What is the best way to narrow my 700' gravel drive?

[NC1]

The drive is a year and a half old and is a little rough, it was supposed to be 6" deep but at this point is only 2-4" in many parts. It is currently non spec ABC (N rock around here), we had always planned to top it with something a little nicer post construction. All of the contruction traffic did a number on it and we are ready to fix it up and put a few more inches on it. It is about 2' wider on each side than i would prefer, a foot of that is 1-4" and a foot is up to an inch mixed in with the grass. I would like to narrow prior to adding a few inches. The drive a straight with good access on the sides for most of it, just a shallow ditch. What is the best tool(s) for the job? Maybe an angle broom? I have a tracked skid steer and can rent or borrow most attachments. I also have a Stihl Kombi head and have read good things about the rubber paddled sweeper attachment. Any input would be much appreciated.

 

[dirttoys]

The drive is a year and a half old and is a little rough, it was supposed to be 6" deep but at this point is only 2-4" in many parts. It is currently non spec ABC (N rock around here), we had always planned to top it with something a little nicer post construction. All of the contruction traffic did a number on it and we are ready to fix it up and put a few more inches on it. It is about 2' wider on each side than i would prefer, a foot of that is 1-4" and a foot is up to an inch mixed in with the grass. I would like to narrow prior to adding a few inches. The drive a straight with good access on the sides for most of it, just a shallow ditch. What is the best tool(s) for the job? Maybe an angle broom? I have a tracked skid steer and can rent or borrow most attachments. I also have a Stihl Kombi head and have read good things about the rubber paddled sweeper attachment. Any input would be much appreciated.

Do you have enough room on each side to get the skid pointed at the driveway and use a smooth bucket?

ed

 

[MossRoad]

You say it's 2' wider on each side than you'd like it to be. Can you take 4' off of one side VS 2' off of both sides? You'd eliminate 700' of torn up sides by doing that.

Do you want tapered edges or a sharp drop off?
Do you have room to drive parallel to the drive the entire length?
Or are you going to try and back-drag the rock back into the main path while working on the drive path?

Either way, I'd strike a line where you want the edges to be when you're done.

With rock drives, I find grass will eventually fill in the edges without annual chemical weed control. So if you make it exactly the width you want, you'll loose some to weeds in a decade even with weed control. Roots, dirt, mown grass clippings, etc. will rot down and blow into that edge rock.

 

[Hoodoo]

a) Wider drives are nice, are you sure you want to narrow it that much? b) most drives around here use a DG called 'Red HOA' which is actually a light purple color...After about 2 years of rain/snow/traffic, it gets almost as hard as concrete, really nice product. Maybe get some dumped right over your gravel as a top finish surface?

 

[Egon]

The best would be a road grader. Next comes a rear blade with gage wheels.

 

[bigtiller]

Take the easy way with this job.
Don't do anything....

A portion of my driveway is limestone 3/4 and smaller.
If I don't spray weed killer every 6 weeks or so, by the end of the growing season my white driveway is mostly green.

 

[Jstpssng]

The best would be a road grader. Next comes a rear blade with gage wheels.

That was my thought also. Rather than taking it all from one side as previously suggested, bring it in from both sides and create a slight crown so that water will run off, rather than setting on it.

 

[fishdrivel]

You say it's 2' wider on each side than you'd like it to be. Can you take 4' off of one side VS 2' off of both sides? You'd eliminate 700' of torn up sides by doing that.

Do you want tapered edges or a sharp drop off?
Do you have room to drive parallel to the drive the entire length?
Or are you going to try and back-drag the rock back into the main path while working on the drive path?

Either way, I'd strike a line where you want the edges to be when you're done.

With rock drives, I find grass will eventually fill in the edges without annual chemical weed control. So if you make it exactly the width you want, you'll loose some to weeds in a decade even with weed control. Roots, dirt, mown grass clippings, etc. will rot down and blow into that edge rock.

If you make it the width you want, nature and erosion will slough off more than you want. A good driveway should have an extra foot or so so it doesn't collapse.

 

[Wakey]

I'm curious about the paddle attachment as well. It's not that hitting the rocks with my lawn mower hasn't been effective, I just can't afford the blades to get it completely finished. ;-)

 

[4570Man]

Unlike a tractor it won’t hurt the skid loader to back drag with the bucket titled way down. I’d work it with the skid steer 90 degrees to the driveway and back drag it back in.