Driveway - Stone & Concrete Combo

[Apeatwo]

I was hoping to get everyone's thoughts on my plan for my driveway. We are building a modern farmhouse on the 5 acre piece of farm. Its has 3 car garage with a 34x30 parking pad. My driveway is 200 feet long and my plan is to install 18" concrete runners down each side of a 10' wide stone driveway (13' overall width). The right side runner will die into the parking pad and the left side will bend to the left and create a 34x20 stone parking pad to the left of and in line with the concrete pad.

The concrete guy is suggesting we should just do all concrete, $4000 more than the stone concrete combo. My wife and I like the idea of the stone and would actually like to top the stone with shells. We feel its a more traditional look and we would have less runoff issues. If we decide this doesn't work for us later on we thought we could replace the stone by filling in with concrete, or better yet, pavers. Otherwise, all concrete seems like too much concrete to me.

Thoughts?

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[Petejoe]

I'm assuming by stone driveway, your talking about large pieces of flat stone in varied dimensions.
I prefer to see the stone drive with concrete edging. I gives the whole area visual dimension and does help with drainage. It also allows you to repair it easily without notice.
A concrete cracked drive drives me nuts.
The cost is a no brainer. Good luck

 

[Jinks]

The concrete guy is suggesting we should just do all concrete, $4000 more than the stone concrete combo.

Thoughts?

His way makes him $4000. Easy enough to see his side of the discussion.

One of the FIRST things I note when talking to a contractor is, does he listen to ME? Lots of contractors can tell you a "better" way to do something. Few care about what you want, they're looking to make the most money they can the easiest way they can. If a contractor see's a job differently than I do I'll listen to what they have to say. If the end product isn't what I called them for I tell them that. If they argue I thank them & send them on their way.

 

[Stuart in MN]

I think you need to define what is meant by stone - whether it's flat slabs of rock, or gravel. You also said shells, which must be a regional thing...are you talking about seashells?

 

[Apeatwo]

I'm assuming by stone driveway, your talking about large pieces of flat stone in varied dimensions.
I prefer to see the stone drive with concrete edging. I gives the whole area visual dimension and does help with drainage. It also allows you to repair it easily without notice.
A concrete cracked drive drives me nuts.
The cost is a no brainer. Good luck

The driveway stone I'm referring to would be a 1" to 2" fill stone, not natural paver style. I can't stand cracked concrete either, I had them round off the parking pad edges to help prevent any breaking in that location.

His way makes him $4000. Easy enough to see his side of the discussion.

One of the FIRST things I note when talking to a contractor is, does he listen to ME? Lots of contractors can tell you a "better" way to do something. Few care about what you want, they're looking to make the most money they can the easiest way they can. If a contractor see's a job differently than I do I'll listen to what they have to say. If the end product isn't what I called them for I tell them that. If they argue I thank them & send them on their way.

I agree with you 100%! I feel like its easier for him and he makes more money. But then I start to question our plan and wonder if it makes sense. It has me second guessing myself.

I think you need to define what is meant by stone - whether it's flat slabs of rock, or gravel. You also said shells, which must be a regional thing...are you talking about seashells?

Sorry about that. It would be 1" to 2" fill stone between the runners. Not dusty like crush and run but solid for driving over. The ground really retained water over the winter so there is already nearly a foot deep of stone where the driveway goes. We are also in a coastal community not far from the water so an old, and classy, driveway would consist of crushed seashells. We would lay that over the think base of stone, mostly for looks. My problem with that is the shell moves easier where the stone mostly stays in place.

 

[Apeatwo]

Pics added to original post.

 

[Apeatwo]

This is what we're looking to do.

 

[yeldogt]

He is most likely looking at the overall cost .. the time to lay out and pour that curbing ... you could do a full standard driveway .. 200' $4k .. that's mostly concrete. The curbing needs to be deep ... the driveway would be at grade on stones.

Around me if going to the expense of edging -- it's the Belgium block as curb.

Also: Be mindful of both the curved walks and driveways .... they have to be correct or they get uncomfortable for two walking -- or when backing out. It looks like you have plenty of turn around space .. but if you ever think people will back out ... make sure the drive is mapped out by someone who understands. most concrete guys don't have a clue

 

[Jinks]

This is what we're looking to do.

Basically a gravel drive with well defined curbs. It does look good, but be sure of what you're doing. Curbs by themselves will need to be really big! Most of the mass will be below ground, but if you don't make them big every car/truck that gets slightly off the drive will break a curb.

Sea shell on a drive will be ground to dust over time, but it's replaceable. We have friends in the Carolina's that just built a house. The fire place was done with "Tabby". A concrete like stucco with sea shells embedded. Looks great, but the shells are sharp & fragile. Every time you brush against the fire place you either get scratched, or break a shell. Or both......

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

It takes twice as much form work to do that than it would to do all concrete. Also extra effort to do curves and keep the same width.
Where I've seen it done the sides were only 6-8" wide (they also cracked and became uneven over time, we have freeze/thaw cycles).

I wonder if they could cover the wet concrete with shells to get an exposed aggregate type of look.

 

[Apeatwo]

It does take twice as much work but the labor is considered in the $4000 savings by not going all concrete. I talked to the concrete guy today while on site, he still thinks we should do the whole thing. The plan is to make them 18" wide x 6" deep with 8" in drive over locations, using 3500 psi concrete. I also thought adding two #3 rebar down each entire length might help reduce any cracking. A seam will also be cut every 4 to 6 ft. My thought is that if a section does crack it could easily be cut out and replaced.

 

[Apeatwo]

The concrete guys biggest hang up with it is that he thinks it'll crack based on a recent experience with 24" strips that were actually driven/parked on regularly by a Suburban, on and off multiple times a day. Ours will only rarely be driven over and in very specific places.

 

[bad_idea]

My BIL lived at the end of a gravel road. Every time we went to visit him the car got covered in dust and the road was always deeply rutted. Maintenance nightmare. I would concrete it. If worried about looks, do some fancy concrete work. Stamp the edges to look like brick and have the edges dyed brick red. Or do some sort of stamped pattern on the drive. Exposed aggregate. Etc.

I grew up in Va Beach and now live just outside of Elizabeth City. I am well familiar with how wet this region is. I would be worried about a gravel driveway getting swampy. At a minimum puddles that splash up on the car. Don't need to get the car dirty just pulling in and out of the drive.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'd do the regular concrete driveway if it were mine. Gravel stone driveways need maintenance and weed killer, not to mention dragging stones in the garage with the tires. If you have a lug sole on your boot and small enough stone, you can drag them in the house too

 

[yeldogt]

It does take twice as much work but the labor is considered in the $4000 savings by not going all concrete. I talked to the concrete guy today while on site, he still thinks we should do the whole thing. The plan is to make them 18" wide x 6" deep with 8" in drive over locations, using 3500 psi concrete. I also thought adding two #3 rebar down each entire length might help reduce any cracking. A seam will also be cut every 4 to 6 ft. My thought is that if a section does crack it could easily be cut out and replaced.

Frankly -- 4k for full on 200' sounds cheap. Add up the cost of the concrete.

In the suburbs with a typical drive concrete works -- if it gets too big I prefer asphalt. Think it looks better and done correctly has a very long life -- much cheaper. At my rural PA place I did asphalt .... Have also done bonded stones ... it's really almost asphalt ..they say it's permeable (I had to do it for impervious permit reasons)

 

[kj_mustang]

Have you considered Turfstone or a similar paver for some of your areas that need drainage control? You can fill them with grass or stone.