Does anyone know how to create a gravel driveway? I need to run a gravel driveway for about 1000 feet across a fairly level farm field. It doesn't have to be a superhighway, I just need to be able to drive the Suburban across the property without getting stuck in the field. I would like to keep the cost reasonable. How much gravel is needed? What kind of preparation is needed before gravel? What size gravel/rocks for the initial road bed?
How Do I Build a Driveway?
- Thread starter jayiowa
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btolle
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No way to tell unless you tell us what kind of dirt you have.
I see you are in Iowa but if you would say where in Iowa someone near you might have a better idea of the soil conditions in your area as well as what type of material such as gravel is available in that area.
Bill Tolle
I see you are in Iowa but if you would say where in Iowa someone near you might have a better idea of the soil conditions in your area as well as what type of material such as gravel is available in that area.
Bill Tolle
BigAl
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If you don't use the driveway that often and just want to get across without getting stuck, I would just put down some 2 1/2"- 3" crushed rock . It will serve as a good base until you decide to do more . The larger rock size will help keep it from slowly getting pushed down as you drive . Try to crown the road before graveling .You will probably need about 120 to 150 tons of gravel , maybe more .That is 10 to 15 (10 wheel) dump trucks around here .
If you have water drainage problems also , that is a completely different matter and you will need to establish good ditching to drain and keep the water from undermining the roadway .
Big Al
If you have water drainage problems also , that is a completely different matter and you will need to establish good ditching to drain and keep the water from undermining the roadway .
Big Al
Soundguy
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A good way would be to box it out, removing vegitation, than make sure the subgrade is stabilized.. limerock works great.. so does crushed concrete or curshed asphalt. then compact in lifts, and add gravel.. larger stones first, then fines. Couple even smooth and tack coat for something similar to a slag road.
Alternately you coul simply roll fabrick out onte bare land and mound gravel on it.. though I'd go for boxing it out a tad., even if you don't stabilize it.
Not sure what you have available.. but down here, fordriveway materials, crushed/reclaimed concrete, and reclaimed asphalt millings are just as popular as gravel for budget driveways and parking lots.
Soundguy
Alternately you coul simply roll fabrick out onte bare land and mound gravel on it.. though I'd go for boxing it out a tad., even if you don't stabilize it.
Not sure what you have available.. but down here, fordriveway materials, crushed/reclaimed concrete, and reclaimed asphalt millings are just as popular as gravel for budget driveways and parking lots.
Soundguy
Dargo
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I had to make a driveway about 1000 feet long and clear a creek when I started my house. The driveway had to go through what has been a farmed field. I first used a box scraper to level the "driveway" as much as possible and removed any vegitation. One particular area, the beginning of the driveway, was particularly wet.
I'd read about, and decided that I needed, some of the matting to prevent the gravel from simply being pushed into the soil and going away. Being that the matting was really expensive, I called a local carpet shop and asked if I could get any used carpet. They were more than happy to provide me with all I needed. Heck, they even delivered it to me! I used old carpet for the matting and started with #2 gravel over that.
The first trucks set the chains on their rear door to open about 5" and poured the gravel while backing down the driveway. After the approx 4" of #2's, the next trucks brought in #53's. The 53's have lime mixed with it and made for a nice solid bed. I used my pickup and tractor to take turns leveling the driveway and packing it in.
After a few years the driveway really slowed down on eating gravel. I've now began using #9's for top coating. The 9's are smaller and smoother. The carpet worked great for the base to prevent the gravel from sinking. It has been 14 years now, so there likely isn't any carpet left, but I don't need it anymore because the driveway is well established. Now, I'm beginning to concrete the driveway. I don't consider the gravel a waste though. Without a good roadbed, the concrete would have busted up pretty easy if it was poured over soft soil. Good luck!
I'd read about, and decided that I needed, some of the matting to prevent the gravel from simply being pushed into the soil and going away. Being that the matting was really expensive, I called a local carpet shop and asked if I could get any used carpet. They were more than happy to provide me with all I needed. Heck, they even delivered it to me! I used old carpet for the matting and started with #2 gravel over that.
