Best time for gravel?

[Bob Ha]

I'm going to have some gravel put down and was wondering when is the best time. When it's wet or dry conditions? Secondly, is $10 per ton sound about right?

The following formula was provided by the quarry I'll be using. I'm only putting down 3" because it's a current rock driveway but needs some added to it.

The formula for determining the quantity required for my project is as follows:

Length x Width x Depth (in feet) ÷ 27 = Cubic Yards

We then multiply the number of cubic yards by the conversion factor for tons per cubic yard.

By using their formula I would need 167 tons... total cost of $1,670 (see below)

Driveway is 1,000 feet long, 10 feet wide and depth of 3"
1,000 feet long x 10 feet wide = 10,000 square feet

10,000 square feet x 3" thick (3" = 0.25 of 1 foot)

10,000 x 0.25 = 2,500 cubic feet

2,500 cubic feet ÷ 27 cubic feet per cubic yard = 92.6 cubic yards

92.6 cubic yards x 1.8 tons per cubic yard = 167 tons @ $10 per ton

 

[timswi]

If you're referring to limestone, which I believe you are, I like to put it down in mid spring when the ground is still slightly soft. This allows the stone to slightly attach to the surface instead of skidding off if the ground is too hard.. This has worked well for me.

The cost for the limestone tends to depend on where you live.

I like the stone with the powder left in, provides a binder once it gets wet.

I don't have enough brain power left tonight to analyze your calculations. But I use 24 ton over 250' 2-3" deep. Mine's only 7-8 ft wide except for a turnaround area. So you might be a little high, but not too far off. More is always better if you can use it.

 

[brandoro]

I agree. I like to put rock or gravel down when the ground is a bit soft so it will stick in a bit. Spring is a good time. I would say just after the frost has come out but I suspect someone from Texas would say "what frost"

 

[EddieWalker]

$10 a ton is so cheap that it makes me nervous. Red flags are going off and I'm wondering what you are getting, or if you are really getting a full ton for that price. Here, I can get limestone road base, in bulk for $22 a ton. It comes from the quarry in Terrel and is trucked an hour East, to here.

Road base is a rock that is broken up into a variety of sizes, with jagged edges. It ranges in size from several inches down to fines. The reason for this is when it's compacted, it locks together into a solid mass. When it rains, it will shed water, and it will support the weight of a vehicle over it.

Four inches is the minimum thickness. If you already have some base there, the best thing to do is to mix the two together. Just putting one on top of the other will mean the top layer will not be very strong and will fail sooner.

The best time to do this is when the soil is dry. Once cone, the rock will shed water, so the rock will not settle on you. If the soil is wet, then the rock will just sink into the soil. If you have to do it in wet conditions, you need to put down a much larger rock first to support the load and base rock over the wet soil.

What type of rock are you getting? Name and size? buying the wrong type of rock is just throwing money away.

Eddie

 

[Licklog]

My driveway is 900' long, 8-9' wide plus a large parking area. The last two times I have added gravel it has been crusher run which has 7-8 rock with powder. Each time I get one load which is normally 18-20 tons just for the driveway. I never measured the actual depth but I would guess it is well over two inches. The last load was Spring 2009 and it cost $280 delivered.

If the ground is dry I usually wait for a light rain before ordering the gravel. I order in the morning for afternoon delivery. Since my drive is steep, i ask for a driver by name so I know he will give me a nice spread. Had one guy come out before I learned my lesson and laid out a nice layer all the way up the drive only to turn around and stand on his brakes all the way back down. Since it was before I had my tractor I spent a lot of hours with my rake smoothing out his ruts.

 

[timswi]

Eddie, I was operating under the assumption that he has an existing base...Maybe not, after I re-read the post. There is a BIG difference as you stated. Putting #2 down on dirt won't work in the long haul.

My base is the stuff on the bottom of the barge that they won't put through the grinders due to settlement debris. Cheap, but very different in size...From #2 to the size of a small pumpkin..Lot's of "bucket sorting" with that stuff. Works great if you have big dips and such to fill as I did.

I messed up on the width of my driveway..Probably averages 9-10 ft wide for the most part.

