Gravel driveway grid systems

[jives]

Looking for experience and thoughts on grid systems laid down to stabilize gravel for driveways and parking areas. I've got 6500 sq ft of an existing gravel driveway and parking area that needs serious maintenance. I re-drag every year, but the drive is on a slight slope and tends to wash out, even if crowned.

I should mention that when we built the house 10 years ago we left the driveway without a "top dressing" of normal crushed gravel. We left the hard compacted and smoothed surface of NY "item 4" -- bank run gravel of 2" gravel down to sand and dirt. The rock hard smoothness allowed our kids to ride bikes and scooters, but the fines have since largely washed away. That's okay, it served its purpose.

But now I need 100 tons for a new 3" layer of crushed limestone, or basic crusher run, and that will cost about $2500 with delivery. Obviously, I could just go with that, but the grid systems look intriguing. The grid system range from nearly $4000 to $15,000+ which has you wondering why this in place of asphalt or concrete.

Thoughts?

This system of an accordian-like fabric would be about $4,000.

These plastic grids would cost above $10,000

Nearly $15,000 for this plastic grid system.

 

[Loose Nut Buster]

What about a larger stone base, 2 "- 2-1/2" for warer run off n typed with a crushed suitable for you, seems like it'd do the same n less $$.
Just a thought.

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[tncatadjuster]

Mechanical concrete is such a great idea. Motorcycle tires would be for a thinner slab? Hopefully you will find a cheaper product that will work.

 

[theoldwizard1]

At a minimum you want "road fabric". The gravel can not sink into the soil. Much cheaper.

 

[txvwnut]

I have seen and am fixing to put down the plastic grid system(Truegrid Pro Lite). When done properly it will hold an amazing amount of weight and you don’t even know your on gravel as it keeps the stones tight. They make two variations of the permeable paver system one for commercial usage and one for residential.

 

[Bretny]

Jives 2 yrs ago I built a driveway through a swamp near Norwich. I could only do this with the use of road fabric. The grid stuff is more for hills. You cant use road fabric on hills but on the flats it makes a very large difference. It keeps the stone from mixing with the mud/dirt under it thus keeping a firm road surface.

Any gravel driveway is only as good as its ditches and water management. If you have washouts you need to fix that forever prior to doing anything. A grid system is not going to fix washouts, nor is road fabric. For instance I paid $1 a linear foot for 12ft wide road fabric.

 

[Blind1]

Geotechnical/road fabric after you fix the drainage. Then top dress with your choice.

 

[wayout]

I was considering something similar but won't decide until I find out if the drive will be able to be plowed in winter without lifting the grid.

 

[Rabbit929]

I built roads for 6 years, from everything to asphalt to Concrete Treated Base and laying tons of fabric.
The fabric works well, but the deeper the better. It just reduces soft spots and “pumping” when clay mixes with dirt, it never gets hard. That’s what fabric is for.
If it were me, I’d excavate it out about 3 feet, make your hill longer but with a smaller grade while at it, lay down fabric, then put whatever you took out, (minus as much dirt as possible) on top of that. Finish the top with class 5 gravel. Put a fairly large crown on it as well to help with washouts. I’ll bet even just turning over what you have there already you’ll find you have more fines than you think. That’s the most I could say, sight unseen.

The other thing is to get in touch with an asphalt company, and ask what they charge for RAP when it becomes available. 2” of Recycled asphalt (ground up) eventually glues itself back together, but you’ll want to drag it a run over it with a lot of rubber tires till you get it flat. Fairly expensive, but cheaper than concrete treated base or paving it.

Naturally gravel hills are always a bit of an issue till you get it pounded down tight.

 

[bradpac]

Does anyone have experience with such a grid system to create a grass driveway? I am thinking of this options to not get rid of my grass for the project garage I'm building beside our house. The grids for the grass systems look largely the same. lay down a gravel base, lay the grid, fill with dirt and plant grass. The city won't allow me to just leave my current lawn I have to have a driveway.

