Lets see those rock driveways

[72Camaro]

Ok, shop is nearly completed as far the structure goes. It sits roughly 100 feet from the paved driveway to the front of the shop. The are needs to be driveable and I need to be able to park trailers between the shop and the fence, so total length would be 140 feet. Rough estimations come out to 80-100 yards of rock.

The rock will serve 2 purposes, give a stable driving surface, and allow water to drain through into the French drains below. Being that the heaviest thing I will drive on it is an 8,000 pound truck and 8,000 pound trailer, I'm thinking 3/4-2 inch road base at about 5 inches thick should do the trick.

Thoughts? What are you using? Concrete is out of the question as I need to control a LOT of water runoff and it is stupid expensive.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,...... 5" might be deep enough,......

Are you goin' to box it out so it'll still be at the same grade when done,..??

Either way, I'd put down geo-textile, before the stone is put down,.....

 

[72Camaro]

Explain “geo textile” please

 

[Bretny]

Geo textile or road fabric will keep the dirt from pumping up through the gravel. If the area is flat you should use it. On a hill I have seen 8tons of gravel slide On top of it.

Any driveway is only as good as it's drainage. With out pictures of the area no one can really help you to much.

 

[a6hux]

Asphalt millings might be a better choice, creates good strong drive when established.

 

[72Camaro]

Asphalt millings might be a better choice, creates good strong drive when established.

My experience with asphalt millings is limited and not very good. From what I understand, they can’t be laid 5 inches thick all at once without having issues. Basically it would be laid out at 3 inches, compacted, then after about a year, lay out another 2-3 inches.

 

[72Camaro]

Geo textile or road fabric will keep the dirt from pumping up through the gravel. If the area is flat you should use it. On a hill I have seen 8tons of gravel slide On top of it.

Any driveway is only as good as it's drainage. With out pictures of the area no one can really help you to much.

Yes it’s on a hill, maybe 4 feet of rise in 100 feet. The ground will have to be sculpted and French drains added in a few areas to help with drainage. As far as matting under the rock, I was leaning towards the same stuff they put under concrete pads because it’s the cheapest solution for such a large area. I doubt I have much of an issue with 80-100 yards of gravel sliding though.

 

[kTHREE]

My experience with asphalt millings is limited and not very good. From what I understand, they can’t be laid 5 inches thick all at once without having issues. Basically it would be laid out at 3 inches, compacted, then after about a year, lay out another 2-3 inches.

Yeah, we tried this on two locations, what a **** show after a few years. Would not recommend.

 

[kj_mustang]

I would consult with your local quarries to see what they recommend. Every area is different as to what type of stone can be supplied. My local quarry has specialized mixes they do for wet area road bases.

 

[SgtHawkUSMC]

This was what we did. It's just stone tailgated over grass. Our home didn't have a driveway when we moved in. We added to it once so far once we drove on it for a while and will probably do it one more time.

 

[bob15]

My experience with asphalt millings is limited and not very good. From what I understand, they can’t be laid 5 inches thick all at once without having issues. Basically it would be laid out at 3 inches, compacted, then after about a year, lay out another 2-3 inches.

Yeah, we tried this on two locations, what a **** show after a few years. Would not recommend.

My millings driveway was 5-6" thick when done and after being rolled with both a 1k pound pull behind roller and a 3 or 4 ton vibrating roller, it only settled to about 4.5-5.5" thick.

The driveway was laid out with two people, one on a 1966-ish Deere 2020 ag tractor and one with a shovel, steel rake and a piece of 1/4" rod with tape on it for a thickness marker. On the first picture of millings, on the right hand side you will see a root beer can on top on one pile for a visual reference.

The trick is you need something to help bind the asphalt back together, besides the hot sun. Something like DF #2.

Six years later it is still just as thick and still solid. I will try and get a couple pictures today to show, it is still fine, even after plowing snow on it umpteen times.

 

[Hank11]

Ask locally. Soil conditions will determine how to build a good driveway. Check around, everyone has a driveway. Ask who did it and if they like it.

 

[dvo]

My millings driveway was 5-6" thick when done and after being rolled with both a 1k pound pull behind roller and a 3 or 4 ton vibrating roller, it only settled to about 4.5-5.5" thick.

The driveway was laid out with two people, one on a 1966-ish Deere 2020 ag tractor and one with a shovel, steel rake and a piece of 1/4" rod with tape on it for a thickness marker. On the first picture of millings, on the right hand side you will see a root beer can on top on one pile for a visual reference.

The trick is you need something to help bind the asphalt back together, besides the hot sun. Something like DF #2.

Six years later it is still just as thick and still solid. I will try and get a couple pictures today to show, it is still fine, even after plowing snow on it umpteen times.

What is DF #2?

 

[welder4956]

What is DF #2?

#2 diesel fuel?

 

[bob15]

What is DF #2?

#2 diesel fuel?

diesel fuel

 

[iagsxr]

My millings driveway was 5-6" thick when done and after being rolled with both a 1k pound pull behind roller and a 3 or 4 ton vibrating roller, it only settled to about 4.5-5.5" thick.

The driveway was laid out with two people, one on a 1966-ish Deere 2020 ag tractor and one with a shovel, steel rake and a piece of 1/4" rod with tape on it for a thickness marker. On the first picture of millings, on the right hand side you will see a root beer can on top on one pile for a visual reference.

The trick is you need something to help bind the asphalt back together, besides the hot sun. Something like DF #2.

Six years later it is still just as thick and still solid. I will try and get a couple pictures today to show, it is still fine, even after plowing snow on it umpteen times.

I was just going to chime in that I had a customer with a reclaimed asphalt drive that was a total cluster, but yours looks super nice. I think they rolled it, but not to the extent you did. I know they didn't use any sort of binding agent on it.