 

[mattcage]

The math is good, but I wonder what you are getting for $10 ton; I am assuming delivered.

It is $31 something + tax delivered here for "road base" in south Louisiana. Best price I can find, and that is being trucked in about 38 miles one way. Limestone from 10 miles away is $75 a yard.

Matt

 

[CurlyDave]

Bob says he has "a current rock driveway".

What to add depends on what rock means. If it is currently gravel, 3" should be OK.

In Grants Pass, OR, what is called 3/4" minus (everything that comes out of the crusher and will pass through a 3/4" screen) sells for $14 per ton, plus delivery. There are a lot of independent truckers who will deliver for ~$80 per 20 ton load.

In a lot of ways the cost quoted is just an approximation. Figure 20 tons per dual truck load -- you are looking at 8 truckloads. This is not going to be delivered all at once, probably one or two drivers over the course of a few hours. As you get close to the end of the driveway, you will know how much it took but they may be off by more than a full truckload.

In our neck of the woods a very legitimate way to pack the gravel after spreading is to drive the next full load back & forth over the previously spread gravel. The driver should be adept at this and will probably do it free, maybe a small charge. Works for all but the last load.

 

[Egon]

If possible scarify/rip up the existing road base and windrow to the side. Lay down the new gravel and then mix the old stuff in with the new by rolling the windrow back and forth. This will also help even out the surface. When done make sure it is at the right moisture content and use a vibratory packer. Note: the gravel?? used should be crushed.

Now it all depends on what equipment you have or can rent!

 

[grunewald]

I agree with Timswi, probably depends on where you live. Was told that the main cost of crushed limestone is the transportation. The crushed limestone (or what we call base material ) is actually cheap, just have to pay for the dump truck and driver to deliver it. I live about 15 miles south of quarries, I pay about $110 or so for a 10 to 12 ton load, so the price is probably correct. It would cost alot more if it had to be hauled for an hour trip , one way, as in Eddies case. If you had your own delivery truck, dump trailer, or whatever, you could get it alot cheaper, but that would also cost you extra in your own fuel costs, etc. I dont have a dump truck sitting around my place, but at $110 a load, guess I am lucky.

 

[20 20]

I can't help with prices every place is different. I also would say that "terms used" for rock dirt limstone crusher run etc... are different. I could tell you what I pay for crush rock gravel or round rock and you'd probably cry{lot less}.
With that said I like things to be a little wet, less dust and it seems to take better. Up here though, if it's wet then it's muddy, so it's not to easy to get trucks in and out. If your base is solid I'd just go over the top it would be fine, otherwise mix if possible. it will mix over time either way. My drive is also 1000+' I had 4 20-25 ton dump loads brought. Then I had 6 or 7 10-13 ton loads brought. Then I bought my own dump and hauled another 20+ton. I had to work with clay and for the past few years we've had record rain fall, made building the drive a real pain. I did have crusher run brought but don't much care for it on my drive, doesn't hold up. I found a #2 crushed rock works the best. Different soils and areas will need different toppings in order to work best. Once the base is solid you could use pretty much whatever.

 

[SPYDERLK]

My driveway is 900' long, 8-9' wide plus a large parking area. The last two times I have added gravel it has been crusher run which has 7-8 rock with powder. Each time I get one load which is normally 18-20 tons just for the driveway. I never measured the actual depth but I would guess it is well over two inches. The last load was Spring 2009 and it cost $280 delivered.

... ...About 1/8" deep over over that 900 square yard area. Do you mean 90' long?
larry

 

[Bob Ha]

Thanks for the info. I was thinking early spring and you guys confirmed it. They said I could get from 1" to 3.5" crushed stone for the same price of $240 in 24 ton loads delivered. I thought I would bring in one load to verify what I'm getting before ordering all the rest. I'm about 30 miles from the quarry. Putting 3" on 20 year old driveway seems good but doing my new pond dam will be more challenging. It's a 2 acre, 20' deep pond with about a 400 foot dam.

