If you’re looking for an attractive, yet cost-effective option for creating a parking pad or driveway on your property, gravel is the perfect choice. Compared to asphalt, brick, or poured concrete, gravel is low cost, low maintenance, and easy to install on your own. You will save money on materials, as well as foregoing the cost of a professional design and skilled labor. Check out the steps below to create your stone driveway or parking pad.
Steps for Creating a Stone Driveway
Step 1. Stake out the pathway. Use landscape stakes and string or twine to outline the desired path of your driveway from the curb to your chosen endpoint.
Step 2. Remove grass and topsoil from the outlined area. You can complete this step manually, or you may rent a bulldozer and hire someone to operate it.
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Step 3. Calculate how many cubic yards of driveway stone will be required for each layer of your driveway. A well-constructed gravel driveway should consist of three layers: a base layer of crushed rocks with a six-inch diameter, a middle layer of two- or three-inch diameter stones, and a surface layer of quarter-sized stones.
For each layer, you will be multiplying the length of your driveway by the width to determine the square footage of your driveway. This number will then be multiplied by the desired depth to calculate the total cubic feet of stone for each layer. We recommend four to six inches per layer. Check out the product calculator on our website to find out how many tons of gravel you will need, as well as a recommendation for which truck you should use for delivery.
Step 4. Schedule your gravel deliveries. Schedule three separate deliveries for each of the three layers, leaving a few days in between each delivery to allow yourself time to spread the gravel. If you will be doing this manually, you will need a heavy-duty wheelbarrow, a sturdy shovel, and a metal-tined rake.
Step 5. Prepare your site by leveling the ground in the outlined area. Before your first delivery, even out the land where your driveway will be installed. If you want to lay a weed barrier, do so after the ground is smoothed.
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Step 6. Spread the base layer of gravel. The six-inch diameter driveway stone should be laid in an interlocking layer, then compacted. You can do this with a bulldozer or by driving over it repeatedly with a car or truck. This packs the gravel into the soil to create a strong foundation.
Step 7. Add the middle layer. The two- to three-inch diameter driveway stone is laid next, a step our delivery driver can do for you. Make sure to straighten the edges of the driveway with a shovel and rake.
Step 8. Finish with the surface layer. When laying the quarter-sized driveway stone, be sure to grade the stones so this layer peaks in the middle and inclines down slightly at the sides; it will facilitate drainage.
Now that you’ve learned the steps for creating your gravel driveway, contact Lammon Brothers today for a price quote on your project. Our trained experts have 18 years of experience providing the best gravel delivery service in the Toledo, OH area.