Packing/sealing a gravel road after 'resurfacing' / land plane

[Deanes]

I expect the main problem is the drainage issue, but for the roller; Try hiring or renting from a small local paving company. Im thinking the little two man outfits that do short drives or chip and seal. They would love to make a few bucks by keeping their equipment running.

 

[DKCDKC]

Interesting reading. I have a full mile long gravel drive with moderate to steep grades, lots of curves and fully in a forest ... Located in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. It's a weird shaped 112 acre tract resulting from an estate settlement. And we chose a home site a mile off the highway. Had the road cut to clay then put in 2 inch stone topped with what we call crusher run, smaller gravel with lots of fines and dust. It's a road built on a tight budget but I have used my CUT with a box blade to ditch, shape etc. where I could. The box blade has been a great investment. I have some washboarding and a few potholes - but not bad. Water ruts are an issue. A long downhill stretch that's kind of open was an issue until I put in three angled bumps. They are hard to maintain with snow removal and general box bladeing - but do the trick. The other really steep hill cuts across a steep area. I angled the driveway surface toward the uphill and did some ditching - not much, but it worked. I do work the driveway with the box blade twice a year - right after I just a real blade to pull in gravel that has been pushed out along the driveway by snow plowing or wear. It's work, but the cost is low - and that's important for an old retired guy. The road has been there about 30 years now and I average getting one or two truckloads of crusher run every third year to patch up needy areas. The only compaction is the tractor and cars running over it. I just pay attention to it and do a little tending when needed - and it works. I just try not to over think it.

 

[Dadnatron]

Also since you have a downhill run, think about building in a rolling dip into the roadbed before placing gravel. This is the key to managing water and materials on a down hill roadbed.

It actually had a rolling dip. It didn't really do the job, but was almost at the bottom and built poorly, but regardless, I think I can get things addressed with a good crown pushing the water off onto the grass. The road runs almost straight up a grassy hillside. There is plenty of room to push the water off onto the grass which will take it up well, I believe. I don't want to try to maintain those rollers. If I end up getting washout in the grass, I'll build ditches. I have all the equipment to do whatever I need, EXCEPT, a means of compacting after maintenance.

My real concern has been less on getting what I need built, its on repeatedly packing the disturbed surface after dressing it, especially in the winter/spring.

 

[jyoutz]

It actually had a rolling dip. It didn't really do the job, but was almost at the bottom and built poorly, but regardless, I think I can get things addressed with a good crown pushing the water off onto the grass. The road runs almost straight up a grassy hillside. There is plenty of room to push the water off onto the grass which will take it up well, I believe. I don't want to try to maintain those rollers. If I end up getting washout in the grass, I'll build ditches. I have all the equipment to do whatever I need, EXCEPT, a means of compacting after maintenance.

My real concern has been less on getting what I need built, its on repeatedly packing the disturbed surface after dressing it, especially in the winter/spring.

If you’re going straight up the hill the only way to keep water from moving straight down the road is a dip. You have to break the grade and force water off the road into the ditch. Crowns work on flat roads, not if the road is straight up the hill. I’ve been working with engineers for years to design logging roads and that’s what they taught me.

 

[Dadnatron]

Well, I really need the compactor. As I recently 'smoothed' the old road with a land plane, doing an adequate job. However, it was left uncompacted and it was not nearly actually 'fixed', just better.

I had about 8" of snow and didn't get to grading it off until this weekend. I recognize my skill has degraded over time, and this is both a new to me tractor and back blade, but I was grading a very soft road, and I know I moved more gravel to the edges than I'd intended.

Come spring, I will completely redo the road from 'the ground up' so to speak. But I was complacent given the essentially complete LACK of appreciable snow for the last couple years. I also need to determine how I am going to clear my driveway, as I was not happy with my back blade job. I have a skid steer, so I'm thinking about just getting a snow blade, but I want to ensure it has skid shoes to keep from digging in. However, I think I am going to try that 'back blade hack' of slitting a PVC pipe and slipping it on the cutting edge. I think that would have done the trick, and if I get another snow this year, I'm going to try it.

 

[jyoutz]

Well, I really need the compactor. As I recently 'smoothed' the old road with a land plane, doing an adequate job. However, it was left uncompacted and it was not nearly actually 'fixed', just better.

I had about 8" of snow and didn't get to grading it off until this weekend. I recognize my skill has degraded over time, and this is both a new to me tractor and back blade, but I was grading a very soft road, and I know I moved more gravel to the edges than I'd intended.

Come spring, I will completely redo the road from 'the ground up' so to speak. But I was complacent given the essentially complete LACK of appreciable snow for the last couple years. I also need to determine how I am going to clear my driveway, as I was not happy with my back blade job. I have a skid steer, so I'm thinking about just getting a snow blade, but I want to ensure it has skid shoes to keep from digging in. However, I think I am going to try that 'back blade hack' of slitting a PVC pipe and slipping it on the cutting edge. I think that would have done the trick, and if I get another snow this year, I'm going to try it.

Just reverse your back blade so the cutting edge faces the rear and drive forward. Angle it as you wish. This will squeegee the snow off without disturbing your gravel. You don’t need to mess with the pipe.

 

[paulsharvey]

So, i didn't take a screen shot but a pull behind vibratory roller sold for $4,500 at a local auction last Friday, and it was higher than some of the running, static steel wheels. No idea brand, or hydrakic flow requirements. Just seemed awful high for what it was

 

[Dadnatron]

Just reverse your back blade so the cutting edge faces the rear and drive forward. Angle it as you wish. This will squeegee the snow off without disturbing your gravel. You don’t need to mess with the pipe.

I have thought of that, and it is a good idea and will likely work. I have hydraulic cylinder for angle, but I can spin it around and attach it to the other side. Perhaps this would be a better fix, all in all.

 

[jyoutz]

I have thought of that, and it is a good idea and will likely work. I have hydraulic cylinder for angle, but I can spin it around and attach it to the other side. Perhaps this would be a better fix, all in all.

I’ve been doing it that way for over 20 years.

 

[LouNY]

I have thought of that, and it is a good idea and will likely work. I have hydraulic cylinder for angle, but I can spin it around and attach it to the other side. Perhaps this would be a better fix, all in all.

When you spin it around be sure to keep your hydraulic cylinder in the same side as you have it now. On some blades the cylinder can go on either side, or even run dual cylinders. But on my blade with a 10 inch stroke cylinder if it gets installed on the "wrong" side it will bind the rod clevis and may snap it right off. Guess how I know that 4x10 cylinders are not inexpensive.