gravel driveway adding limestone grindings

[RYDMOTO]

Hi all
I have a gravel driveway and I believe I used #7 gravel - it's been a few years.
It's pretty well compacted and I have a few low spots that puddle after it rains or wash my cars.Also I get tired of the larger rocks coming to the surface or just loose rocks and esp when your heal catches them and kinds twists your ankle to some degree.
So I decided to top off the drive with limestone grindings. I already started by spreading with a rake and then a wide landscaping rake.I watered is down and so far so good. Seems to be compressing fine. I am not finished yet but I started wondering is I should spread some portland cement lightly and rake it in hoping that it may help the grindings bind better.Has anybody tried this or will it be a waste of time?
Thanks for any input
Roy

 

[Hilltopmasonry]

Portland wont do much long term...

It would be a waste of money


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[Innovate1]

I am never sure which way to go on this. Addition of fines helps pack and keep things from moving but also promotes weeds more. Got talked into putting down fines on the surface about a year ago. It looked great for a while but then the 3/4" rock started making its way to the surface as the fines worked down. Can't tell it was done now. I would just fill the low spots with clean gravel. Interested in others thoughts on this...

 

[barnumflight]

I feel like the fines only get spongy in the wet seasons. Around me (northern IL) they sell a road mix (CA 6 I think its called) which is a mix of the 1/2 to 3/4 and fines. The fines act almost like a cement to help hold the larger rocks. The key to fixing potholes in the driveway is either a good workout with the grader blade or better yet a driveway plane.

 

[RYDMOTO]

I am in northern Illinois as well. It doesn't matter how compacted my gravel is I still get weeds popping up. Even black eyed susans....the wonders of nature.( gosh as a kid a remember watching weeds push up thru blacktop). I agree with barn on CA6 as that is what I have.I got the idea of fines from our prairie path biking/walking trail that at least appears to have fines and seems to stay hard and level whenever I am on it. I thought that adding some portland cement powder might help lock the fines together. On another note the landscaping supply had a bin full of ground up cement that looks like it may be a good base.Kinda looked like C6 but smaller gravel -- maybe half inch.

 

[Jackfre]

Rather than just adding the fines I think you would be better off to break the top up 2-4", pick the big stuff up, add the fines and roll it in. I am looking at having to do the same thing here before winter to fill in low spots and eliminate some of the organics that over time get into a gravel drive. Get rid of is probably the wrong thing to say. Let them settle into the base, add the new material, rent a real roller and compact it so it stays put for another 8 or so yrs. The roller made a huge difference on our place.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Not exactly sure what "limestone grindings" is (mostly fine or a mix of fine up to about 3/4" ?) but you would be better off putting down a good 2" layer and using a plate compactor.

Actually Jackfre had the perfect solution. Expensive but it will last.

 

[RYDMOTO]

As you can see there are no rocks whatsoever in the grindings.
I am still in a learning curve and I been told go too thick and the grindings will get mushy when it rains.It seems where I have ran over with my car after I wetted it with a hose then let dry it seems to be compacted. I added about 2 inches. I have a feeling if you were to spread the material and level it- Wet is with a hose then compact it with a push type ******** it would level off nicely.
Breaking the drive up 3 inches deep and adding grindings then rollering would be the ultimate. The reason I don't blacktop s that it is kinda nice to not worry about dripping oil or antifreeze or gasoline or fuel oil when I work on my cars.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Breaking the drive up 3 inches deep and adding grindings then rollering would be the ultimate.

Actually one more step for the ultimate. Dig down about 6"-8", lay road fabric. Then you want a mixture of fines and gravel up to 3/4". Compact the first 3"-4" layer. And then next layer and compact again.

The road fabric will prevent your fines and gravel from sinking into the native soil.

Never use "round"/smooth/river gravel/rock. The smooth edges will never lock together.

 

[NUTTSGT]

The smaller the limestone you put down, the sooner it will need replaced or added to. While the smaller stuff packs and tamps nice, it does wash away or blows away (dust) in the wind when you drive in or out.

When you get a soaking rain, it will get mushy and soft, but in the dry times, hard as concrete.