The first trucks set the chains on their rear door to open about 5" and poured the gravel while backing down the driveway. After the approx 4" of #2's, the next trucks brought in #53's. The 53's have lime mixed with it and made for a nice solid bed. I used my pickup and tractor to take turns leveling the driveway and packing it in.
After a few years the driveway really slowed down on eating gravel. I've now began using #9's for top coating. The 9's are smaller and smoother. The carpet worked great for the base to prevent the gravel from sinking. It has been 14 years now, so there likely isn't any carpet left, but I don't need it anymore because the driveway is well established. Now, I'm beginning to concrete the driveway. I don't consider the gravel a waste though. Without a good roadbed, the concrete would have busted up pretty easy if it was poured over soft soil. Good luck!
Varmintmist
Platinum Member
If you just want to get across and thats it, not real pretty or smooth. Cut the dirt off, down about 6 inches. Buy bank run gravel, Lots of BFR's and you could use the tractor to push it in but a dozer would be better. It will make a better sub base than just 3 inch stone because it has fines in it and it will tighten. Anyway, take the gravel to about 2 in over the height of the dirt 8 in total, and drive on it. If you want to use 3B (3 inch) stone, then you really want to put down the matting.
It wont be real smooth, but it will get you from point A to point B. You could always put 2B modified over it later if you want to smooth it.
It wont be real smooth, but it will get you from point A to point B. You could always put 2B modified over it later if you want to smooth it.
kensfarm
Veteran Member
If you just plant grass on the road strip through the field.. and mow it over the summer.. it'll be packed down & stable enough to drive over.. plus.. if you ever wanted it turned back into farmable land.. you won't have gravel to remove.
I have a big field next to the farm house.. and put a grass strip through the middle to divide the field for planting sweet corn & veggies. The farm renter even drove the combine over it to get to another rented field.. this way they didn't have to remove the combine head.. they need 24 feet of clearance.
I have a big field next to the farm house.. and put a grass strip through the middle to divide the field for planting sweet corn & veggies. The farm renter even drove the combine over it to get to another rented field.. this way they didn't have to remove the combine head.. they need 24 feet of clearance.
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It is not real clear if you want a permanent driveway but you aren't all that fussy, or you need a trail to use every once in a while.
Pretty good advise so far.
If this is a permanent driveway, I would consider taking out 6 inches of top soil (where all the decaying plant matter is) and start with a hard base - some do clay, some just start with large gravel. Even if you run out of money & only get a basic layer of gravel down that is rough to run on, it will give you a good solid foundation to build on in the future.
If you just dump gravel on the topsoil, as the little bitty top soil pieces decay in there your road will be unstable for some time to come, and 'eat up' the gravel you started with. If you decide you want something better in the future, you really will need to pour on the toppings or dig it all out & start over.
If this is more of a trail, any of the ideas are good. Establishing sod can work well for infequent travel. Have someone plow it 'inward' so it is ridged just a bit, plant it, leave it be for half a year so it establishes, and you will have a nice trail.
--->Paul
Pretty good advise so far.
If this is a permanent driveway, I would consider taking out 6 inches of top soil (where all the decaying plant matter is) and start with a hard base - some do clay, some just start with large gravel. Even if you run out of money & only get a basic layer of gravel down that is rough to run on, it will give you a good solid foundation to build on in the future.
If you just dump gravel on the topsoil, as the little bitty top soil pieces decay in there your road will be unstable for some time to come, and 'eat up' the gravel you started with. If you decide you want something better in the future, you really will need to pour on the toppings or dig it all out & start over.
If this is more of a trail, any of the ideas are good. Establishing sod can work well for infequent travel. Have someone plow it 'inward' so it is ridged just a bit, plant it, leave it be for half a year so it establishes, and you will have a nice trail.
--->Paul