what size gravel for driveway?

[Charlesaf3]

I've been putting 3/4 blue gravel on my drive, on a base of crusher run. Its pretty much packed in to the road base, or washed off the hill, now, so I need more gravel.

I have a choice between 3/4 or 3/8 gravel. Any opinions on the 3/8? Or why one would be better?

Thanks

 

[DanD78]

one thing I have found on this site is how many different kinds of rock people have to work with depending on where they are at in the country. Around here we have two choices. Limestone crushed to many different grades from fines to foot wized chunks then gravel that is round and can have some mud/sand mixed with the larger stuff then they also wash out the fines and make several sizes of clean rock.

For what its worth I like crushed stone with fines to bind everything together. With out fines your road will always want to squish around and never be solid. The bad thing is on a steep drive with enough rain the fines will wash out and leave the larger stuff. From what I have seen recently recycled concrete ground to 2" down to fines seems to hold pretty good.

Thanks
Dan D.

 

[MacLawn]

Probably in Virginia, it's like Georgia - crusher run. I guess it's called fines in other places, and different kind of rock. Anyway, you do need the fines (almost sand like) and various sized stone, or it will be like driving on marbles - don't ask me how I know

I used all #57 stone on my drive, then had to come back with crusher run; that worked great. Our Georgia granite makes great driveway material, and you might have the same in Virginia.

 

[Soundguy]

i'd also reccomend 57 stone..

soundguy

 

[Dmace]

I use 3/4" crushed gravel from my local aggregates which has a good mix of fines and larger rocks so it holds good on slopes when packed which is 90% of the roads and driveways up here in NH.

 

[NSBound]

Up here in snow country we use largely limestone, and I prefer 1/2" minus. The biggest size is 1/2" and there's lots of smaller fines and other sizes in there for packing. I used to order 3/4" minus but I find the 1/2" minus packs much better.

 

[k0ua]

Probably in Virginia, it's like Georgia - crusher run. I guess it's called fines in other places, and different kind of rock. Anyway, you do need the fines (almost sand like) and various sized stone, or it will be like driving on marbles - don't ask me how I know

I used all #57 stone on my drive, then had to come back with crusher run; that worked great. Our Georgia granite makes great driveway material, and you might have the same in Virginia.

What is #57?

I am amazed by all the names for stone around the country.. here we have 0 to 3/4 and 0 to 6 this describes the range of sizes of the rock. from 0 inches to 3/4 of an inch is ideal for driveway making. and 0 to 6 is ideal for building with like leveling land that is on a slope. For instance to build my pad for my portable building, which like every thing else is on an extreme slope here. I used 0 to 6 to put on the downhill side, and then topped that with a layer of 0 to 3/4 to make a smooth level surface. If you want straight gravel like 2 inch then 2 inch average stones are what you will get. There is also creek gravel which is scooped up brown gravel of many sizes from a nearby creek. Then there is Ag sand which is the fines only. The Ag stands for aggregate . This is manufactured sand by crushing limestone. River sand is just that, scooped up from a creek or river, and passed thru a screen to a single size. School me on the other names and kids of rock!

James K0UA

 

[Jerry/MT]

I've been putting 3/4 blue gravel on my drive, on a base of crusher run. Its pretty much packed in to the road base, or washed off the hill, now, so I need more gravel.

I have a choice between 3/4 or 3/8 gravel. Any opinions on the 3/8? Or why one would be better?

Thanks

Since you have a good base, I would recommend 3/4 minus. That's everything that goes through 3/4 inch screen. You need the fines to lock down the rock.

 

[Soundguy]

FDOT #57 Stone

this probably will 'spalin it.. fo ya..

soundguy

 

[k0ua]

FDOT #57 Stone

this probably will 'spalin it.. fo ya..

soundguy

Ok cool, I dont know what they call that here, as I have never bought any of that. I noticed the previous post called 0 to 3/4 "3/4 minus" which is another pretty much self explainatory name for it. Good stuff use it a lot.

James K0UA