Best time for gravel?

[Kfbeal]

I put down 3/4" limestome washed rock about 2" thick. I have always been told to double the size of the rock for thickness. If you go more you will have lose rock and won't be able to walk on it without twisting your ankle. Back then about 7 years ago, it was roughly $300 for a 14 yard truck.

 

[powerpace]

I have never bought rock on weight basis. Even construction bids are normally put out on volume basis, cubic yards. This is in Oregon. Six months ago I paid $135.00 per 10yd., load. Six loads some 3/4" minus some 3" minus. Weight doesn't mean a thing to me for area. I figure everything I need using a concrete estimater I've had since 1972.
The best time to put down gravel over new grade is after a slight rain. We have a lot of clay and the rock stays in place after a rain.

 

[theboman]

I get it for a about 10-12 ton, delivered for $150. I live within 5 miles of two quareys (sp).

 

[firefighter jim]

I prefer to order and spread gravel in Summer or Fall when the ground is dry and hard. Do not want heavy trucks on our drive in Spring when drive is soft. $17.00 per ton delivered and spread (57 limestone).

 

[Diamondpilot]

I am done with gravel. I have put 100's of tons at a average price of $12 per ton over the last 7 years on my 280' long drive that is 25' at the road and 40' at the barn. I got 3 bids this fall for asphalt and the average was $8000 for 2" of base with 1" of top.

I have spent too much on gravel that I swear the birds carry off.

Chris

 

[20 20]

What about black shale? I know a guy who has a very steep drive, everything he put down would wash out. A contractor brought him black shale, it is allmost like pavement. The stuff broke up nice and shifted itself together for a nice tight non-washout fit. It has been there for well over 15yrs with no issues

 

[patrick_g]

Sometimes the best time is as soon as you can, weather permitting. I have been wanting to get gravel on the drive of our rent house but weather has not been cooperating. Finally, pushed to a condition of extremis (pulled the renter out with my tractor, twice) I just ordered large gravel, full 18 wheeler load, and put half on the drive, mostly in the deep soft ruts and some spread.

Using the tractor to fill the ruts and smoothing the drive to a great cosmetic appearance prior to adding gravel is NOT recommended. It isn't just a waste of time and it is actually counter productive. Fill the ruts with large gravel. This firms up the remaining material beside the rut giving it no easy place to squish to. Next, put rock where ever it is the softest. I underestimated the amount of gravel I would need but don't want to have to haul the other half from my house over a quarter of a mile to get it to that driveway. What I am doing is NOT optimal but conditions may not be optimal for months and I need results now so plan B is the best I can do.

I will be getting another full load (I forget if they are 24 ton or 24,000 lbs) today, Saturday, and that will finish the job with some to hold back in reserve to "fix" soft spots.

I wanted 4-6 inch but none was available so settled for 3-3 1/2 crusher run with fines. Later after the drive dries out and firms up (whenever that is) I will put on a layer of smaller diameter crusher run with the fines included. It has always been my experience that if you have decent drainage by sloping or crowning the drive and avoid letting torrents of water run across it that will "cut" a channel in it a good gravel job will last for years.

My drive way is going to get a little make over, a little fresh gravel for the most of it and shale near the house (makes a terrific looking and long lasting surface that looks sort of like blacktop only smoother. It has held up for years with little to no maintenance but it is time to freshen it up before our super wet conditions cause deterioration. Our average rainfall is about 36-37 inches. I got 55 last year and winter storms are bringing plenty so far this year. For my first time ever I have to be careful putting out round bales for the herd to avoid getting the tractor stuck.

Bottom line is... It may not be prudent to wait for optimal conditions if the deterioration you suffer while waiting could be expeditiously and economically avoided.

Pat

 

[Trkrd]

I use road base here and have been very pleased with it. I do wait till dry weather because I pay by the ton. Water + dust/dirt = less volume when buying. Why pay more for less ?

 

[patrick_g]

I use road base here and have been very pleased with it. I do wait till dry weather because I pay by the ton. Water + dust/dirt = less volume when buying. Why pay more for less ?

Uhh, maybe because the driveway needs to be used NOW and won't be dry for months. Not ideal circumstances but sometimes you have to settle for good enough, not perfect.

Pat

 

[wushaw]

Uhh, maybe because the driveway needs to be used NOW and won't be dry for months. Not ideal circumstances but sometimes you have to settle for good enough, not perfect.

Pat

That's true Pat, there are several folks this year with gooey drives due to all the rain around here. I recently got 91 tons for some areas around my place, I just get the crushed concrete and it's $7.00 a ton.

 

[firefighter jim]

I am done with gravel. I have put 100's of tons at a average price of $12 per ton over the last 7 years on my 280' long drive that is 25' at the road and 40' at the barn. I got 3 bids this fall for asphalt and the average was $8000 for 2" of base with 1" of top.

I have spent too much on gravel that I swear the birds carry off.

Chris

I hear ya! Unfortunately our drive is over 1/4 mile long. Can't afford to pave that much driveway!