 

[Ing3018]

Does anyone have experience with such a grid system to create a grass driveway? I am thinking of this options to not get rid of my grass for the project garage I'm building beside our house. The grids for the grass systems look largely the same. lay down a gravel base, lay the grid, fill with dirt and plant grass. The city won't allow me to just leave my current lawn I have to have a driveway.

These work just like a snowshoe. The cells confine the material from spreading out under load from things like vehicles. Often used for emergency vehicle access around portions of large buildings where they don't otherwise want pavement. Also, reduces storm water runoff.
Here' a supplier in my area. Look for a soil erosion control materials supplier in your area and they can very likely assist you with your project. The manufacturers have lots of design guidance also, since you probably will need to convince your city that this stuff does actually work.
https://geoturf.com/geosynthetics/cellular-confinement/#geocells

 

[like2wheel]

The other thing is to get in touch with an asphalt company, and ask what they charge for RAP when it becomes available. 2” of Recycled asphalt (ground up) eventually glues itself back together, but you’ll want to drag it a run over it with a lot of rubber tires till you get it flat. Fairly expensive, but cheaper than concrete treated base or paving it.

Is 2" enough?
I have a fairly stable crusher drive that is showing its age & needs to be topped. I'd would consider RAP, but a friend was told that it needed to be put down 6" deep over his similar base. Not sure of the quality of that advise, but I would need to pull out a bunch to make room for that 6", but 2" would be doable.

 

[Git]

Does anyone have experience with such a grid system to create a grass driveway? I am thinking of this options to not get rid of my grass for the project garage I'm building beside our house. The grids for the grass systems look largely the same. lay down a gravel base, lay the grid, fill with dirt and plant grass. The city won't allow me to just leave my current lawn I have to have a driveway.

I used to keep my Cobra Replica in that trailer (kind of acted as a spare garage for it). The grass worked out ok, it didn't see a lot of use and keep in mind this is in S Cal so not a whole lot of rainy/muddy conditions. The picture showing the grid was actually taken when I was removing the grass which at that point had been there for about 10 years. This happened several years ago during one of our 'infamous' droughts' and the water company was paying $2 per sq ft to remove grass to save water

 

[TRWham]

...The grid system range from nearly $4000 to $15,000+ which has you wondering why this in place of asphalt or concrete.

Thoughts?...

This system of an accordian-like fabric would be about $4,000....[/IMG]

Nearly $15,000 for this plastic grid system....[/IMG]

These are used for permeability, not cost. Impervious coverage and run-off are much bigger issues in construction and zoning than just a few years ago.

 

[MushCreek]

I may need to look into one of these systems. I have about 250' of gravel driveway that slopes,and wash-out is an on-going problem. I had the bottom 50' at the road done in concrete, but that worked out to about $5 per square foot. I don't have another $12K to do the rest, and I actually like the look of a gravel drive with a ridge of grass down the middle.

I wonder if you could do two strips of a grid system to just do the wheel tracks? Say, two feet wide each. My driveway nearly holds up as it is, so just a little bit of an improvement would help.

 

[chaosracing]

I wonder if you could do two strips of a grid system to just do the wheel tracks? Say, two feet wide each. My driveway nearly holds up as it is, so just a little bit of an improvement would help.

Yes you can.

I am surprised no one mentioned the concrete paver system what was designed specifically for drive ways or parking areas.
You can just put gravel in them, or add soil and seed and you have grass.

https://www.mutualmaterials.com/products/turfstone-pavers/

Now if it were me, there are many options to choose from with the plastic grid system out there and I would use that if it were mine. I just wanted to throw another option out there.

Ultimately it comes down to cost as all options are good.

 

[TRWham]

Yes you can.

I am surprised no one mentioned the concrete paver system what was designed specifically for drive ways or parking areas.
You can just put gravel in them, or add soil and seed and you have grass.

https://www.mutualmaterials.com/products/turfstone-pavers/

Now if it were me, there are many options to choose from with the plastic grid system out there and I would use that if it were mine. I just wanted to throw another option out there.

Ultimately it comes down to cost as all options are good.

I did think of these but didn't mention them. I have seen them used extensively in Europe and they do seem like a good solution, but I don't think they are particularly low cost.

 

[ace10]

~$5/sqft2.

Eesh.