 

[20 20]

Putting 3" on 20 year old driveway seems good but doing my new pond dam will be more challenging. It's a 2 acre, 20' deep pond with about a 400 foot dam.

PICTURES

 

[Mousefield]

We used driveway chips for the road on our property, about 1,000 feet. This was put on a good gravel base. It's been down for 3 years and is still in good shape. Cost for 12 yards was $240.00. This had eliminated getting a lot of sand in the garage from sand being on the car tires and shoes, then getting tracked into the house. On the private road to our place we use ¾ inch screenings, this is sandy type gravel with rocks no bigger than ¾ inch, cost is $105.00 per 12 yard load. 12 yards is a full load in a gravel truck. Found the best time to do driveway/road work is spring or fall when you might have showers but not heavy rains.
As far as cost in your area call several gravel suppliers and get them to quote you on the same product. From ealier posts looks like different areas, different rock, different prices.

 

[CosmoAU]

It's gonna be different in different areas. I live 10-15 miles from a quarry in N. AL. I put in a driveway last year at my hobby farm. I used everything from "surge" rock (fist size) to crusher run due to some wet areas. They delivered and tailgate spread for $3-350/load depending on weight. These were tri-axles so the loads were 25-27 tons.

 

[Licklog]

... ...About 1/8" deep over over that 900 square yard area. Do you mean 90' long?
larry

No it is 900'. But the actual width may be misleading. The truck drives up the drive spreading the gravel behind it so the actual width of the load is as wide as the dump truck (probably 8' max). I never measured the actual depth but if memory serves it was around 2" or so. And since they are charging me for 18-20 I expect that is what I am getting.

The actual coverage will vary with the size of gravel you are getting, i.e. if you are getting #57 vs crusher run, the coverage per ton will vary. Since my drive is about 8 yrs old now I have been adding crusher run every 12-18 months as needed. Like to keep as thin a layer as necessary to maximize compaction and minimize rutting. I'll add a couple of pics of my upper drive taken lately during our bad winter here. I'll probably be adding another load this spring.

Picasa Web Albums - James K - Driveway

My neighbor has a long straight and steep drive which causes him to experience spinning and rutting all year round. This season he has opted to go for a new surface with what they call "pug". It is said to be the material they use to create a base for asphalt roads. Before all the rain in the early winter they were able to build up a 3-4' surface in his parking area to level it out. They need dry days to apply the material then 3 days of "drying". They area they have completed has seemed to hold up pretty well so far.

 

[ctgoldwing]

I purchased a couple of triaxle loads (almost 25 tons each) of 3/4" process to trim out my 500' long driveway. Process is crushed stone with the stone dust. I'm actually a little short & will get one more load in the spring. It compacted well and I was able to pitch it so the rain / snow melt runs off the side easily instead of down the grade. That should stop most of the erosion I was getting in heavy rains.

The quarry is about 5 miles away & they charged me ~$11.00/ton (2 different prices on the loads) plus $90 delivery.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Our gravel around here is numeric. Common for drive is #2's to start, #53's next, then #10's as a final. Most stop at #53's then top it with the #10's 5 years down the road.

Our price is $15 per ton give or take and a $75 delivery fee upto 24.5 tons. I live 1.5 miles from 2 pits but the delivery is still the same for anything upto 30 miles.

Chris

 

[SPYDERLK]

No it is 900'. But the actual width may be misleading. The truck drives up the drive spreading the gravel behind it so the actual width of the load is as wide as the dump truck (probably 8' max). I never measured the actual depth but if memory serves it was around 2" or so. And since they are charging me for 18-20 I expect that is what I am getting.

The actual coverage will vary with the size of gravel you are getting, i.e. if you are getting #57 vs crusher run, the coverage per ton will vary. Since my drive is about 8 yrs old now I have been adding crusher run every 12-18 months as needed. Like to keep as thin a layer as necessary to maximize compaction and minimize rutting. I'll add a couple of pics of my upper drive taken lately during our bad winter here. I'll probably be adding another load this spring.

Picasa Web Albums - James K - Driveway

Your memory is not serving somehow. Do the math. It will show you that the parameters youve given dont come close to a fit.
larry