Before building a gravel driveway, you must first find how firm the ground is underfoot. Any soft areas must be remedied otherwise you will end up with dips in your drive. Not only will this look unsightly, it will also allow water to gather there and subsequently, over time, ruin the driveway.
Toppings can vary and there is sure to be one that suits your taste and requirements, they can include shingles, gravel, pebbles and slabs.
Preparation
1. Measure the length and width of the driveway then multiply the length by the width to give you the squared size.
2. Work out how deep you need the gravel and base (scalping or hardcore) to be.
3. Multiply the depth required by your squared measurement, to find the cubic feet of gravel or base required (e.g. a drive 20' by 6' will have a square of 120 square foot. You decide on a drive depth of 4" so multiply 120 by 1/3 - 4" being a quarter of a foot - this gives you 40 cubic feet) then divide this by 27 and you have number of cubic yards required. If working in metres, simply multiply the length by the width by the depth.
Usually the base is 2/3 the required depth and the topping ½. So if you require a total depth of 12", the base would be 8" and the topping 4".
Digging out the drive
4. Excavation can be done by hand, or you can hire a digger from a local tool hire store. Dig out the area where the driveway will be laid. If you find any soft spots, dig out the dirt until you hit a hard surface. As the base you are laying is flexible, it will sink into soft areas of soil creating unwanted dips in your drive. It is advisable to lay weed/landscape fabric before adding the base; weeds are extremely resilient and will find a way through over time. Spending a small amount of extra cash and a little bit of time on this, will save you a lot of trouble later on.
5. Where possible, use scalping stone instead of traditional hardcore for your base. As this is the leftover residue from an excavation job, it can be purchased relatively cheaply from a stone quarry. It is easier to spread and usually cheaper than traditional hardcore.
Laying the drive
6. Using a vibrating plate (hired from your local plant hire shop), stamp down the dirt.
7. If using a weed fabric, lay this before the scalping is delivered.
8. Lay the scalping/hardcore and level with a rake or shovel. Ensure you have no dips in the base as water will gather here.
9. Using the vibrating plate, stamp down the base.
10. Spread out gravel (shingles, pebbles). Level using a rake or shovel. Using a length of wood, laid across the drive, check with a spirit level.
Job done! When walked or driven on, the gravel will tend to spread. Therefore you may prefer to finish the job by adding an edging to the driveway. This will not only help contain the gravel but also provide a neater finish.
