Gravel driveway border
#1
09-20-20, 10:32 AM
Gravel driveway border
My driveway is gravel, uphill slightly and crowned. I want to use timbers and or large rocks to line it for decorative purposed but also to keep the gravel from spreading out too much. If I go with 4x6 timbers treated for ground contact should I leave a small space between each end for water drainage? Also will it help to line the bottoms with visqueen to help prevent rot?
Thanks
Thanks
#2
09-20-20, 11:09 AM
Member
4x6 are pretty small, I would go as big as I could afford other wise they sort of look like a cheap effort.
I also think large rocks half buried would look better!
I also think large rocks half buried would look better!
#4
09-20-20, 12:32 PM
I wouldn't do it. I always found that having a driveway border with a height difference made it
1) a pain to mow, -you end up spending 30 minutes with a trimmer to cut what would have been 3 minutes with a mower.
2) a pain to plow. If the snowplow guy catches the wooden border, it rips out the border planks and creates a mess. (Yes, I was a snowplow guy...)
What 'I' would suggest is reinforcing the border/shoulder using a border of "screenings" aka "grit" mixed with some lime- then letting it settle or pack it down with a tamper. Packed screenings are almost like concrete.
Screening mixed in with lime IS mortar/plaster and reduces the chance that the lawn guy hits gravel and scratches the car. (Yes, I was a lawn guy.)
1) a pain to mow, -you end up spending 30 minutes with a trimmer to cut what would have been 3 minutes with a mower.
2) a pain to plow. If the snowplow guy catches the wooden border, it rips out the border planks and creates a mess. (Yes, I was a snowplow guy...)
What 'I' would suggest is reinforcing the border/shoulder using a border of "screenings" aka "grit" mixed with some lime- then letting it settle or pack it down with a tamper. Packed screenings are almost like concrete.
Screening mixed in with lime IS mortar/plaster and reduces the chance that the lawn guy hits gravel and scratches the car. (Yes, I was a lawn guy.)
#5
09-20-20, 01:02 PM
Thanks good point. The 4x6x12 are about $40 each and I have 250' to do I have one side lined with rocks before I started thinking timbers. Some of the rocks are 200 - 400 lbs that I move from a different part of my property. So the more I move, the more back breaking it is. I'll post a pic later.
#7
09-20-20, 01:14 PM
Thanks Hal. I do my own plowing when needed. The driveway is gravel and I have a gravel grader. And yes its a pain if you misjudge the side to the rocks. I've actually just decided to drop the timber idea and go strictly with rocks.
#8
09-20-20, 01:48 PM
Originally Posted by ldmack3
I've actually just decided to drop the timber idea and go strictly with rocks.
The weakest part of any road or driveway is the shoulder. With a 250' driveway (500' of shoulders) I would be looking at "bulk" solutions.
This fall, I'd get a load of AASHTO #4 stone (1" average diameter) and mound that up as berms along the shoulder of the driveway. When it's wet and the soli is soft, drive the biggest vehicle you have over the #4 stone to push it down into the soil.
Next spring, I'd get a load of screenings, and then use that to cover the #4. End result SHOULD be a nice stable shoulder along the driveway, that acts as a curb, to keep the driveway stones in place.
#9
09-21-20, 07:20 AM
Containing the gravel is the reason. We don;t get much snow in this part of Idaho but I would mark if necessary.
Great idea. between the fence and the driveway edge is about 3 feet with a 1 ft drop from the driveway in some places. See pic of gate. Plus the driveway is curved so it constantly throws gravel towards the fence. I have 100s of baseball to softball size rocks and am consifering willing the space between the large rocks and the fence with them. Placing the large rocks close together to hold the gravel.
This is plan in progress so nothing s set in....stone.
Great idea. between the fence and the driveway edge is about 3 feet with a 1 ft drop from the driveway in some places. See pic of gate. Plus the driveway is curved so it constantly throws gravel towards the fence. I have 100s of baseball to softball size rocks and am consifering willing the space between the large rocks and the fence with them. Placing the large rocks close together to hold the gravel.
This is plan in progress so nothing s set in....stone.