 

[Bumble Guy]

The measerment I use in my asphalt paving business is you take sq feet divide it by 65 and get tonage at 3 inches,so 10,000 divided by 65 =153.8 ,lay down gravel is fine,year round as long as ground is not soft,like jello when tractor drives on it,min of 6 inches gravel,I get gravel in northern Illinois for 5 to 7 doollers a ton picked up at quary

 

[firefighter9208]

Last summer I paid $6.00 a ton for #57 stone at the quarry. $6.50 a ton washed. Dense grade base 2" down to dust was $6.00 a ton. #87 washed were $8.00 a ton.

A local contractor will deliver #57 or base for $12.00 a ton and he gives me the weight ticket to pay by. 20 ton equals $240.00

I have a single axle truck w/a 30,000# GVW and I can pay him to haul it to me as cheap as I can go and buy it myself. I have to make 2 trips to haul the same amount that he can haul in one.

He will also haul you a tandem axle dump load of chert for $100.00 a load. And he loads heavy. It will be rounded up on the truck. No weight ticket on that, as he owns the chert pit.

Chris

 

[RadarTech]

Guys,
This all makes me ask...

in my area there are 3 quarries..

is it common to see non-commercial trucks getting gravel in the actual quarries?

I need maybe 2 yards of riprap (2 areas in ditches I want to beef up)--- and another 4 or so of crusher run (to cover dirt places in an area where drainage was bad) and then maybe a 2 yards or so of railroad ballast (base for the crusher run)...

I don't know the measurements all of you have used, but everyone around here calls it by these names...

With seasons hopefully changing, I had thought of renting a small dump trailer and doing this myself (and sparing the driveway the dumptruck weight)....

or does everyone just get larger loads delivered?

what do all of you do?

J

 

[CurlyDave]

For the quantities you need, a dump trailer may be the right way to go, although 4 yards of crusher run is going to exceed the weight capacity of most dump trailers and pickups. 2 yards is probably the weight limit, although you will be well under the volume the trailer can hold.

In the SF Bay area dump trailers rent for ~125/day. Four trips in one day should not be a problem if the quarries are nearby.

I keep my speed down to 45 mph or less with 2 yards of rock in my dump trailer. You will be amazed at how much rock weighs.

I see private trucks and dump trailers at the quarry almost every time I go there. Just take your place in line with the big boys. When the guy with the front loader picks up less than a full scoop to fill your trailer you will have some size envy, but your money is just as green as anyone's.

Before I got a dump trailer I would take the pickup and get maybe 3/4 yard of rock in the bed. No one ever said it was too small, or not to come back, even though it was a very small load. Now, shoveling it out of the bed was a chore for sure.

 

[AchingBack]

What about black shale? I know a guy who has a very steep drive, everything he put down would wash out. A contractor brought him black shale, it is allmost like pavement. The stuff broke up nice and shifted itself together for a nice tight non-washout fit. It has been there for well over 15yrs with no issues

If black shale is anything like the scarce pink shale we sometimes find available here in Southern Oregon, you can't beat it. This is the first I've heard of black shale. How many have heard of pink shale?

The high content of silt is what makes this such an excellent road surface. Silt really packs tightly, and easily sheds water.

 

[RadarTech]

Dave,
I am expecting to just get a single axle dump.. and they tell me it holds 2.6 yards...(my little tacoma is only rated for 6500 lb towing.)


the local sunbelt has this trailer for $67 a day and $180 for a week..

and there are 4 quarries within short driving times.
1 is 5 miles, and the farthest is 35 miles.

The sunbelt manager has given me weekly discounts a few times, and it might even be lower than $180..

So as soon as the weather breaks and I can get some time... I'll get on it!

J

 

[Egon]

There may be times when the bigger truck with all the right gear will be well worth the extra cost in speed and convince and no hassle with overloaded equipment, failed tires Etc.

 

[patrick_g]

That's true Pat, there are several folks this year with gooey drives due to all the rain around here. I recently got 91 tons for some areas around my place, I just get the crushed concrete and it's $7.00 a ton.

I sometimes envy you folks who live in or near civilization due to the availability of STUFF. My choices are natural river rock, not crushed (which never packs worth a darn and I never use it, crushed limestone, shale, or test batches of blacktop from a paving plant 25 miles away. When they are making test runs adjusting their process they generate substandard blacktop paving material that is sold off sometimes I am told but have not confirmed.

When I had a long term lease on recreational land in Baja California, Mexico the development had some maintained dirt roads. They planned on paving some with "soil cement" whatever that is. It was supposed to be an economical paving process for less traveled roads Z(less than the main highway.)

OK, I went to Google and read about soil cement. Might be a mid cost option for driveways.

Pat

 

[patrick_g]

I had thought of renting a small dump trailer and doing this myself (and sparing the driveway the dumptruck weight)....

or does everyone just get larger loads delivered?

what do all of you do?

J

I own a small dump trailer (12x7x2 feet rated 10K lbs) and I get my gravel delivered. Too many trips with small trailer is not worth the hassle. I have used it for graveling a drive and it sprinkles it out really neat but I fill the trailer with my FEL. A semi can haul about 27 tons compared to my say 4 tons or less. I'd have to make 6-7 trips to equal one trip for the truck. There is time, fuel, wear on truck and trailer which I'd rather not do myself, just pay the man and get on with the project. Like concrete, I have a mixer but if I need multiple yards I get it delivered.

You can DIY but you will not pay yourself much for your time and labor.

Pat