I have a gravel driveway going horizontally across a hill, and have trouble keeping the gravel in the driveway, especially during snow. This is because every time I shovel out the driveway, stones get picked up by the shovel and thrown into the grass. Of course, this takes a long time to pick up. Big rainstorms also wash out gravel. It is crushed limestone in the 1/2-1" diameter range. I can't pave it because I haven't got the money, and there are some nice trees over it which would be bothered by pavement. How do I keep gravel where it belongs?
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2Ah, the springtime ritual of raking gravel from the lawn back onto the driveway...– bstpierreCommented Feb 10, 2012 at 12:47
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1Washout and rain could be handled with small channels (to keep the gravel in easy to move places) or by dropping the height of the drive a few inches. As for snow, then I think you need a new way of clearning the drive - or a new drive. Both are expensive. :-(– winwaedCommented Feb 10, 2012 at 13:39
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1You got snow this winter? In south-central NH we got around 8 inches for Halloween, and nothing to speak of since. Throw the snow uphill when feasible. It will be easier to rake them back, or gravity will do it for you. If you keep the driveway fairly level, just keep the shovel handle low and leave the bottom inch of snow. This works best, I think, with a standard-design cheap plastic supermarket shovel - my favorite anyway.– Ed StaubCommented Feb 10, 2012 at 15:13
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A gas powered back pack blower or hand held is far better than a rake!– stormyCommented Jul 24, 2018 at 20:46
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3 Answers
Two traditional methods which work but may not agree with you are:
1) tar the surface. I believe you could get a local construction company to do this as spraying hot tar may not be a chore you want to do
2) If your driveway is already compacted and drains well this is my preferred solution:
Crusher run or Crushed stone: this is generally limestone or dolomite that has been crushed and graded by screens to certain size classes. It is widely used in concrete and as a surfacing for roads and driveways, sometimes with tar applied over it. ... A special type of limestone crushed stone is dense grade aggregate, or DGA, also known as crusher run, or colloquially as "crush and run". This is a mixed grade of mostly small crushed stone in a matrix of crushed limestone powder.
This should be available in bulk at good prices from any quarry or landscape supplier. Spread in a layer so the top of the existing gravel and compact with a roller and apply water to harden. For spots where it could wash out mix with Portland cement.
Average Coverage
*1 cu. Yd. will cover approximately 100 sq. ft. at 2" deep
If you are going to go to the effort of doing this you should also do some grading on the uphill side to add a ditch and add piping to let the water through from one side to another.
answered Feb 16, 2012 at 20:27
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Here is my math, Kevinsky. Square footage divided by 81 gives you the yardage necessary to cover at 4" depth; 100 sq. ft. / 81 = 1.2 yards and that would be a 4" depth. I could have fried my brain, just want to make sure I am telling people the correct math. If I wanted 2" depth I divide by 2 and I get .6 yard to cover 100 sq. ft. with 2". I've used sq. ft. divided by 81 to get the yardage of gravels, mulches I want at 4". This isn't matching what you are saying and by golly I am worried...you are almost always right, especially with math.– stormyCommented Jul 24, 2018 at 20:42
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Crushed gravels with minus compacted are the only way to go in my opinion. Never had a problem even on slopes losing gravel. All my gravels were edged with pt 2X4 and a gas powered blower kept all in check.– stormyCommented Jul 24, 2018 at 20:44
I found a product called Stone Man Stay Put. The manufacturer is Ivy League Landscape LLC. Found it at Ace but I'm sure Home Depot has it too. Simple water like mixture. Put it in your sprayer and apply a thin coating. You literally cannot tell there is anything holding the stones together, but they do not move. It's been two years and I have not had to rake a single pebble. Has no effect on your sprayer either. I still use the same sprayer for Roundup.
Try using a gravel stabiliser! I used one on my driveway, which was also on a slope.
The one I used was called COREgravel Coredrive, and it has really helped. It's from the UK, but you can probably find something similar wherever you live.
I saw another forum which said these grids must have a weed membrane already attached, so when I was hunting for a grid coregravel popped up a lot, and I must say the weed membrane is helping a lot.
While we were doing the drive we also did a couple paths leading to the house, which this grid could also help with!! Bonus!
It was very inexpensive, but I'd check prices for yourself.
