Gravel Driveway Maintenance

[The-AJ88]

My 420 ft gravel driveway needs some attention. I am having some of the larger base material (#1 and #2 limestone) come up to the surface. I would like to know what course of action is best to get my driveway back into shape and be noticeably smoother when driving on.

From my understanding, the driveway was built by digging away the organic material until a solid base was reached, base layer of #1 and #2 limestone was used, followed by some type of fines material to lock it in place, and finally topped with #57 limestone.

I live in Ohio so winter weather and snowplowing does come into play.

The driveway is 4 years old and has never had a box blade or land plane on it. I had a local excavation guy take a look at it to see if a box blade or land plane would be better to performance some maintenance on it. He said both would be a terrible idea because all it would do is bring more of the larger base material to the surface. He said once that base material comes up, it will never go back down.

He recommended using a large and heavy ride on vibratory roller that will break up and crush the larger material that came to the surface. Then, a blade of some type can be used to smooth it all out. Followed by another round of a ride on vibratory roller to compact it. He said I have plenty of stone on the driveway already and no new stone will be necessary.

What are your thoughts on this?

Do you have a different approach to this project?

Pictures are below to hopefully provide a better idea of the current driveway conditions.

 

[two_bit_score]

There are some great resources on TBN to help you with this and I'm sure someone will be along soon to offer advice.

 

[bigtiller]

That looks like clean limestone to me. It's a great start but without the fines, it will consolidate but it will not compact. You need the fines to lock it all together.

I would add 2" or more of crushed limestone 3/4" inch with all the fines.

 

[RustyA]

Like bigtiller says I don't see any rock dust that would make a compacted base for you. If it was my driveway I would get it really wet and shape it to prepare for a top coat of recycled concrete dust or better yet 3/4 crushed granite with lots of rock dust. Use a plate compactor and water to drive the fines down into your base. It's a great base to start with but it needs filler material to lock it together. Water, grading and compacting your base, then water grading and compacting your final top coat should make for a great driveway.

 

[paulsharvey]

As said, you need some fines in the material. Ideally (with material we use down here) you would scarify the material there, add fines, and regrade. I'm not saying you need to scarify, but with material we use, you need don't want the top to 'scab' on the bottom, so you break/scratch/scarify the top inch or so of the bottom, when adding more. Being that yours appears to be just gravel, that probably isn't necessary, as there is plenty of voids of the fines to work into, and bond the top to the bottom.

Although a vibratory roller or even a heavy plate compactor will work, I'm a big fan of a traffic roller (9 wheel rubber tired static roller), because they don't bridge over imperfections. I've never seen a traffic roller for rent... picture for reference if anyone isn't familiar with what a traffic roller is
View attachment 831343

 

[jyoutz]

That looks like clean limestone to me. It's a great start but without the fines, it will consolidate but it will not compact. You need the fines to lock it all together.

I would add 2" or more of crushed limestone 3/4" inch with all the fines.

Agree. Where I live, we put down something called road base. It’s a mix of various sized gravel and small rocks with a lot of crushed fine rocks. The fines are needed to lock the gravel in place.

 

[DKCDKC]

The mixture is key. I have a mile-long and hilly gravel drive. Put down some 1.5 & 2 inch stone - thin layer. Then an inch or two of half inch stuff, then what we call crusher run - a mixture of small gravel and dust. It has held up quite well now for over 20 years. I tend it with a box blade to eliminate ruts or wash-boarding bumps a few times a year - or after a major rain storm. I use a ratchet-rake for minor smoothing. Once or twice a year I use a back blade to pull gravel pushed to the edge back to the center and then box blade to smooth. I do have to buy 20 to 40 tons of new crusher run every third year or so.

 

[Rockbadchild]

One more with 3/4 inch minus, what you got there is pure stone on top of pure stone it will always do that, pure stone doesn't compact you need compaction, to achieve compaction you need fines ... What is happening on your driveway is by driving on it the small stone are pushing the bigger sone to the side and up.
It is always better to grade the existing material into place before adding new material. A compactor will not break these stone it might chip them but nothing more.

step 1- Grade the existing material, yes it will make a mess and bring some of the bigger stone up... but place the material the best you can to make a crown
Step 2- compact the bigger stone so they gets pounded down / sink in
Step 3- add 3/4 to dust material
step 4 grade, watered and compact.
Step 5 never touch it again because you wont need too.

 

[Streetcar]

Like bigtiller says I don't see any rock dust that would make a compacted base for you. If it was my driveway I would get it really wet and shape it to prepare for a top coat of recycled concrete dust or better yet 3/4 crushed granite with lots of rock dust. Use a plate compactor and water to drive the fines down into your base. It's a great base to start with but it needs filler material to lock it together. Water, grading and compacting your base, then water grading and compacting your final top coat should make for a great driveway.

Crushed granite is not common in Ohio. Op needs to top with 304, crusher run common Ohio designation. Rubber tired rollers are for rent at construction equipment sites but are typically 20 tons weight in ohio

 

[Thomas]

You got good base,I would add3"+ of what we call hard pack.