Gravel Driveway Repair

[SusanDuffy]

I live in Washington State, west of Seattle. I have a B2601 and a box blade scraper. I do not have a backhoe. I’d like to fix the potholes and put down new gravel.
1. What kind of gravel to buy? I called, I had no idea there are so many choices.
2. How to repair pothole?
3. What to do about the ledge near the blacktop?
4. Should I put fresh dirt under the gravel?

Blacktop ends because it was $20,000 (2 years ago) to get it this far.

Any other advice would be must appreciated. And thank you for your time.

 

[armylifer]

From the looks of it in your pictures you may not have to buy any new gravel. If you have any experience using your box blade you may be able to churn up the old gravel and smooth it out to a new surface. The area where the asphalt and gravel meet can be blended using your FEL, assuming you have one. This is how I resurfaced my driveway several years ago.

I live in Thurston County, WA and I have a 120' driveway that is all gravel and meets the asphalt road. I use my FEL and back drag using the flat edge of my piranha tooth bar to maintain the surface about once per year.

 

[mcmxi]

I live in Washington State, west of Seattle. I have a B2601 and a box blade scraper. I do not have a backhoe. I’d like to fix the potholes and put down new gravel.
1. What kind of gravel to buy? I called, I had no idea there are so many choices.
2. How to repair pothole?
3. What to do about the ledge near the blacktop?
4. Should I put fresh dirt under the gravel?

Blacktop ends because it was $20,000 (2 years ago) to get it this far.

Any other advice would be must appreciated. And thank you for your time.

1. I buy what they call 3/4" crush for my driveway

2. Fill with gravel and drive over it a few times

3. That's always going to be a challenge. You could lay a piece of flatbar across the joint i.e. bury it in the ground at the transition leaving only the thin edge visible.

4. I wouldn't bother doing that. I don't repair holes with dirt. I go over the driveway with a land leveler and add more gravel to the entire driveway if necessary.

I get your comment about the asphalt. I paid around that much for 9,000 sq.ft. close to 5 years ago.

If you don't have a land plane/land leveler/grading scraper for your tractor it'd be worth the investment if you have much gravel driveway. I've yet to find a better implement for gravel driveway maintenance.

 

[NCL4701]

All good advice above.

Looks like you have a good base, just needs a little dressing up. Definitely don’t put dirt on the driveway. Run the boxblade over it to get the gravel stirred up and graded out right (some like flat, I prefer a bit of a crown). If your blade isn’t digging in enough while sitting level, drop the rippers one notch for the first pass or two to get started, then pull them back up finish. The potholes which will disappear as you’re doing that.

After you’ve done that, if you look at it and need more gravel on top, personally I’d go with 3/4” washed and put an couple of inch layer on top. If you do that the delivery driver should be able to tailgate spread it so you’ll have a bit of work with blade and back dragging to finish it up, but not a lot.

For the transition, I’d dump a little speed bump of gravel right up against the pavement and then back drag with the bucket going from pavement to gravel to smooth it down to an even mating.

 

[Steve67]

What your calling gravel road looks to me is actually chip&seal which is a step down from asphalt. So going over it with a box blade or front loader will actually make it much worse. I agree with filling pot holes with 3/4” minus

 

[NCL4701]

What your calling gravel road looks to me is actually chip&seal which is a step down from asphalt. So going over it with a box blade or front loader will actually make it much worse. I agree with filling pot holes with 3/4” minus

The part with grass growing in the middle is chip and seal?

 

[armylifer]

That looks like the 5/8" crushed gravel that I have in my driveway. I think at the time that I bought a yard of fill that they called it 5/8 minus.

 

[fried1765]

All good advice above.

Looks like you have a good base, just needs a little dressing up. Definitely don’t put dirt on the driveway. Run the boxblade over it to get the gravel stirred up and graded out right (some like flat, I prefer a bit of a crown). If your blade isn’t digging in enough while sitting level, drop the rippers one notch for the first pass or two to get started, then pull them back up finish. The potholes which will disappear as you’re doing that.

After you’ve done that, if you look at it and need more gravel on top, personally I’d go with 3/4” washed and put an couple of inch layer on top. If you do that the delivery driver should be able to tailgate spread it so you’ll have a bit of work with blade and back dragging to finish it up, but not a lot.

For the transition, I’d dump a little speed bump of gravel right up against the pavement and then back drag with the bucket going from pavement to gravel to smooth it down to an even mating.

"3/4 washed" would generally mean all equally sized 3/4" crushed material.
The better choice would be what is commonly referred to as "3/4 minus".
This is ALL material that will pass through a 3/4" screen.
This packs like concrete, and should be shaped with a crown, to avoid standing water, which forms potholes and puddles.

 

[RCW]

Good advice.

I'm with @armylifer and @NCL4701.

I question need for new gravel also.

You've got the the right tool for the job with box blade.

Put the scarifiers on your box blade all the way down, so they dig as deep as possible.

The "trick" with a box blade all lies with the length of the top link of your 3-point hitch. Short link makes the front blade of the box blade want to dig, a long top link allows the back blade smooth things out.

Start with the top link "neutral," so the front blade isn't digging, but the rear blade will smooth things out a little...kind of level.

SLOWLY pull the blade along the drive, starting right at the transition from asphalt to stone. Keep going as long as comfortable, even full length of the driveway.

