The gravel pit near my property brought me a couple loads of really coarse screening with some larger rocks to put on my driveway. It didn't cost me anything. I spread it out with the skid steer but it's difficult to level because there are some large rocks in it. I don't think the grader would do much better but maybe? Should I pick out the large troublesome rocks or could I just pack it down and then fill in any voids? As far as packing I could use the grader, track loader with hoe on the back and/or the dump truck. I could load the dump truck if need be. Also wondering if I should get some road crush to put on top? The part of the driveway I fixed and crowned usually has standing water in the spring and gets rutted. I just need to stop it from being a rutted muddy mess. If there's standing water I don't mind as long as I can drive through without making a mess.
I would level out it as you want it and top it with 3/4 road base which is likely what you call road crush. The clean rocks should keep you out of the mud and the road base will make it look good. I would then run a roller over it.
I have levelled some same situations with my skid steer with a half full bucket in reverse. It worked out pretty good. The 3/4 road base on top after would make it pretty and tighter. Roller is handy if you can get one. Simon C
There's a few larger rocks that I think I'll have to pick out. They drag and make voids in the coverage when trying to backblade it. I'll see what driving the track loader on it does. It's compacts pretty good with the hoe on the back. If I could push the larger rocks down would make it easier to get somewhat level.
Are there any fines in it at all. Looks like clear stone
While rounder than the rocks in my barn it looks like a similar problem I have, since I didn't tamp, and it all just squashes around. I've managed to press a lot of it in where I park the backhoe but everything else is like walking in hard slush, which also means moving the mower around in there I plow with turned wheels often instead of turning. I need to rent a tamp for a few days then add more crushed and tamp some more, maybe watering as well.
I think there's a little. It was a little muddy and wet and sticky. I'll see if I can pack it some and probably get some 3/4 road crush to put on top. Other parts of the driveway that have had coarse material have sunk so I think this will too and be a good base. I wish it was finer but it was free so I can't complain.
IMHO it's ideal to have no fines gravel in wet areas, it bridges better and keeps vehicles above any water so tire wash won't wreck the surface. To get a smoother surface road millings will top it off nicely and don't worry about compaction.
You need some sort of smaller, broken rock to work around into that mess to tighten it up, and seal it so the water sheds off. Road base will be fine for a top coat, but you really need some 3/4 minus, even crusher fines would work well. Otherwise, the water is going straight through to the dirt underneath and turn it to mud.
The 3/4" road crush has sand in it and fractured fines that I think would bind it together and make it so I could have a smooth surface. It's too bad I couldn't have got some finer screening but I can't be choosy when they aren't charging me anything. It took a couple month's to get because they are so busy. They ran out of road crush a couple years ago but another pit has it for $550/load. Pit run is $450/load but I think the uniform size of road crush will be the best and easiest to work with.
A porous surface is a good idea as water can drain faster. Even if it puddles beneath the surface is not a problem so long as the surface is dry. A few years ago a mate had to move out of a yard he was renting. With time constraints and penalties he didn't have much choice as where he could park his trucks. The day I started working on the new yard the skies opened with constant rain for the week, so I elected to go with no fines gravel. At weeks end I had the earthworks done and 1000m³ of gravel laid. They moved the fleet in on the weekend. That was over 2yrs ago and it's never been touched up at all,no potholes or soft spots, good as gold
I'll see what I can do with it. I built the area up so if it does get soft and the material sinks a bit at least it should be a firm surface and not get rutted and muddy. Would have to be careful clearing snow but I prefer to leave a little snow and let it pack.
Our quarry screens off inch down right off the jaw. Everything else goes for asphalt agg production. The 1 inch minus used to be wasted around the quarry, but at some point they began selling it. I think it goes for around $13 a ton. It packs like concrete, and is ideal for asphalt sub base, but it can get a bit slimy on top when wet. For that reason, we also sell a manufactured 3/4 minus. It is produced after the 1 inch is removed, and is a bit cleaner. It packs hard, but not as hard as the inch. At the end of the day, or if they change product in the asphalt plant, whatever is left in the plant, from the burner in, is dumped into a truck without the liquid asphalt, and placed into a pile. It's number one material, a mixture of different sized stone, depending on the mix. Washed, and dirty sand, and blending sand, It's great material for a wet hole because the plant has removed the moisture, and it acts almost like kitty litter. Because it is so clean, it won't pack, but if you cover it, it's fine. One good thing about where I live, is that there are a number of different materials available for road building, and you don't have to go far to get it, and because of the old system of trading property for services, the older owners of the company own a lot of properties with these materials on it.
