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  • Woody

    May 4, 2009 10:41 a.m. Woody Dork

    Since I built my house nine years ago, I've been living with a gravel driveway. It hasn't been a huge issue, since I live on a dirt road and grew up in a house that also had one.

    But I'm starting to get a little tired of it. Every winter, if it snows before we get a hard freeze, I end up plowing a lot of loose stone into the lawn, which needs to be raked out every Spring. Since the driveway is on the East side of the house, it stays pretty wet for most of the Winter. Plus, I never work on cars outside now, since any dropped bolt remains lost until it reappears in a flat tire.

    I've started to get estimates for asphalt paving and, naturally, the low bid is still about $1500 higher than I had hoped to get away with, so I'm still shopping. Any tips on what I should be looking for when I talk to the contractors?

  • JFX001

    May 4, 2009 10:46 a.m. JFX001 Dork

    Check references, see if there has been some paving of driveways in your area and ask the owners who did it and if they are happy with the outcome.

    I had a some Gypsies come and do mine....and then I had them come back and re-do it....complete with threats.

  • minimac

    May 4, 2009 12:09 p.m. minimac Dork

    Price it without the topping. Just get the binder put down. Grab a couple of bags for Sakcrete and brush it over the binder w/a broom.It will get wet and harden hard as a rock, and give you a good surface.

  • thatsnowinnebago

    May 4, 2009 3:37 p.m. thatsnowinnebago HalfDork

    Margie might have some advice for you on paving. I've heard she's pretty good at it.

  • porksboy

    May 4, 2009 4:13 p.m. porksboy Dork

    A neighbor had his black topped a few years ago. The folks that did it put down a paper thin layer when he was away then dissapeared. It broke thru in a few weeks. Double and tripple check references and make sure it is a reputable company. The lowest bidder is probably not the contractor to use.

  • mad_machine

    May 4, 2009 4:20 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork

    yes, we had that problem at a place I worked at. Got a great deal from a paver.. and in weeks it was worse than having a dirt driveway.

    thankfully we were able to get them back to do it properly.. until a lost tractor trailor did a 180 in the lot and the carriage wheels tore through 3 inches of asphalt and left a VERY nice hole that has only gotten bigger

  • SVreX

    May 4, 2009 4:21 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

    Any roofing manufacturers in your area?

    The "green" way to do a driveway- Contact a local roofing manufacturer. Tell them you want to talk to someone about keyway cutouts. Those are the slots visible between the tabs in standard shingles, and roofing manufacturers pay to have them hauled off by the truckload.

    Dump them in the driveway, and rake level. After several months of driving over them, they will compact into asphalt very comparable to the stuff you have to pay a paving company for. If you want to accelerate the process, rent a small roller compactor from a local rental company.

  • Dr. Hess

    May 4, 2009 6:00 p.m. Dr. Hess SuperDork

    I asked my friend, a civil engineer that retired out of the Texas Highway Department, what I should do for my driveway, which is about 300 ft of dirt/gravel/rock. He said "chip coat."

  • oldopelguy

    May 4, 2009 7:19 p.m. oldopelguy HalfDork

    Check local laws too before you go with asphalt. I know back home they would allow you to make a driveway out of it but not leave a car parked on it in case of leaks. Seems there is some obscure rule about permeability for leaks and not being able to capture them.

  • ManofFewWords

    May 4, 2009 7:51 p.m. ManofFewWords Reader

    One of the most important aspects of a paved driveway is the base. loose stone is not suitable as it will not bond together. Here in central ct we call it "process" basically ground stone/sand mixture. I would want 8-12" minimum, graded correctly for runoff, and compacted with a roller. This is the busy season for pavers. Keep your eyes open for neighbors, ask them, and hire a reputable company that has been in business for awhile.

  • Dr. Hess

    May 4, 2009 8:01 p.m. Dr. Hess SuperDork

    The other option would be concrete. I asked my friend, and he said, basically, you need to make beams at the tire track widths and put rebar in like a slab, with a mesh top. I forget the size beams he recommended. My MiL had her driveway done in concrete. She didn't ask my advice, and I seriously doubt there is a single piece of steel in the whole thing. Of course it is cracked.

  • Woody

    May 4, 2009 8:12 p.m. Woody Dork

    Concrete is not really an option up here. It needs to move a little as the seasons change. Asphalt can account for this. Concrete can't.

  • ignorant

    May 4, 2009 8:37 p.m. ignorant SuperDork

    What about packed stone dust? I've seen this hold up quite well in areas that you can get it...

  • Woody

    May 4, 2009 8:40 p.m. Woody Dork

    ignorant wrote:

    What about packed stone dust? I've seen this hold up quite well in areas that you can get it...

    That's what I have now and I'm slowly plowing it away. Plus, it's no fun to work on.

  • Jensenman

    May 4, 2009 8:47 p.m. Jensenman SuperDork

    Around here the Forest Service uses something called 'ROC' which stands for 'Run of Crusher'. It's limestone fragments and dust, might be similar to iggy's packed stone dust. When it's spread and it gets wet it will harden into something not unlike concrete. It seems to have the ability to heal itself, if it cracks apart during the dry season the next wet spell makes it 'knit' back together. Very low maintenance. It looks like this:

    It does not work well on steep slopes, it needs to be on level or nearly level ground.

    While looking for that picture, I ran across this: http://www.rkmfg.com/grassypavers.asp Interesting. It's real similar to what's called 'geo web' which is used to stabilize trails. Those 'grassypavers' can be used with gravel, etc as well.

    If concrete is done in slabs rather than one continuous pour and is tilted enough with proper drainage so that water can't puddle and freeze, that might work as well. Do you have a problem with frost heaving in your area?

  • Woody

    May 4, 2009 8:55 p.m. Woody Dork

    Jensenman wrote: Do you have a problem with frost heaving in your area?

    Yup. That's why concrete driveways are pretty much unheard of around here.

  • benzbaron

    May 4, 2009 10:00 p.m. benzbaron Reader

    No matter what you do you'll probably want a compacted gravel base as substrate. The best way to find someone is to go look at other people who have had similar work done and find out who did it.

  • porksboy

    May 4, 2009 10:18 p.m. porksboy Dork

    2000 feet of what we in the south call crusher run is on my driveway. It does wash when we get a realy heavy rain but not too badly and with the drought we have had for the past eleventy billion years it hasnt been a big issue. I also have a 2 car garage and a drive in basement with 2 garage doors and concrete pads in front of all. Maybe you can just pad a smaller area? I dont have to put up with snow and frost heaving however. I would say move south young man but we already have enough Yankees down here.

  • Keith

    May 4, 2009 10:42 p.m. Keith SuperDork

    Let me talk to my wife when I get back from the Mitty. She's a paving expert. Ping me if I don't post something in a few days.

 
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