 

[MushCreek]

Yes you can.

I am surprised no one mentioned the concrete paver system what was designed specifically for drive ways or parking areas.
You can just put gravel in them, or add soil and seed and you have grass.

https://www.mutualmaterials.com/products/turfstone-pavers/

Now if it were me, there are many options to choose from with the plastic grid system out there and I would use that if it were mine. I just wanted to throw another option out there.

Ultimately it comes down to cost as all options are good.

I don't ever see those for sale around here. You used to be able to get them at the big box stores.

 

[kj_mustang]

I can get Turf stone style blocks from a local building supply/block manufacturer company. My next outdoor project after laying my patio pavers will be to install about 1,000 sq ft of those between my pole building entrance pad and my house garage concrete drive.

 

[madhatter]

I'd suggest giving your driveway a more pronounced crown. I have a driveway with a extremely steep section and the only time it starts to wash is if we have a torrential downpour.

 

[Hank11]

I have a couple of small paths made from the third plastic grid shown. (or very similar)
They work great. Landscape fabric, about 3 inches of 1.5 crushed stone, the plastic, then .5 crushed stone to fill.

I would consider doing a drive or parking area but they are expensive. It might be that buying a big order and/or direct from the maker would be more affordable.

The recommendation for parking and driving is a 4-5 inch compacted base. And then you need a border to contain the field.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I have seen and am fixing to put down the plastic grid system(Truegrid Pro Lite).

If you don't use geotech/road fabric first, the gravel will just sink in.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Does anyone have experience with such a grid system to create a grass driveway? I am thinking of this options to not get rid of my grass for the project garage I'm building beside our house. The grids for the grass systems look largely the same. lay down a gravel base, lay the grid, fill with dirt and plant grass. The city won't allow me to just leave my current lawn I have to have a driveway.

Without fabric, it will just sink in. It might take 2 or 3 years, but it will sink.

 

[txvwnut]

If you don't use geotech/road fabric first, the gravel will just sink in.

No it will not the grid system has a base system that keeps the gravel in. The install method is three inches of base material packed then the grid system then the top fill of your choice. Geo fabric is not required but suggested to use it to stop vegetation from growing through. What people don’t understand is after you’ve wet and rolled your base it’s hard enough that grass won’t permeate it. What you will in encounter is seeds starting and growing on top of your geo fabric not from under it. I have a rock bed between my shop drive and the side of my house the has two layers of geo under and I’m constantly pulling weeds and seedlings from it.

If you’ve never installed one of these systems or researched it I suggest you just read instead of commenting.

 

[txvwnut]

I'd suggest giving your driveway a more pronounced crown. I have a driveway with a extremely steep section and the only time it starts to wash is if we have a torrential downpour.

Crowns aren’t necessary with this setup as it’s permeable and water just drains through it.

 

[Bretny]

Crowns aren’t necessary with this setup as it’s permeable and water just drains through it.

Prob depends on your soil type. If you dig down to put a base in and down crown a road surface with any type of clay you have basically made a linear pool filled with gravel.

 

[larry4406]

Can you get cement treated aggregate (CTA) in your area? It is crushed stone with portland cement added.

Grade out the CTA, roll and compact it, then hydrate it in to set up. Add a crown to your driveway as was suggested.

 

[MushCreek]

Our soil doesn't drain at all. Even in a 1/4" of rain, it just runs across the yard. We sometimes get 2" of rain in a matter of minutes. That's what tears up my driveway.

 

[gnpenning]

The grass growing in the grid system would be nice for some areas for me until I plowed snow.....

 

[Bretny]

Our soil doesn't drain at all. Even in a 1/4" of rain, it just runs across the yard. We sometimes get 2" of rain in a matter of minutes. That's what tears up my driveway.

My soil is like that too. Everything has to have a spot to run off. The flat area of my driveway really needs to be built up to not get muddy and filled with pot holes.

 

[madhatter]

Thats why a steeper crown is useful. Make the water run towards the ditches as fast as it runs down the driveway. Its when the water has a chance to run straight down the driveway and gather momentum that causes erosion, If its directed more quickly towards the ditch it won't have as long to do so before its running down the ditch.