Is it possible to make a cheap driveway using flat rocks on a ground thats grass/soil?

I was thinking about placing the flat rocks on two lines where the tires would run up and down the driveway and leave the middle with artificial grass.

Please give me your opinions. Thank you

 

Welcome to the forums! You can make a driveway from almost any item. I have seen them made of asphalt shingle tab waste. How large of rock are you planning? How do you plan on preparing the ground? Without digging and putting gravel or sand in the area, your stones won't lay flat.

 

The rougher and irregular surface, the better traction you will have in the winter, but it will change in the spring, That is the beauty of a cheap driveway with no preparation or concern about what is under it.

Without more information provided, that is my best guess.

 

thank you for your reply

i was planning to dig and try to level the ground best as i could. i was initially thinking of making the driveway with solely gravel but i didnt want them to get stuck in the tire grooves(do they?)

i've never done this so im not sure how large of stones they sell at lowes/home depot...im hoping they sell a stone thats (1) Thin but not thin enough so the weight of the car would crack it (2) Wide(maybe 18-24 inches?) (3) decent height..

ill post the picture of the current driveway tomorrow when its not dark.

 

Something to consider is first determine what you will be spending on the paver slabs and artificial turf at Lowes/HD (basing those figures on the total driveway area and doing the multiplication by unit cost), then take into account exactly how much such a "cheap" driveway will detract from your property's value (a realtor might be able to guesstimate a number for that). The sum of those two dollar amounts is what your driveway is actually costing you.

Most people wouldn't consider such a construction method, because its disadvantages outweigh the advantage of low cost. In addition to lowering the property's value, the pavers will settle differentially over time and require periodic "adjustment" to make the ride reasonably smooth. You may spend several weeks making such a driveway, and then countless hours each year the rest of your life there keeping it driveable.

A preferable alternative would be to use an open-pattern cast stone (man-made) product, which allows real grass to grow in its grid openings. The growing grass locks the stones into place, but allows water and snow-melt to percolate through. And doing it right will result in the finished product actually adding considerable value to your property instead of detracting from it.

 

I agree with the cost thingy. A load of #4 or even "base" will only run about $200. You could spread it at will, or have the truck do a drop run, but then you wouldn't have the center for your astro turf.

 

the open-pattern cast stone sounds like a great idea, where can i acquire them?
so would i put the gravel first, then the cast stone?

im not too concerned about the property value, and the astroturf is just a plus, i guess i dont need to have it done but i really do need the side driveway for one additional car. the edge of the grass is at a disadvantaged slope so i was thinking of digging to make it as 45 degree as possible.

i've attached pics, please take a look. excuse the poor illustration lol

 

A paved driveway would be best [either asphalt or concrete] but I can understand needing to spend less money. I'd just get a dump truck to spread a load gravel and call it good. Tire tread will pic up smaller gravel but it really isn't that big of a deal. The gravel yard should be able to tell you which type of gravel is best for your area. I like crusher run as it has rock dust in it which helps 'glue' the gravel together. The downside to crusher run is it is possible to track the dust into the house during dry periods.

 

There's a wealth of information on pavers that allow water to flow through. Just do a search under Permeable Pavement or EcoGrid. I can't say they will meet your cost requirements, though, as I've only dealt with them indirectly on urban paving projects. Could be a bit pricey.

 

Im afraid it'll be out of my price range. Im looking to spend under a thousand dollars.

I went to home depot and found the pavement stones i was looking for, my questions are:

1. Do i need both use both paver base AND paver sand for the foundation? or can i use just one, if so, which one?

Please see attached pictures

 

I know a lot depends on how they sit on the base but will those pavers hold up to the weight of vehicle traffic?

 

im banking on that, they look pretty sturdy, one paver weighing in at 37 lbs 16x16x2...

i calculated how many paver stones i would need, roughly about 30 per tire lane, so 60 stones for the single driveway

would i need the base + sand or just the base...?




***Out of curiosity**** if the driveway is roughly about 40 ft x 6 ft, how much do you think paving contractors would charge for asphalt construction?

 

I don't much about installing pavers but for a driveway use the base would need to be packed pretty solid. I would hazard a guess that you would want to limit the amount of sand under the pavers to just enough to make it level.

Asphalt prices can vary a lot depending on what is needed prep wise. A solid hard surface might not need much prep but softer ground and/or clay might need a good bit removed and a better base laid prior to paving. As with most things hired out, it's best to get multiple quotes and check references before hiring the job out.

 

What are you trying to achieve? If gravel is ok, get 3/4" crushed stone. That will not get stuck in your tire tread.

 

I'm trying to achieve a decent looking driveway without paying a fortune for asphalt/concrete.

Noted about the 3/4" crushed stone, thank you.

 

I think I've got a good solution for you

Make some sort of border out of wood or stone, fill in the rest with gravel

get rid of the center grass area, so your entire driveway would be gravel

Between the border, and getting rid of the center grass area, it will look 10x better

I'd try to find some rail road ties for the border.

similar to this, looks like they used pressure treated 4x4 as a border