Compacting "gravel"/"item 4"/"road base". Rent a Roller?

[joea99]

Planning to add stone to drive/road. Over the years I have regraded after a storm and well as adding fresh from time to time. All those times it was just a matter of running the tractor back and forth countless times and "back dragging" the front bucket for a smooth(ish) finish.

This time thinking of doing a heavier spread of 3-6 inches (more in some spots), so will probably need a few loads of 15 yards, maybe more.

Question is, how likely is it this can be adequately compacted the way I've been doing it? Or is renting a roller the right thing?

 

[scootr]

Much will depend upon the type of soil underneath and it's moisture content. I added 3/4 rock to my drive a couple of years ago. 1 load seemed like too little and 2 loads was too much. Where the ground was freshly graded the rock disappeared beneath the surface and made a nice base of our clay. Where the too much rock was spread on hardpacked dry ground no amount of traffic has pushed it in. That includes running a 14k pound tractor over and over it. So I'm cautioning against putting too much rock down. I am currently consider taking some off and stockpiling it. I hope this helps.
Renting a roller can be the right thing if you need more rock underneath the road, not on top

 

[joea99]

Much will depend upon the type of soil underneath and it's moisture content. I added 3/4 rock to my drive a couple of years ago. 1 load seemed like too little and 2 loads was too much. Where the ground was freshly graded the rock disappeared beneath the surface and made a nice base of our clay. Where the too much rock was spread on hardpacked dry ground no amount of traffic has pushed it in. That includes running a 14k pound tractor over and over it. So I'm cautioning against putting too much rock down. I am currently consider taking some off and stockpiling it. I hope this helps.
Renting a roller can be the right thing if you need more rock underneath the road, not on top

This is the Catskills area of NY. Ground is typical rocky cuss inspiring stuff. The road has been here for decades. What the "road base" is, is known only to the long ago departed. And they ain't talking.

Over the last several decades, that has been covered with the stuff mentioned and compacted. The compacted covering goes by those several names but is basically small stone, 3/4 inch or smaller if specified, and fines "down to dust". Kind of like concrete mix.

That is all I plan on putting down.

 

[plastikosmd]

It has been so difficult to get anyone out to do anything here (and $$$)

I have a 600’ + asphalt wrap driveway. I had a few triaxles of new fill brought in. Wife wanted it smoother/compacted but nobody available and when she complained again, I said I could just buy a roller.

Win-win she is happy w smoothness and I got a toy. 600hrs on the kubota motor, 3ton vibratory that will shake the house

I say roll it, it is awesome

 

[joea99]

It has been so difficult to get anyone out to do anything here (and $$$)

I have a 600’ + asphalt wrap driveway. I had a few triaxles of new fill brought in. Wife wanted it smoother/compacted but nobody available and when she complained again, I said I could just buy a roller.

Win-win she is happy w smoothness and I got a toy. 600hrs on the kubota motor, 3ton vibratory that will shake the house

I say roll it, it is awesome

Well, that is problem #1, getting anyone to come out. I've been calling for someone to just haul for me and, no dice. The cheapest price for stone is a local place that does not deliver. Cash and carry.

Anyway, what did you shell out for the roller? I love to buy one but any old beat to scrap rust heap around here goes for multi $$$.

 

[ultrarunner]

It has been so difficult to get anyone out to do anything here (and $$$)

I have a 600’ + asphalt wrap driveway. I had a few triaxles of new fill brought in. Wife wanted it smoother/compacted but nobody available and when she complained again, I said I could just buy a roller.

Win-win she is happy w smoothness and I got a toy. 600hrs on the kubota motor, 3ton vibratory that will shake the house

I say roll it, it is awesome

Pictures Please...

Don't know anyone with a roller...

 

[joea99]

Only things I am seeing around here, for "ride ons" are asking in the $20k and up range. Anything below that tends to be a "walk behind/tow hitch" deal. And iffy looking at that. Or plate compactors which seem ultra impractical for a road job.

May look at auctions, but probably better off looking at a weekly rental for now.

 

[duffer]

If you have a United Rental or like place near you, AND you plan on putting down 3-6" mix, it would be worth it IMO to rent the vibrating roller for a day. Have the trucking company tailgate the gravel mix in 3-4" lift. Repeat with a 2nd lift in the areas you want 6". Vibrate each lift. Should be as hard as concrete when you're done and a light rain on it to lock it in.

 

[joea99]

If you have a United Rental or like place near you, AND you plan on putting down 3-6" mix, it would be worth it IMO to rent the vibrating roller for a day. Have the trucking company tailgate the gravel mix in 3-4" lift. Repeat with a 2nd lift in the areas you want 6". Vibrate each lift. Should be as hard as concrete when you're done and a light rain on it to lock it in.

The going rate for a 1.5 ton in this area is Daily $300 Weekly $894. Takes my breath away. These days it's in short supply.

