Gravel driveway help

[keef]

I've got to do a job for my landlord - basically sorting out the driveway. Its a gravel driveway thats been compacted and is very uneven (car tracks etc..). We've got two tons of gravel arriving soon. So what do i have to do to get it ready ???

My thoughts are to loosen up whats there now and try and level it out a bit, before spreading the new stuff on top.... anyone else done this ?

[keef]

[kt.]

If its for your landlord - why do you have to do it??? Is that not why you pay rent - for him to do repairs....  What will he do to your tennancy if it all goes wrong......

[kenkew]

Yes loosen it but only the top couple of inches. The cars have compacted the under-surface and buried, not pushed aside the chippings. I suppose it's 3/4 blue chippings and (don't know your drive size but it's obviously big enough for a car) all you're going to do with only 20 bags is fill the ruts and you'll be left with with two white lines!
Just disturb it enough to make it level-ish and spread the new stuff to cover as much as you can.
So long as the car continues to use the same track, the problem will return although it should be sound enough for a few years.
Don't know if you have any edging in place at the entrance, if you do, makle sure not to end up with the drive higher than that or your chippings are going to end up on the road.

[Blue Bird]

We had to do our drive way at our old house a few years ago and found it better to put down flags where the wheels go and just have gravel round them that way the drive holds up better - but I am no expert. ???

[kenkew]

Properly bedded slabs are better but you don't have that option now, gravel on the way.
Take the easy route, light levelling and spread.

[keef]

If its for your landlord - why do you have to do it??? Is that not why you pay rent - for him to do repairs....  What will he do to your tennancy if it all goes wrong......

I'm just doing it out of the kindness of my heart... ::) I've known them for years and best mates with their son. I do lots of odd jobs for them - painting, gardening, small building jobs etc.. keeps me off the streets.

[Blue Bird]

Keef why not ask for 1 week free rent - if you do not ask you do not get !!
try it and see what have you got to lose (your roof I suppose  ???)

[kenkew]

So have you done it? Keep us posted.......and don't forget, Pic's before and after...!

[keef]

Not yet - gravel not coming till next wednesday...

[ACE]

Laying a  new gravel drive.  Bear with me.

Excavate

half fill with hardcore

roll and compact

lay membrane

fill to the last 1inch and a half with type one

roll and compact

brush with a very thin tar

lay thin layer of 8 to 10 mil gravel and brush it about to stick to tar

lay any thing from 14mil to 22mil gravel to top.

Naturally you do not want to do all this but the hardcore provides drainage and if the drive drains nice, no worry. The membrane stops mud coming up through to the top when it rains if there is no mud, no worry. the type one provides a level surface to gravel on, if the area is still level, no worry. the tar sticks the small aggregate on to make it look nice when the top layer is displaced by traffic.

From what you say the top layer is embedded and is now doing the job of the type one, so do not loosen, just lightly rake the loose gravel out, level and top up every 3 to 5 years with the new larger aggregate.

Long winded answer I know, but at least you know if the problem is deep or is it just a case of topping up now and again.

[Ceratonia]

I really like this website, by a semi-retired Irish driveway/patio contractor- a wealth of good info on there.

http://www.pavingexpert.com/

Trouble is, the 'proper' way to do stuff always seems to involve a lot more work and cost  :(