Why do I need gravel again?

[Too many Kubotas]

I couldn't help but feel sorry for you when seeing those photos. And glad to see that you did get a tractor - even it was after the fact.

My girlfriend bought a Kubota BX25D so I do know what a lawnmower with a backhoe (can't) do. Well, they kinda can, but it takes forever.

I applaud you for getting all that done with not much more than a wheelbarrow and a shovel. It would've taken me a while with the M6040 and the 8' box blade.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

I was actually looking in the 50-75 HP size TLB, but at that time the dealer lots were empty of them in my area, tried 5 dealers, plus looking on tractor house out 500 miles!

I did what I had to do, with what I had available ... But I've actually come to like my little tractor, it a very handy tool for lots of stuff, yes it takes longer ... But there is a reason they make bigger tractors too!

I've discovered that I really like moving dirt around ... And think a dozer would be fun!

I'm not sure what the OP has for a tractor ... But even a little one like mine could fix his wife's parking spot up ...

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I've discovered that I really like moving dirt around ... And think a dozer would be fun!

It would be, but I'd really like to try my luck with a road grader.

For now my home built towable imitations will have to do.

 

[yanmars]

Road graders can be tough to master well

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Road graders can be tough to master well

That's really the main reason I'd want one.

I love challenges and learning how to operate things. Plus figuring out how they work in the first place.

At this point I have enough equipment and attachments to fix what I'll screw up with a grader.

 

[paulsharvey]

On motor graders, ive been on one twice, and both times, I got off before I messed something up. The new 12M ones are drive by wire, but the ones I had been one, two feet, 3 hands, needed the whole time... There is a reason if a finish grader man gets arrested, you bail him out, if he looses his license, you give his loader man a truck to pick him up, if he needs two weeks pay for Christmas, you get him his bonus. One company i was with, we had one of the other guys drive our grader guy to his court dates.

 

[greenie]

Gravel estimator... Gravel Driveway Calculator

 

[paulsharvey]

Gravel estimator... Gravel Driveway Calculator

Most road base type materials will run right at 100#/sy/inch of thickness. Maybe 95#-105#; thats per inch of compacted thickness. Straight gravel will be a bit less, and if you are somewhere that uses granite crushing, its probably a bit more. But, that number will get you within a margin of error.

 

[DGF]

My big driveway turn around area up top is compacted, no pot holes but a lowish spot on the driver's side of where my lovely wife gets out of her car. During heavy rains, her foot can find a 1" puddle in a low spot. Early fall I took my DR grader that I use on my three point, stir gravel up and nudging the low area w/ extra mix. Still.

So my middle of the road option here is a big old truck of gravel. It's probably been 5 years, so probably 1200$ Should I err on a finer grind? Not that they have much variance to offer. At least didn't in the past. 5/8" minus, maybe 3/4" minus. I haven't called. Am I on the right track? Working it w/ the DR, is maybe not aggressive enough or maybe it's just time for gravel.

My other options I've pretty much discounted. A new purple pair of water proof shoes for her on the low end or replacing the wife. I can't afford that, nor I guess would want to.

Hi,

I had the same problem at my place. Fixed it by peeling back the top few inces of very course sand to expose the natural dirt/gravel base to save for later. Then dug three 12"W trenches inline with the direction of the parked cars. Filled the trenches with only stone (some pulled out of the trench) and covered with simple landscape cloth. Then graded the sand back over everything. It's been maybe 10+ years now and not once a puddle even after heavy rain or snow melt. Any water just drops into the trenches and dissipates. It was easy and used only a couple of yards of new gravel. A couple times a year I run the rake over everything to keep it relatively flat and it as nice as any paved driveway.

 

[RayIN]

My big driveway turn around area up top is compacted, no pot holes but a lowish spot on the driver's side of where my lovely wife gets out of her car. During heavy rains, her foot can find a 1" puddle in a low spot. Early fall I took my DR grader that I use on my three point, stir gravel up and nudging the low area w/ extra mix. Still.

