 18, 2013 by SirWhite

[Gerritt]

To mildly disagree, compacting it every 3" , (even with a plate tamper), will achieve 98% Proctor. And that my friend, is a good solid driveway. I am not a fan of clear anything as a surface treatment unless a concrete pad is planned.

And to add even more stability, place a layer of geo-textile over the existing base.

 

 

Agreed here, and is the first time I seen the replies.

 

The above is why I never mentioned 3/4 clear

 

I suggested crusher run as the base, or as A LOT of country driveways do.. they use it as their driveway... Like I did. you tamp them, or have a roller do it and over time they compact further.. a decent solid base to drive on.

 

3/4 Clear will always remain loose, thats what it is supposed to do and is why we use it around foundations to help drain water, even tons of pressure from the soil above will not compact it.

 

Cars will move the stone as they drive on it, tires will spin on it alot easier, a PIA to shovel with stone all over the lawn (Pick them up before you mow the lawn) and a even bigger pain to snowblow (Better have spare shear pins on hand... alot of them)

 

If it were me, I would put down crusher run and be done with it... It's a cottage.

 

G

Edited April 18, 2013 by Gerritt

[IndySKS]

Well since it's just a "cottage " driveway and see's very little traffic, and from what your saying it shows some remnants of a gravel base and is by what i read as it being level and solid, unless you want to dig it out and start over or build it up with B gravel or pit run. I would suggest just adding some of the A gravel to the top of what you have. maybe 2 or 3 inches would be all you need to just spruce it up. Unless you plan to pave or concrete it in the future for all the traffic it see's imo thats about all you need.

 

Do you know what pit run , gran b 4 inch and Gran B is ? Certainly not something you want to use to be adding a layer of gravel to a cottage driveway. This material is generally used as a base with another type of material put over it.

 

"A" gravel is what you see on the gravel roads out in the country, There's many reasons that they use that type of material for a top later on roads and not any other type of material. Go with the pro's on this one.

 

I would stay away from the 3/4 clear stone too. Good material just not the right place or application for this material

 

The crusher run that a few guys have mentioned is also a good idea but has it's disadvantages too.

 

Unless the person with some knowledge see's first hand what you have, it's all up to interpretation and opinions and what you want the final out come to be based on the conditions you have to work with. Well and how many $$ you want to spend too.

 

 

[cityfisher]

Thanks all!! Good info!

 

Yeah we just want to spruce it up a bit, doesnt need any major overhaul or anything like that .. Just a fresh coat of sometype of gravel to keep the mud down.

[buckster]

I wouldn't say extreme as much as correct lol

If not compacted a vehicles weight will create craters. Fact. You must imagine any vehicles weight is transferred to the ground via the tires and only a small amount (maybe 5"*5") of each tire contacts the ground. This creates tones of pressure on a small area which results in autonomy failure (craters) I've been doing this stuff for a long time and am certified by Landscape Ontario lol I'm not just pissin in the wind. if you went by the "book" 12" of compacted materials in a combo of gran "a" (8") and screenings (4") for a real base and compacted every 2" to 3"

You're not the only one certified by landscape ontario and doing this stuff for a long time lol. FYI I've achieved 98% compaction in lifts as much as 8"-10". I'm not saying its a bad idea to compact in smaller lifts. It's great advise but I'd be just as comfortable compacting 4-5" with a gas plate tamper.

[misfish]

Get it paved,and yer done.LOL

 

JUST PLAY,N.

 

Good advise up above.

[SirWhite]

 

You're not the only one certified by landscape ontario and doing this stuff for a long time lol. FYI I've achieved 98% compaction in lifts as much as 8"-10". I'm not saying its a bad idea to compact in smaller lifts. It's great advise but I'd be just as comfortable compacting 4-5" with a gas plate tamper.

Unilock too lol. And they wouldn't put a warranty on your numbers

Edited April 19, 2013 by SirWhite

[HTHM]

You're not the only one certified by landscape ontario and doing this stuff for a long time lol. FYI I've achieved 98% compaction in lifts as much as 8"-10". I'm not saying its a bad idea to compact in smaller lifts. It's great advise but I'd be just as comfortable compacting 4-5" with a gas plate tamper.

I'm not certified by anyone, just been playin in the dirt for ~30 years. I'm thinking a payoff might have given you that result with a plate tamper. Unless of course it is a BIG ass tamper.

[buckster]

I'm not certified by anyone, just been playin in the dirt for ~30 years. I'm thinking a payoff might have given you that result with a plate tamper. Unless of course it is a BIG ass tamper.

Did you just call me a big ass? Lol. And yes a diesel plate. No pay offs involved lol

[HTHM]

Did you just call me a big ass? Lol. And yes a diesel plate. No pay offs involved lol

Well, there ya go, two guys can agree on technical questions...

[Entropy]

I fixed up my drive. We put down 16 to 18 inches of A gravel after the topsoil was dug out (not sure what the previous owners were thinking), drove my pickup turck back and forth on it for 30 min, that packed it down well. We waited a year to let 'mother nature' pack it down a bit more, then put down 3 to 4 inch of HL6 (mix of 3/8" and 3/4" crush clear). It is firm and keeps the house, shoes, and cars clean.

Edited April 20, 2013 by Entropy