Road/driveway building

[Kubota_Man]

So I want to rebuild my driveway parking area as well as my shop road (long driveway). I want it to handle water and snow removal.

How far down should I excavate?
When I fill back in. What should I use and at what layers?
What else am I missing?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Living in the same general area as you, here is what I would do:

Dig it down if you have to but only about 8" below where you want it to be, if there is any water retention areas install tile pipe or culverts to move water away, Optional run 2 runs of tile pipe down the centers of the Car tracks to keep it dry, put down a 4" to 6" base of 1" to 4" crushed stone, lightly compact, put fabric over base cover with 3/4 minus.
That will cover you for all the seasons here.

Most of all of you never get a fun thing we call spring break-up, without proper road prep you're drive or road will turn to liquid during the spring thaw, I've had as much as 2 feet of mud in my driveway.

 

[Kubota_Man]

Yeah what you have is what I end up with
With all of the rain we have had lately I have mud about 6"-9" deep.
By tile pipe are you talking about perf pipe?
Will the fabric allow water to flow threw?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Yeah what you have is what I end up with
With all of the rain we have had lately I have mud about 6"-9" deep.
By tile pipe are you talking about perf pipe?
Will the fabric allow water to flow threw?

Yes the tile pipe is the black flexible corrugated pipe, If you use the kind with the cloth over it, it will last years without plugging up.
The crushed stone will let the water easily get to the tile pipes.
Geotextiles let the water go threw them and keep the fine stone on top of it.

Edit: The first layer of fabric is under the crushed stone and tile pipes, then second layer of fabric can be used on top of crushed stone with finer top fill covering that, you can eliminate the top cloth it will just require adding top material every few years as the finer material will work into the stone.

 

[Kubota_Man]

Thank you kindly Sir

 

[gssixgun]

Hint: If you just Google the word "Goetextiles" there are some really good images of exactly what he is describing, about building the road bed...