Drive way material

rbh

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Redoing a big portion of my drive way as it was getting higher than the entrance into my shop and I did not want it flooding again this year when the snow melts, I cut/dug the top layer of gravel/dirt off so I am now down to topsoil/clay base which I dropped and sloped to where I want it. Before I put the gravel back on what should I but down as a base??1 inch- 2 inch -3 inch pit run or anything?
 

mickyryan

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if you can I would put 4" of big rock then 2" of smaller rock then fines then pavers , if not going to do that follow the first 2 then whatever you will put on top, also use weed matt so the rock doesn't just disspear into ground but that will give you a nice French drain driveway that stays dry yet good to drive on and you wont lose your rock in the soil over the years, also tamp with a jumpin jack tamper not a plate tamper as plates only tamp like top 1"
 

Gyrene

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I am fond of crushed rock. It drains, yet "locks" together and becomes almost like concrete.
 

further

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Millings are great and you can likely get them for free or next to nothing as most asphalt contractors are paying to dump. The only thing you want to watch for is that the millings are fine with no chunks or dirt mixed in. Lay that down 4" thick and roll it, it'll last for years.
 

Bob_VT

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I know this is late but........ depending on the base I would put a layer of geotextile cloth down first then build up on that. It will save the gravel from sinking into mud and just use 1 1/2" minus gravel on top.
 

rbh

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Hi Guys- so the front of the shop is 40 feet and I went down about 4 -6 inches with the blade, most of the material was 3/4 minus+ some dirt under the gravel was bigger material mix probably a 3 inch minus, left that alone.
As my drive way rises to the main road I took it down to the natural dirt for about 30 feet past the shop and tapered it for the rise-so now my area for 70 feet is at the same height, I am thinking on bringing in some 2 inch crush which will lock up nicely and put the extra 3/4 inch minus on top of it. I have about 8 yards of the stuff I scraped off to use as filler.
 

brian4321

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You have the right idea by using bigger rock for the base and smaller to top it off... I personally am not a fan of the matting but I know a lot of ppl swear by it..for a small fee I'll come pour a concrete driveway, then you won't have to worry about rockšŸ˜‰
 

79_banshee

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I used to work in road construction and the cloth/ matting is a good idea but it was usually used only in soft areas. I would also say that the above mentioned idea of topping it off with millings would be best expesally if you packed it and then the more you drive on it the more it will pack. It will be like a paved drive way in no time. The crushed 2 would be s good base and 3/4 would be good aswell for a top if you don't want to do millings. That is what we used on driveways. If you work the gravel while its wet is best too cause it keeps the sand with the Rock and packs better making it hard when it drys. Another trick we would do is once it was packed we would soak the driveway with the garden hose so the sand would seal the top layer of gravel when it dryed it was like concrete.
 
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jbcurt00

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Its been more then 30days since RBH posted here that he'd dug down and posted his plan. Probably doesnt need new suggestions....


Unless he posts that he's not done the crusher run and etc that he had planned to do.
 

rbh

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still working on this muddy mess, need more gravel and do some more trenching-thanks guys for the suggestions
 
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