Driveway experts

[Mossy]

Guys/gals

Besides the obvious answer of paving it I need help finding a way to prevent my gravel driveway from washing out when it rains.
I have a concrete pad at the top and the driveway is about 180 feet and sloped. I had some new gravel laid down this summer via bobcat and I pretty much wasted my money(he brought in crap gravel/a lot of dirt). I have a bunch of drainage pipe I used when building a retaining wall. Was thinking of running it in the the washout ruts or digging a perpendicular trench before the ruts and throwing it in there? Any help would be appreciated!

 

[weekender7]

If your driveway is not crowned (high in the center with slopped sides) it will always be a problem. If the drainage needs to cross any portion of the driveway it must have a pipe laid underneath the gravel big enough to handle the worst of downpours. No type of loose, drive on gravel will stand up to running water over it.

 

[tdhanses]

Get a tractor and box blade.

If you use a zero turn to mow, sell it and get a small tractor like a John Deere 1025 with mower, bucket and box blade. You’ll find so many uses for it then just having an expensive mower.

You need to crown the gravel and let the water run down the edges no over the driveway. I wouldn’t put a drain tile in as it’ll probably collapse over time. Haul in some good gravel and spread it right. That said gravel will always move especially in a hard rain, you need a way to maintain the gravel.

 

[netman]

I had concrete poured at the driveway entrance from the county road. That stops a lot of gravel from washing down.
The concrete also helped me spot nails people threw out in my driveway when I was a LEO.

 

[justinspicher]

I just went through the same issue so I had my driveway finished with asphalt.

 

[Mossy]

I had concrete poured at the driveway entrance from the county road. That stops a lot of gravel from washing down.
The concrete also helped me spot nails people threw out in my driveway when I was a LEO.

The gravel never makes it down to the bottom of the drive.

 

[Hoh Down]

Ok here’s a few things that may help:
1. Use the drain pipe at the top of the driveway where it meets the concrete apron. That way you can catch water prior to it running on to the rock. Laying downslope in the washouts won’t accomplish much.
2. Try to have your driveway graded such that water gets off of it quickly. Preferably up near the top prior to being able to scour the rock on the driveway itself as it picks up speed.
3. Not sure what rock you had placed but if you can source it, use crushed recycled concrete. It’s super cheap (at least in my market) and once graded and rolled it tightens up almost like a true pavement. Make sure whomever grades it puts a good grade roller on it to really lock it down.
4. There are other treatments available that are liquid based. They are designed for dust control but a nice side benefit is that they bind the soil / rock up and make a pavement like driving surface as well. This would require re-grading what you have now but it lasts for quite a while and is relatively inexpensive. Look for products called rhino snot or similar.

 

[colersu22]

Recycled asphalt is a cheap option vs asphalting it. That long of a driveway I would have a crown in the center so it drains to the side and have my own ditch down the driveway.

 

[Wrench]

Do you have to deal with snow plowing?

You HAVE to stop moving water before it picks up speed or develops a run. Camber the drive to the ditch side, and install rip rap to slow the run. You can use belting at an angle to divert the water to the ditch if you don't have to plow, if you do, water bars or parallel bars/boards can divert it.....but requires cleaning.

If you crown it, you'll lose the fill side. Super the thing at 2% to the cut side and it'll be a huge improvement.

If you ever do it again, lay fabric before and it won't pump mud into your rock.

 

[Takem]

Good feedback above. I would try and keep the water from getting to the driveway if possible. It looks like the majority of the problem is from the water coming in on the right looking down. Can you direct that water to the right of the driveway. A ditch with some rip rap like you have at the parking spot inlet seems like it would help. Not sure how that would work downstream.

 

[Wrench]

Asphalt grindings are the best top imo. It sets up like woodpecker lips. ....but can flex in the frost.

 

[Mossy]

Do you have to deal with snow plowing?

You HAVE to stop moving water before it picks up speed or develops a run. Camber the drive to the ditch side, and install rip rap to slow the run. You can use belting at an angle to divert the water to the ditch if you don't have to plow, if you do, water bars or parallel bars/boards can divert it.....but requires cleaning.

If you crown it, you'll lose the fill side. Super the thing at 2% to the cut side and it'll be a huge improvement.

If you ever do it again, lay fabric before and it won't pump mud into your rock.

I do have to plow. Recent years I’ve spent 3-4 hours with a snowblower but now I have a quad with a plow

 

[Wrench]

I do have to plow. Recent years I’ve spent 3-4 hours with a snowblower but now I have a quad with a plow

That makes the belting a pain.....bummer because it works great.

 

[Piscatory_4]

Water is on surface so corrogated pipe won't really help, water bars on that steep slope will work best but then you have to drive over them. To much crown and getting up during snow may cause you to slide off the side. If runoff from the concrete is the big problem then a grating drain across the lower side of it should catch runoff water from it. That's a pretty steep driveway.

 

[gbflyer]

Hard to tell from a picture but it looks like they did a nice job of shaping it. That’s a steep driveway. I’d try some larger crush, say 2” minus if available and blend it in good with the existing and compact it thoroughly. Probably want to armor the edges with the larger stuff too.

The water always wins, it never gives up and is patient. Hahahaha.

 

[hobbes]

You may need to buy a box blade if you plan to keep crushed aggregate for a surface. Several ways mentioned above to try and fix the problem, but a driveway that steep is going to be a problem. You need to get the water diverted off the drive at multiple locations. Crowning the drive or putting a super in the bend will help for sure, but even then it will be a challenge in big rain events. You could cut a ditch in the area with the rut, line it with fabric, then fill it with 3 to 6" clean rock that directs the water off the drive. You could actually do something similar transversely in a couple locations that will help water flow off the drive. You won't need the fines like you find in 3 to 6" minus. However, like any sort of drain system, the fines from your drive will eventually fill it up and water will just run across it. A prefabricated drain channel would probably allow cleaning easier than the rock drains that I mentioned. Your drain pipe shown in your photos will be worthless for the driveway.

I also think that you need more slope protection similar to the 6" rock that you already have. Not only will it protect your side slopes, but it will slow the water down as it hits your yard. If you aren't careful, you'll just move the problem to the yard.

The best bet is a paved surface, but still consider the slope protection I mentioned.

 

[mtnbiker208]

I keep a shovel on my driveway all the time. as in year round. when you see the water, dig a ditch and divert it off the driveway. you might need to dig lots of little ditches, but it works.

that gravel will come off when you plow. always does.

 

[Mossy]

Thanks fellas. Still haven’t decided what to do but I’m pretty sure asphalt isn’t an option at this point as far as finances go. I called 3 asphalt companies last year for an estimate and only one called back saying they were 6 months out. So I’ve never gotten a bid for pavement but the guy that put more gravel down guessed over 15k

 

[Glendon Mullins]

dont know if u have it where u live but alot of people around here use CHERT as a base on their driveways, sets up hard and allows water to flow between. then they will gravel on top, or some just use more Chert

 

[KurtR]

I get this question daily I want something cheap that is hard like concrete or asphalt. Well if that is invented you be the richest man alive. The best t thing we have is Aspahlt and concrete that we crush and recycle it with some gravel. It works really good but still not as good as the real thing. Slowing the water down is crucial also.