Then make a parallel pass 18" or so over. Will also knock down the grassed crown, and bring in some of the raised shoulders on each side of the drive. The edges are raised and need to be dug up as well - grab 12” or so of each edge also.

Continue until you've done full width of the driveway. Go both directions if needed. It will be a little "messy" looking for a little bit....

This process will take care of your potholes if done properly.

I don't have a good picture, but this idea......

After "stirring" things up a bit, raise the scarifiers out of the way, and lengthen the top link just a little.

Then with the longer top link, slowly and with deliberate directional control start the process of smoothing things back out.

It can take several passes, but you might be surprised what you end up with! NOTE - I did add stone in the picture below. I think I have pictures from different driveway projects at home.

When near completion, you can use the adjustable side link to your 3- point hitch to make your box blade a little “slanted” to make a little crown in your driveway so the sheds off to the sides.

 

[ctfjr]

At our old place I had a very similar issue. The potholes were a pia to get rid of. Finally dug them out br using the rippers as deep as they could go and then removing the material with the fel. Filled the old pot holes with 2 and 3 inch rock within 6" of finished grade. Then, what we call 3/4" process (3/4" minus stone plus dust), was used to bring to grade.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

If you can get 'slag' (byproduct of steel/ foundry making ) it'll pack down HARDER than concrete. Even the big excavator had 'fun' removing it from driveway 2 door down. weird, it finally broke up loose, put it back down, drive over it a few time, dang it's almost concrete again.
'slag' may be cheaper than 3/4 minus, might be an option.
RAP (Recycled Ashphalt Pavement) may also be an option , and stays 'packed' IF you drive on it.

 

[fried1765]

If you can get 'slag' (byproduct of steel/ foundry making ) it'll pack down HARDER than concrete. Even the big excavator had 'fun' removing it from driveway 2 door down. weird, it finally broke up loose, put it back down, drive over it a few time, dang it's almost concrete again.
'slag' may be cheaper than 3/4 minus, might be an option.
RAP (Recycled Ashphalt Pavement) may also be an option , and stays 'packed' IF you drive on it.

"Slag" is not available in most areas.
Recycled asphalt is readily available almost everywhere.

 

[SusanDuffy]

You guys are awesome! Thank you
There is no chip in it, dirt and gravel only.

 

[fried1765]

You guys are awesome! Thank you
There is no chip in it, dirt and gravel only.

"Chip seal" is a method of applying hot liquid asphalt, and covering with a thin layer of fine crushed stone (chips).
This is normally done as a surface repair to an already existing layer of conventional asphalt.
Some here, apparently interpreted your pictures to show a chip seal surface.
It obviously was/is not.

 

[Trimley]

I'll agree with @armylifer. West of I-5 here. It looks like you have enough base. Drop the scarifers one notch into the 5/8" crush. Begin about 10ft before and drop the box blade all the way down, drag through the potholes, and past the pothole about 5ft. That will loosen plenty of material (to include material of the pothole) to fill and pack into the holes. 5/8" crush is the finish topper found on most residential driveways here in the PNW. Atleast on the West Side of I-5.

If the rest of your drive is about the same shape, once you wean yourself on a few portholes you shouldn't have any problems with the rest. I would suggest you stay in the tires path as much as possible and avoid the center strip. You could end up doing the whole driveway if you get carried away.

This time of year is a great time for repairs like what's needed on your drive. You'll be a pro in no time once you get going.

Edit to add-
When done, drive over where the potholes were filled, to pack it in. Slow trips in/out will also pack it in again.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I know just about "Jack Squat" when it comes to gravel driveways, but I had to order some for our cottage and the lady called it 21 AA. (pronounced "twenty one double A)

Maybe thats a regional thing?

 

[GreensvilleJay]

21AA ,yeesh it'd be nice if there was a website with a 'cross reference for gravels' !!!!

My 'guess' is that '21' is size in sillymillmeters... so a bit bigger than 3/4" ?? ( 19mm=3/4", well real close )
AA might mean ALL ? so dust, bits, stones..a mix of the rock being busted up into 'bits and pieces'.

gotta love google...... 21ss gave me this...

21AA Natural Stone | Lester Brothers

www.lesterbros.com

so my guess was pretty good....

 

[River19]

Can you get any RAP (Recycled Asphalt Product) in your area? I just had to resurface mine after having a large trench dug for solar and I topped it with 15yds of RAP......will get another 10yds in the Spring.......it's the chipped up road surface when they repave.......it packs down nicely and blended well with my existing dirt/gravel mix.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

21AA ,yeesh it'd be nice if there was a website with a 'cross reference for gravels' !!!!

My 'guess' is that '21' is size in sillymillmeters... so a bit bigger than 3/4" ?? ( 19mm=3/4", well real close )
AA might mean ALL ? so dust, bits, stones..a mix of the rock being busted up into 'bits and pieces'.

gotta love google...... 21ss gave me this...

21AA Natural Stone | Lester Brothers

www.lesterbros.com

so my guess was pretty good....

Yep.

Must be a regional thing.

Jacskon MI is just over an hour SW of me.

 

[fried1765]

I know just about "Jack Squat" when it comes to gravel driveways, but I had to order some for our cottage and the lady called it 21 AA. (pronounced "twenty one double A)

Maybe thats a regional thing?

ALL the driveway topping descriptions/terminologies are very regional.