Rock recommendation for driveway spring refresh

[EssexFells]

We’ve re-rocked the driveway a few times over the years, and each time just asked the quarry for “road base”, which around here is approx 1-2" crushed rock with lots of fines. It’s what everyone around here uses. Our last application was about a 2" layer, 9 months ago. It needed more, but I was just spreading out the leftovers from another project, with a promise to myself that I’d circle back in the spring and do it right. Sooooo here we are.

We are just getting our first real thaw this week, and the driveway is holding up ok. Definitely too soft but not soupy or rutted. But given how much of the rock has disappeared (into the base? into the atmosphere? is my neighbor sneaking in and carrying it away one rock at a time?? I mean, seriously, where the hell does it all go???), I am wondering if this time instead of road base, maybe I should do a layer of larger rock first? And then road base on top of that. I would appreciate any recommendations if you have experience in gravel driveways!

Since every region seems to have different names for quarry product, I would be grateful if your response described the recommended rock by size, rather than just the trade name ("#3 minus" may mean something different here than elsewhere).

[punchy]

I have a pea gravel drive with the same problem of disappearing gravel. A lot flies up and out into the grassy berm just walking/driving on it, a lot gets tossed by the snowblower, and a lot gets carried out in tires when driving up and down it. I don’t think putting a bigger rock layer underneath is going to help with those problems. Some does get packed into the ground underneath, which larger rock would seem to help with, theoretically. I like the smaller stone because I walk/ride my horse on it, which would not be possible with a bigger rock base, so I just add more gravel every year or so.

[Pico_Banana]

My barn driveway has basically disappeared with all of the work I’m having done. When it’s over, the contractors are going to fix it for me by putting down new gravel, my choice. One guy today recommended what he called “asphalt millings” which is recycled asphalt that is sifted so you can buy different levels of fineness. He said if you get the fine stuff after a few warm days it almost re-congeals (not his word but what it sounds like to me) into actual asphalt. I’m thinking of giving it a try.

The rest of my barn driveway is a mix of (1) washed 3/4 inch gravel (what people use for road base around here so easiest to get), (2) 3/8 inch gravel, and (3) stone dust. It works well and doesn’t seem to be disappearing as long as no one drives down it super fast (which as long as my DH doesn’t help me, doesn’t happen).

[GreyDes]

We also use recycled asphalt and it does seem to work better than gravel.

[moonlitoaksranch]

I’ll confirm the recycled asphalt does a good job. However, sometimes, there are some weird items in it, so keep an eye out of sharp edges, pieces of metal, etc…

[NaturallyHappy]

The first time I used recycled, finely ground asphalt, it was wonderful. The second time, it was full of chunks, big rocks, and trash. The company came back w big vibrator and broke up the junk, but I won’t use it again.

[EssexFells]

Yeah, we’re going to stick with gravel. Asphalt just wouldn’t look right on a rural farm lane.

[Pico_Banana]

I hear you. I’m thinking of using the asphalt just for the offshoot off of our regular driveway, which is asphalt, but when it turns into the “farm proper” I’m sticking with gravel, too.

[foggybok]

Back in WA we would just add more rock every few years. We put in 1 1/4 for the driveway. Eventually we would lose it, but it held up well in all the wet.

Here we use 3/4 instead. They like to sell us what they call grade 5 here, but I don’t like it, it has too many fines and turns mushy. I like the structure the plain rock gives better.

[eightpondfarm]

our driveway is very long and about 1/3 of it is a hill. Annual early summer rainfall can put huge ruts in that stretch. What i do is pile into the ruts stones the size of the rut, then fill around with smaller creek gravel (which i dig out of my own creeks myself). Then i pile on fleeces after we shear the sheep and then have One-inch-minus laid in a shallow layer overtop. Lasts about two or three years. The flat parts of the drive need very little upkeep. BUT! the drive is well over a hundred years old and has a solid base of rock and gravel. Not earth/mud. I think in time your driveway will have enough of a base that it won’t sink in so quickly. Here are some pics of our fleece driveway process

first, the fleece. Which we shear in May

I don’t put down the fleece until the day before the rock gets delivered. I want it squishy and absorbent of the rock

When you first drive on the ‘soft’ rock it feels weird. It packs hard very quickly.

[Mosey_2003]

Ground will swallow rock for a lot of years. A whole lot. You’ll put feet of rock in, over time, but it does slow down the more you put down.

I would still stick with road base. If you go for a clean rock it’s going to fly around more than lock in. Here in Northern IL we call ours CA-6, which is short for CM6D, which is short for Crushed Material 6 Down I’ve also heard people call it Grade 8, which we don’t go by here.

Anyway, I would ask for road rock. Different places have different typical sizes, ours is 1.5" topsize, others are 1", others are 5/8". If you want a little more rock and a little less “dust” you can ask them if they have any road rock that is too course for spec - that will get you less fines, and sometimes a price cut depending on what kind of business the place does most.

[Mosey_2003]

Also, don’t make any strong decisions until you have it graded up properly again, you likely have more rock than it would appear.

[EssexFells]

Your finished driveway is beautiful. But I gotta say the fleece layer picture looks like a serial killer’s driveway.

[eightpondfarm]

hahahaha. i know, it creeps people out! but…
No sheep were harmed in the making of this driveway!

[enjoytheride]

We use something called 53s here. It’s rocks up to 1 1/2 inches down to limestone dust. It packs down really well.

[endlessclimb]

@Pico_Banana

He said if you get the fine stuff after a few warm days it almost re-congeals (not his word but what it sounds like to me) into actual asphalt.

Yes it does do this. But it doesn’t do it in any sort of reasonable way.

We have washboarding on the barn driveway that is solid as if it were laid that way. No regular grader is going to be able to fix it, it basically is going to need a jackhammer to break up.

The middlings were free though, when they re-did the main road out front. Did the entire driveway, and around all 3 barns for zero dollars. It was nice, and I’m sure the truckers appreciated not having to haul it a bunch of miles away.

[Pico_Banana]

Thanks for the tip. I think we decided to go with gravel anyway just for the look. That’s what we have everywhere else so we’re staying with that.