So my middle of the road option here is a big old truck of gravel. It's probably been 5 years, so probably 1200$ Should I err on a finer grind? Not that they have much variance to offer. At least didn't in the past. 5/8" minus, maybe 3/4" minus. I haven't called. Am I on the right track? Working it w/ the DR, is maybe not aggressive enough or maybe it's just time for gravel.

My other options I've pretty much discounted. A new purple pair of water proof shoes for her on the low end or replacing the wife. I can't afford that, nor I guess would want to.

Instead of gravel, buy #7 crushed stone and fill-in the low spots instead of moving gravel around.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Instead of gravel, buy #7 crushed stone and fill-in the low spots instead of moving gravel around.

#7 as wash 1/2 stone 1/2 ? could you explain your reasoning ? I am personally not a fan of pure stone for driveway capping it certainly look good but it constantly move.

 

[RayIN]

#7 as wash 1/2 stone 1/2 ? could you explain your reasoning ? I am personally not a fan of pure stone for driveway capping it certainly look good but it constantly move.

That's odd. My driveway and parking area are finished with #7 crushed stone. Unless I get a heavy rainstorm, nothing moves; driveway is a 20% slope, parking is flat.
The base started with 8'x8' reject stone slabs from a mill, then #2 over that, then #72 over that, and finished with 2" of #7.

 

[Rockbadchild]

That's odd. My driveway and parking area are finished with #7 crushed stone. Unless I get a heavy rainstorm, nothing moves; driveway is a 20% slope, parking is flat.
The base started with 8'x8' reject stone slabs from a mill, then #2 over that, then #72 over that, and finished with 2" of #7.

Having pure stone not move is more odd the having it moved lol in your case the stone slab offer a solid base but even with a outside edge to contained the gravel I am very surprise you don't see the tire tracks from vehicles... Stone offer no compaction.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

OK, I'm trying to condense a bunch of geotechnical knowledge into a way shorter, more user freindly form.

Adding a "well graded" base gravel doesn't work with soft subbase materials. If you have a soggy or clayey base you can "bridge" the soft spot by adding crushed rock with no fine aggregate. it will take several applications to be effective. The crushed part is important, rounded native stone, moves on itself pretty easily and doesn't really harden things very much. Crushed rock with fractured faces, will interlock on the fracture edges and spread out the load. If you want to buy coarse aggregate, see if the local quarry or redi-mix plant have some reject coarse concrete aggregate.

 

[Lavender Valley]

I live in an area with a wet grey clay under the top soil so all roads we construct we add 30% lime to the gravel and crushed aggregates. The lime (a part of cement) locks the aggregates together and stops moisture coming up from the subgrades. Put a good crown in the road that will clear surface water. Results are a good road that will stand heavy traffic through all weathers.

 

[RayIN]

Having pure stone not move is more odd the having it moved lol in your case the stone slab offer a solid base but even with a outside edge to contained the gravel I am very surprise you don't see the tire tracks from vehicles... Stone offer no compaction.

The only time I see tire tracks is when the UPS driver spins up the hill trying to gain speed. Then I have to rake the tracks out and compact the stone.
It's amazing how many people don't know how to drive on crushed stone roads.

 

[404nouser]

My drive had a soft spot, later found out that spot used to be the location of an outhouse.

It was 6" low, so I dug another 18" then put 18" of concrete in the spot then rock over it.
It's not been a problem since.

 

[RayIN]

My big driveway turn around area up top is compacted, no pot holes but a lowish spot on the driver's side of where my lovely wife gets out of her car. During heavy rains, her foot can find a 1" puddle in a low spot. Early fall I took my DR grader that I use on my three point, stir gravel up and nudging the low area w/ extra mix. Still.

So my middle of the road option here is a big old truck of gravel. It's probably been 5 years, so probably 1200$ Should I err on a finer grind? Not that they have much variance to offer. At least didn't in the past. 5/8" minus, maybe 3/4" minus. I haven't called. Am I on the right track? Working it w/ the DR, is maybe not aggressive enough or maybe it's just time for gravel.

My other options I've pretty much discounted. A new purple pair of water proof shoes for her on the low end or replacing the wife. I can't afford that, nor I guess would want to.

Gravel will never compact. Crushed stone OTOH will compact.