Load your dump truck up and roll the larger rock in. Then get a load of 3/4 crusher run and top it off. Those round rocks look about the size of #2 crushed limestone we get here. Built many a road and laydown area with #2's topped with 3/4 crush. However this is angular crushed stone I'm talking about, I have no experience with round rock like that. We can get round river rock from south AL but it's only used for decorative purposes.
A few years ago they brought me some really jagged coarse screenings that had a lot of fines as well. It packed into the driveway and became a lot spot in one area that puddles but it's a solid base and no problem to drive through. I used the tooth bucket on the skid steer to spread it and it was chewing up the teeth it was so jagged.
I asked in the other thread on using a roller for a driveway but thought I'd update this thread since it shows what I started with. The empty dump truck packed it so it didn't leave ruts like the skid steer. I'm wondering if I load the dump truck with moist clay will it pack it sufficiently I may not have to do anything else with it? I think it will pack even better if I get a little rain or a light snow before the ground freezes. Wondering if I should just bite the bullet and get some road crush for a top coat? Love the LED lights on the skid steer!
Yes - BTW looks good!
Looks great but think you need to top it. It would freeze good but I think you will be constantly popping rocks up if any weather cycles freeze/thaw.
Looks good Dave !
Thanks so much for the replies. I'm hoping to push the bigger rocks that stick up down so they are level with rest of it. I am worried rocks will pop up when clearing snow. I can try and pack snow down but it's hard to scrape an inch above the surface without hitting the driveway. I'll order a load of road crush and smooth everything out. I can use some to fix minor depressions and build up a little more in front of the shop too.
The round cobble can make good drainage if there is no muck between the rocks. But it will always move around as you drive over it, as it will not lock together. But on the plus side, it was free and you're out of the muck some. What you really want is that jagged coarse with fines that you got. But the drainage needs to be fixed first.
I think even a few inches of road crush with crushed rock and sand would pack good and make a good surface that won't be too affected by water or rain. I built the driveway up and it was draining rain really well. Putting a good rock and gravel surface on it I think it should hold up good and not get rutted and slimy.
I decided I'm going to bite the bullet and get a truck and pup of 3/4" road crush. I'm hoping to fix the driveway so it's not a mess in the spring. The guy at pit said it would be about 30 tons. Not much of a deal for the pup but they'll take cash so I'll save $155. Still a little pricey at $1000. Gravel isn't cheap in Alberta despite there being lots of it. What can you do??
Then roller vibrate it compact it.
Of course I could have used more road crush but I'm going to load the dump truck and see how well it packs. A couple spots I disturbed the rocks underneath but hopefully with the road crush it will pack good. Lots of fines and like coarse sand in the road crush. It's nice stuff. I got 31.8 tons.
I would run a track loader skidsteer, or 4-6 ton mini excavator over every inch. Could also use a plate compactor. Best if gravel is damp. Then run the big dump truck.
We're getting freezing temperatures now. Thankfully the road crush wasn't frozen. It was pretty dry. I could have used 3 times more but it's not in the budget. It would be nice to push the bigger rocks that stick up a bit down. I'll try driving the track loader on it. It's pretty heavy on the back with back hoe. I could put a load of clay in the front bucket too. I could also try the grader to pack with. It's pretty heavy with the foam filled tires and ripper on the back. I don't know if it would pack better than the dump truck or not. I might have to wait till I get some snow or rain so I can pack it better. I've had gravel pack down and form potholes in the past. I filled those holes but hope the rocks and road crush will pack in a little. I mostly don't want a muddy rutted mess when I drive up to shop in the spring.
Actually think what up you did should be fine in the spring. Those rocks you put in will allow any water time to drain before turning to mud.
I hope so. Hopefully the swales I made and building the driveway up with a slight crown will eliminate a rutted mess in the spring. I'll see if the gravel pit has some finer material or even some fill sand I could put over the rock that didn't get topped with road crush.