Gravel Drive Maintenance

Bob in SD · Aug 30, 2019

Over time, as the grass growing next to the drive traps dirt and silt, the soil next to the drive seems to get higher and higher. This effects drainage and forms puddles even if I have initially a good crown. Is the best approach to scrape this away, or just keep dumping gravel on the drive to go deeper and deeper? It's very noticeable this year with all of the rain we've had. I suspect the driveway is also getting narrower due to this, but not at a noticeable rate.

I should probably blade it more often, but neglected it for several years and then put down gravel and bladed last fall and now again. I have access to a three-point mounted box scraper and a regular (not heavy, no down pressure) rear blade.

Thanks,

rustyfarmall · Aug 30, 2019

Add more gravel until it is higher than the surrounding area. Use glyphosate to kill off the grass and weeds at the edges, and then use "Barrier" on the whole drive to prevent the weeds from coming back. "Barrier" needs to be applied in the spring, and again in the fall.

Mutt and Jeff · Aug 30, 2019

rotz O Rok roscoe

add rock
crushed rock
tons and tons
level grade and compact
as required

year after year after year

perhaps occasionally loosen it up somewhat and respread it around

then add more rock level compact and enjoy

ohiojim · Aug 30, 2019

keep it sprayed or like i do once or twice a year i pull it back onto the drive and work it back in. gets a little pricey to keep adding stone when ya don't need it.

sms · Aug 30, 2019

I had to cut down the lawn at my mom's because the garage would be a pond if anything was added to the drive.

whereswaldo · Aug 30, 2019

That's what I've had to do, maybe skipping three or four years. Crushed rock dissolves and needs to be renewed periodically. Son in Law borrowed a 'York rake' and 'renewed' my driveway with it. Looked good for a couple months, then after several rains, it turned into limestone enhanced soil. So, more crushed rock. Get the stuff with 'fines' as it holds better.

Leroy · Aug 30, 2019

In doing that you are just pulling dirt in to mix with the gravel in drive and make a muddy mess when it rains. Actually the gravel in driveway just keeps sinking down pusshing the soil under the gravel out to the edge and working up and that is what makes that ridge. The only was to fix is more gravel. Now if you would have place you could pull that ridge AWAY from drive and fill in a deep side ditch some to make drive wider then that would work. I did not have that to do it and drive would never dry up enough to scrape when I could find the time to do it. I needed at least 6" of stone to repair drive when I lost the place. And when you drive over the stone when it is wet underneeth it pushes the stone down and brings the soil up from under the drive to make mud.

Mike M · Aug 30, 2019

I saw a guy running a Ventrac with an attachment made to work up the gravel in drives. Maybe your local rental yards rent one or something similar ? I'm not sure how good they work on the bad grassy areas as the area I watch this guy do did not look to bad.

tomtinker · Aug 30, 2019

Just drive on the grass instead of staying in the ruts all the time works for me .

rustyfarmall · Aug 30, 2019

My graveled drive is in an area that others thought would always be too wet and soft. I started with 18 tons of the big, 2 inch crushed rock, leveled it as best I could, and then about 1 year later I spread another 18 tons of the one inch crushed rock. A few years later I added another 18 tons of the one inch rock. That makes 3 loads of crushed rock in 20 years.

JD Seller · Aug 30, 2019

I have a 10 ft. heavy rear blade with a tail wheel that is hydraulic. So you can control the blade just about like a true grader would. I actually have a weight bracket on it too. It has 2500 LBS. of suitcase weights on it. You need a good sized tractor on it to handle the pull when you are really cutting. I usually put a JD 4440 on it.

About once each year I roll that berm into the drive way. I recut the crown. If there is too much grass/dirt in the berm I will roll it into a windrow and pick the window up an haul it away. I have washouts around the drive in places and this gravel/sod mix works good for filling them in. When I do spread the berm material out I just drive on it for several days and then hit the lane with a landscaping rake to sort out the big stuff.

Here is a blade just like mine. You can angle the blade side to side and the tilt to with hydraulic cylinders. Mine has a cylinder were the ratchet is on the one in the picture. I have 3 SCVs so I can use all of that with the tail wheel. With it being heavy it works good to roll off slushy watery, ice in the winter too.

flying belgian · Aug 30, 2019

I would blade the edges in and then coat it with gravel.

M-MAN · Aug 30, 2019

Funny how rocks in the driveway seem to disappear and the ones in the garden keep having babies.

jCarroll · Aug 30, 2019

What's wrong with letting the grass grow in the driveway? Seems to me it helps anchor the individual stones and minimizes the stones being popped
around with tires.

Bob in SD · Aug 30, 2019

What they call "gravel" in South Dakota would be called "dirt" or "sand" back east. There are small (< 1/2") rocks, but it's mostly fines.

What's on the edge looks like black dirt, so I didn't want it in the gravel. I tried scraping some away, but didn't finish and wondered if that was a good approach. I think I'll try that for the rest of the driveway this year before I spread out another load of gravel.

Geo-TH,In · Aug 30, 2019

X2
Not to mention, the grass holds the gravel in place when you push snow. Otherwise when the snow melts you'll find a pile of rocks in yard.

Geo-TH,In · Aug 30, 2019

We call gravel round shaped rocks, pee gravel.

White crushed rocks with sharper edges is twice the price, white rock.

Both will fill with dirt and grass/weeds follow.

If you don't like that, use concrete.

cuby · Aug 30, 2019

Isn't river rock much better than gravel or crushed rock?? More expensive I know.

dzc3 · Aug 30, 2019

Crushed Stone driveways always need attention. Just add a little rock every year. Side note I mowed the side of my driveway and blew the grass onto to the stone, I have the nicest green driveway ever! I have a long driveway, looked like no one lived here. Not all bad!

caterpillar guy · Aug 30, 2019

I like crushed concrete yes costs more and lasts longer too. I put in 6 inches for the truck and have only scraped it to level some over the last 20 years. I keep adding to the area covered as I keep needing more room. 3 trailers and the assorted other things parked there. I can also drop loaded trailers in the spring without fret of them settling.

Gravel Drive Maintenance

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