Road Base Options for Gravel Driveways

Crushed stone and gravel driveways have become extremely popular options for areas where installing asphalt is cost-prohibitive. Gravel driveways offer homeowners endless possibilities for creating a surface that reflects their taste and style. Aggregate materials are also perfect for construction projects including driveways, roads, and walkways. Another great benefit of using gravel or crushed stone, they are very easy to work with, are extremely affordable, simple to maintain, can be unique, and will provide a very attractive appearance.

Unfortunately, because there are so many various options, homeowners have a difficult time deciding which type of stone is right for their property and their project. This guide is set up to help you choose the right materials for your future gravel or crushed stone driveway.

When you are planning your new driveway project, it’s only natural that you would focus only on the surfacing material. That only makes common sense as this crushed stone is something you will look at every day. That said, you must keep in mind that it’s also important to understand the other materials that you will need to complete your project.

Above Photo: Road-based geogrid can add extra stability to your gravel driveway as well as cellular gravel grid products..

What You Are Going To Need

Sub-Grade Material May Be Optional: geocell reduces gravel migration The sub-grade of your driveway is the soil located at the bottom of the excavated area for your driveway. Depending on where you live, you might discover that your soil is in really good condition and can remain as the subgrade. On the other hand, you might discover it’s in bad shape. It’s loose and crumbling or has other problems. If that’s the case, you will need to apply a new layer of compacted soil to serve as the foundation for your driveway.

The Sub-Base

The sub-base is the bottom layer of crushed stone that will sit on top of the subgrade. This layer is made up of large crushed stone aggregate that will provide structural strength and integrity to your driveway.

The Base:

The base is a layer that also consists of crushed stone but slightly smaller stones than the sub-base In some cases, stone dust or stone fines will be mixed with the aggregate to reduce voids and will hold the layer in place better.

The Surfacing Material:

This is the final layer of gravel that is poured on top of the base layer and will finish the crushed stone driveway. This is the material you will pick out not just for its functional properties but also for your driveway’s appearance and its aesthetic value.

Now that you know what kind of aggregate materials will be needed to construct your crushed stone driveway, it’s time to think about what kind of stones are right for your driveway construction needs.

Crushed Stone:

Standard crushed stone is a type of gravel that you are familiar with or in your mind’s eye is what you think a crushed driveway should be. This material has been pulverized from limestone, trap rock, gneiss, or granite, depending on which quarry it was taken from and then manufactured. Typically, when surfacing a residential driveway, homeowners will usually choose to work with a crushed stone that is 3/4 inches in size. This size is safe to drive on, is comfortable to walk on, and the stones will be heavy enough to remain in place.

Road base fabric stabilizes the surface of the road Photo: Driveway fabric provides stability to a gravel driveway and is constructed of a heavy-duty 200lb strength fabric material. Alternatively, a heavy-weight non-woven geotextile fabric (8 oz +) can also be used as an underlayment for a gravel driveway.

Washed Clean Stone:

Washed clean stone is very much like the standard crushed stone in nature and composition. The big difference between the two is washed “clean” stone! This stone is processed to remove all stone dust or stone fines and other unwanted debris that might be in with the stone in its original crushed form. Those who are concerned about the purity and integrity of the stone will probably go for a washed clean stone. If this is your choice, you want to work with washed clean stone that is 1/4 inches or 3/8 inches in size. This is the perfect size for driving on, walking on, and for excellent drainage.

Pea Gravel:

Pea gravel has become very popular over the past few years as a crushed stone driveway material. The reason, is that pea gravel is a very smooth, rounded surface that is easy to drive and walk on. Another reason, the stones come in an array of colors including tan, blue, white, brown, and rust. The combination of pea gravel’s texture and the beautiful colors, make this material extremely popular! Pea gravel works perfectly for any kind of residence from rural to city, classic to traditional, or modern to chic.

White Marble Chips:

White marble chips are a really nice option for your driveway. The chips are white or off-white in color with gray streaks. The stones have a “shimmering” quality that adds sparkle while reflecting the sunlight away from the surface. This is an excellent material for deflecting heat away from certain areas of your property. White marble chips are easy to work with and maintain.