After looking at some of the DOT documents on I found linked to in another post, I may just be better off doing this in smaller steps with the aim to improve water run off. Once I get that to the point the washouts are minimized, then do a "finish" job.

I can see now that some of the "problem areas" I wanted to "lift up" might actually serve as starting points to reduce the downhill flow and better guide into the trenches/swales I've been making. "Grade breaks" they call them. Crowns and Cross Slopes too. All makes sense and gives me more confidence in what I've more or less been doing, just from eyeballing the situations.

 

[RustyA]

You would be amazed what a difference even a small homeowner plate compactor and a good soaking of water will do after grading new crushed rock. Very sandy here and unless it's compacted next hard rain it's in the ditch and woods. Bought a cheap harbor freight compactor 10 years ago for a project. Have used it at many neighbor's rerocking. No washouts and hard as concrete if good crushed rock graded, watered and compacted. Water runs off instead of eroding.

 

[joea99]

You would be amazed what a difference even a small homeowner plate compactor and a good soaking of water will do after grading new crushed rock. Very sandy here and unless it's compacted next hard rain it's in the ditch and woods. Bought a cheap harbor freight compactor 10 years ago for a project. Have used it at many neighbor's rerocking. No washouts and hard as concrete if good crushed rock graded, watered and compacted. Water runs off instead of eroding.

I've been looking for an excuse to buy a plate compactor for a couple small projects but figured it would be too tough to maneuver up and down the slope of the road. I suppose I could just compact downhill and bring in back up the slope with the TLB or some such.

The HF is certainly price attractive but I'm hesitant due to reliability concerns. You seem to think well of it though.

Most of the mix I've gotten is damp, and packs pretty well, to fill ruts and holes, even just driving over it with the TLB and floating the bucket on it. Though it does seem to form vehicle tracks sooner than I think it should.

 

[3Ts]

I have an HF plate compactor for about 2 years now. It works fine and I've not had any reliability problems with it, or any problems for that matter. I do not have a rock driveway (yet). I do dig trenches for various things and use it to compact the soil as I fill the trench back in. I've also welded 4 eye bolts to the frame so I can lift the compactor in and out of the trenches.

 

[plastikosmd]

Here u go ultra.

Not much to look at but runs like a top.

And I felt I got a good deal

 

[cqaigy2]

Here u go ultra.

Not much to look at but runs like a top.

And I felt I got a good deal

Aw man, now i want one!

 

[ultrarunner]

Here u go ultra.

Not much to look at but runs like a top.

And I felt I got a good deal

I like it!

Could really use one in WA for the long gravel drive... now it's pothole repair compacted with the end of a 4x4... my tractors are in CA and I really miss not having one here... the BX would be awesome...

 

[dodge man]

Someone mentioned adding water. I’m a retired land surveyor but did material testing over the years. We had a nuclear testing gauge and materials have an optimum moisture content for the best compaction. I was always surprised at how wet gravel looked when it was at its ideal moisture.

In other words no mater how you compact it adding water will make it a lot better. If it’s dry you won’t compact it at all.

 

[repete]

I like it!

Could really use one in WA for the long gravel drive... now it's pothole repair compacted with the end of a 4x4... my tractors are in CA and I really miss not having one here... the BX would be awesome...

In Chehalis at Ritchie Brothers Auction. The auction is the 9th.

| Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers

 

[ultrarunner]

Keep saying someday but that day has been getting pushed back for 20 years now…

 

[marksmand]

Planning to add stone to drive/road. Over the years I have regraded after a storm and well as adding fresh from time to time. All those times it was just a matter of running the tractor back and forth countless times and "back dragging" the front bucket for a smooth(ish) finish.

This time thinking of doing a heavier spread of 3-6 inches (more in some spots), so will probably need a few loads of 15 yards, maybe more.

Question is, how likely is it this can be adequately compacted the way I've been doing it? Or is renting a roller the right thing?

I live in your area in Bearsville. I've had pretty good luck with #4 and just back drag it. I don't due more than 1.5 to 2" thick. I find my 6' landscape rake is useful to spread the material out and then I back drag.

 

[beenthere]

Planning to add stone to drive/road. Over the years I have regraded after a storm and well as adding fresh from time to time. All those times it was just a matter of running the tractor back and forth countless times and "back dragging" the front bucket for a smooth(ish) finish.

This time thinking of doing a heavier spread of 3-6 inches (more in some spots), so will probably need a few loads of 15 yards, maybe more.

Question is, how likely is it this can be adequately compacted the way I've been doing it? Or is renting a roller the right thing?

For 35 years had a gravel drive as you describe. This was crushed limestone so it would (when I asked) come with the fines included. Spread the gravel and before it dried out, drive the pickup or SUV back and forth to compact the gravel. Tried a roller but it did not have enough psi to pack the gravel tight as the wheels.