Gravel drive advice please.

damo152003 · 27 Jun 2017

Evening folks.
I'm after some advice regarding my drive please.Will try keep to the points!
At the moment we have mot type 1 down which has been there 2 years so it's doesn't look anything like when it was first put down. It has settled in a few places where i installed our new drains etc and where the cars have been.Not much but enough for a puddle when it rains.
My questions are firstly can I lay new golden gravel over my old hardcore or will I need put a new layer of hardcore down?
Secondly or can I rake the loose surface off and re whacker it all then lay new golden gravel?
I put a geotextile membrane down under the hardcore but I have seen people putting it over the hardcore too before laying the finishing gravel.Any ideas on that?
Lastly regarding the slightly dipped areas am I best laying some hardcore and whacking or limestone down?
O and are the online calculators any good regarding gravel quantities, was going lay 40mm over approx 70m2 it works out at 5 ton bags I think.
Thanks in advance

JohnD · 28 Jun 2017

don't sprinkle gravel down, it will rut, sink and be kicked around.

You can use a mixed binding material such as Hoggin, which is composed of small stones, grit, sand and clay to bind it into a firm mass. Preferably rolled down after raking to level. It can be given a camber to throw off water.

The composition and common name of this will vary by region.

There are photos on Paving Expert.

National Trust and parks use this sort of thing. You might look at it and say it was a gravel path.

I worked on hoggin paths and drives that were laid over a hundred years ago and were in fine condition, except where some dummy had poured pea-shingle over them.

^woody^ · 28 Jun 2017

Fill ths dips with MOT1, then a geotextile barier, then your gravel.

^woody^ · 28 Jun 2017

JohnD said:
I worked on hoggin paths and drives that were laid over a hundred years ago

I never thought you were that old.

r896neo · 28 Jun 2017

Don't use a geotextile under gravel, the only place for geotextiles is under sub base. Level out the hollows, scratch the top inch or two loose and regrade it all and recompact. Then add 50mm or gravel.

^woody^ · 28 Jun 2017

r896neo said:
only place for geotextiles is under sub base

Why is that?

CJRatch · 28 Jun 2017

Without hijacking the thread I'm going to do something similar as a cheap means of making my drive look better. Its currently broken concrete which I plan to break up and remove. Once to bare soil what's the process?

Get correct levels
Membrane
MOT type 1 again checking levels and compact
Gravel

How much hardcore and gravel is usually required?

Any specifics regards drainage?

Thanks for your input.

JohnD · 28 Jun 2017

Have a look at Paving Expert

It will answer questions you didn't know you had.

tony1851 · 28 Jun 2017

Why have gravel in the first place? It's awful to walk across, and a pig when collecting cuttings from privets.

John D v2.0 · 28 Jun 2017

tony1851 said:
Why have gravel in the first place? It's awful to walk across, and a pig when collecting cuttings from privets.

Especially for people who want to arrive unnoticed (such as burglars)
In our area, the police actually recommend gravel drives as a security feature!

tony1851 · 29 Jun 2017

John D v2.0 said:
Especially for people who want to arrive unnoticed (such as burglars)
In our area, the police actually recommend gravel drives as a security feature!

Yes, we know all about that - but it's still like walking through treacle; there are other ways of detecting unwanted visitors!
Our next-door neighbour recently had his house broken into for the car keys - and the car stolen - and they have gravel!

tomfe · 29 Jun 2017

tony1851 said:
there are other ways of detecting unwanted visitors!
...house broken into for the car keys - and the car stolen

Only drive cars older than 10 years?

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Gravel drive advice please.

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