Crushed Concrete for driveway

[japody]

Has anyone used crushed concrete for their driveway? I've got a contractor telling me it works as well as 57s. It's $300 for a 15 ton load vs. $500 for the 57s. I'll need at least 12 loads. He's doing a major overhaul including using a road grader to get down to hard pan, vibratory sheepsfoot roller, ditches and piping. The concrete will be used as the base and rolled. Will come back later with crush and run for top coating. Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I really like the stuff, it's $31.00 per yard here...

The big deal about it here is, to get some that "doesn't" have a lot of metal in it...

SR

 

[mapper]

Neighbor used it for base on his driveway, hasn't yet put top on it. It did have some steel in it, he spent some time picking it out as his contractor delivered and spread it. Course enough to require a dozer to spread effectively, about 1.5" +/-. Time will tell how well it works, our soil gets pretty gooey during the winter and requires a good base to make a driveway that will hold up over time.

 

[tomplum]

So is this the same as "concrete screenings" or larger, more gravel sized? I've used screenings for a base as it is fine and packs well. No metal here that I recall.

 

[RNeumann]

You can get recycled material around here. It’s not as pretty and some engineers won’t spec it. So if you like the look and don’t mind it possibly not meeting a specific spec - make it happen.

 

[Streetcar]

Crushed concrete will usually deteriorate and breakdown if left exposed to weather in Ohio

 

[TractorGuy]

We did a section of drive with it this year. I paid $370 per 18yd truck load. Pleased so far. It needs raking again with all the rain we've had but it seems to be holding up well. One of the county road guys talked me into using it. He says it has a compaction rate that is 20 times greater than limestone.

The stuff I got was clean white crush no larger than 3/4". No steel that I've seen.

 

[the old grind]

... The big deal about it here is, to get some that "doesn't" have a lot of metal in it ... SR

I love CC, spread in bucket-loads vs just pushing from a pile which would leave too many fines where it was dumped.

Also use a 30" 'magnetic floor sweeper' (HFT, Amazon) to remove rusty iron and scraps of cyclone fence 'remesh'. Go over the job again later on to be sure. (pull it, not push it)

Same as with cru$hed lime$tone I regularly get 'right sized' rocks sticking between the lugs on golf cart tires and they end up in the garage. Edge tamers (3) let me use the FEL bucket to move snow (550' d-way) and keep me from plowing gravel into virtual curbs. t o g

 

[s219]

For a base I think it's great. With crusher run over the top, you'll never know the difference.

 

[EddieWalker]

Here in East Texas, limestone is the only choice for road base. It's crushed with jagged edges ranging in size from an inch and a half or so for the very largest rocks, on down to fines. It works really good, but does break down over time. My supplier recommended crushed concrete instead of limestone. He said that it's harder, it doesn't break down and it compacts a lot better. I took a chance and gave it a try. He was right, and that's all I will buy now. There is a significant difference, especially after a heavy rain where the limestone feels a little wet and snotty, the crushed concrete feels solid.

Crushed concrete is not the same as concrete wash. The wash is what's left over in the cement truck and full of river rock that will never compact. The crushed concrete has rough edges and it's mixed in size all the way down to fines, so it compacts really good and gives you a very solid surface. I don't add anything to it, just get it four inches thick or more, and it works great!!!

 

[Streetcar]

We did a section of drive with it this year. I paid $370 per 18yd truck load. Pleased so far. It needs raking again with all the rain we've had but it seems to be holding up well. One of the county road guys talked me into using it. He says it has a compaction rate that is 20 times greater than limestone.

The stuff I got was clean white crush no larger than 3/4". No steel that I've seen.

Compaction should be similar to crushed limestone. In Florida ,freeze thaw cycles are not a big worry

 

[Xfaxman]

See if crushed asphalt, not millings, is available there for the top layer. Worked great on the two steep sections of our gravel drive. :thumbsup:

 

[mcfarmall]

I made a parking spot for another vehicle next to a one lane driveway at my first house using CC. The stuff was awesome! Compacted down over time with use and is pretty much impossible to dig with a shovel. Would definitely use it again should the need arise. Just had a few pieces of mesh wire in it.

 

[japody]

Thanks for all the positive comments. I think I will go with the CC if it ever dries out around here. We are now at the second wettest year ever, with more rain coming Thursday. Only need about 1 1/2 inches to beat the record. I will update with pics when/if the CC goes down.

 

[TractorGuy]

When we did ours I had the county come out with a road grader to do the prep and finish. They will work on our non county maintained roads for $96 hr. Probably out of guilt for not including the service for our property tax.

I had a couple of loads of dirt brought the day before and filled the low spots.

The road grader shaped it before the CC was dumped. The dump truck drivers were awesome. All 4 of them knew just how far to open the gate and how fast to pull forward. Each one left a small pile at the start and put diwn an even 4 inch layer. The road grader went back over it to even out the start piles then drove up and down the road to pack it. The whole operation took less than 2 hours and they only billed me for 1.

 

[PILOON]

Crazy as it is, you cannot bury concrete but you can crush it as a top dressing for roads.
They say it is to protect the water table.
Generally the water table is considered to be at 400 ft!
Also (around here) only your concrete can be used and not some from another site.
BUT, yes it is as good as any 0-3/4", crush run or whatever the local jargon is.

Crushed or recycled asphalt is still the product of choice IMHO.

 

[RoyKing]

it usually comes in grades by size of pieces and most offer cleaned so no steel in it, the finest grade is a cheap as sand and with time really gets dense. So for looks have them bring the dust first compact it and let it stand for awhile then bring in the walnut size chunks for a top layer. We get the dust for $180 a load, grade $360