Top 5 Mistakes made when Building a Gravel Driveway
More Canadian driveways than ever before are being filled with gravel as an effective, stable material. The benefits of building a gravel driveway are well-established. They’re more affordable than a paved driveway and have an equal lifespan.
As a material, gravel may be particularly attractive especially if you don’t mind the upkeep and maintenance required. Before beginning your build though, we recommend taking a quick browse through these common mistakes that others have made when planning and construction their gravel driveway.
Preparing and stripping the ground
Always, always, always prepare the ground before laying any gravel out. Leaving leaves, grass, weeds, or other vegetation across the surface you are dumping on is a hazard waiting to happen. To properly install a gravel driveway, you will need to remove the topsoil and get down to the hard rock underneath. This way, you know you have a solid foundation to build on.
Level the driveway for drainage
A driveway needs to be leveled properly to ensure it drains adequately and does not accumulate water in certain pockets. When a driveway is not draining properly, eroding water will inevitably damage it. In the worst of cases, it may even be left as a mud hole when the silt from below its surface gradually makes its way up. This silt is known to cause gravel to lose friction and weaken. Before long, your gravel driveway will be completely unrecognizable. This is why installing a layer of geotextile fabric between the subsoil and bottom layer of gravel is needed.
Use secure wooden forms or edges
To ensure that the gravel stays on the driveway, during the process of spreading it out, one must use edges or wooden forms to prevent it from overflowing. By not using these edges, the gravel will eventually scatter out, polluting sidewalks, lawns, and the street. Instead of using wooden edges, some have used or concrete. At the end of the day, it’s about keeping the gravel between the borders of where it needs to be.
Compacting base layers
A driveway should be made up of multiple layers of gravel, each compacted as appropriate. When gravel is not being compacted, a driveway loses shape. As a guide, ensure every layer is four inches thick. Build from gravel layers that go from the largest pieces underneath to the smallest pieces on top.
Choosing right size and shape
Using the wrong shape and size of gravel is the easiest way to ensuring that a gravel driveway does not hold. The base layer of gravel requires pieces to be three to four inches in size so that when a vehicle rolls over the driveway, it does not sink. Angular, sharp edges are required for these pieces. Round-edge pieces won’t lock in, unlike those with sharper edges. Meanwhile, the top layer should be comprised of gravel pieces smaller than a golf ball. By pouring out gravel like this, each piece will conveniently fall into place and lock in with those around it to form a foundation that will not sink or shift.
These are the five biggest mistakes homeowners make when installing a gravel driveway. By knowing what to watch out for, you can easily build a strong gravel driveway without running into any of these troubles. At Core Mini Bins we offer grading services.
