Which Area Suits Gravel Driveways?
Gravel driveways are most suitable for homes in rural areas, especially those with long driveways. However, some urban areas can also have gravel driveways. It also helps if there's a buffer zone surrounding the gravel driveway to catch the inevitable stray gravel pieces.
If your property is subject to movement or has many large trees whose root systems are constantly growing, then a gravel driveway is ideal. A gravel driveway is always flexible and quite accommodating to changes in your landscape.
Frequently, large property owners prefer gravel driveways over concrete or asphalt alternatives. Their primary motivation is the low cost of installing the gravel option. But if your property requires frequent snow plowing or scraping, then a gravel driveway isn't ideal. You may scrape up the gravel as well.
Overall, installing gravel driveways is a good idea if you have a long driveway in a near-tropical location with many trees.
How Do We Install Gravel Driveways?
A gravel driveway is easy to install, and the best news is: you can begin using your new driveway right away!
At Fundamental Siteworks, we are transparent in all our processes. Our experts will follow these steps to install your new gravel driveway:
- Remove the topsoil
- Compact the soil that lay below the topsoil
- Optional: Lay down a geotextile fabric to help prevent vegetation growth
- Place a 4-inch layer of large (fist-sized) rocks above the fabric
- Add another 4-inch layer of gravel (these are approximately the size of golf balls)
- Place a third and final layer of marble-sized gravel
We also construct our gravel driveways with an elevated center so that water flows easily to either side. Furthermore, we compact each layer of material before adding the next. The affordable cost of building a gravel driveway more than pays for itself many times over the long lifespan and low-cost maintenance of your driveway.
The Longevity of Your Gravel Driveway and How You
Can Maintain It
With the right care and maintenance, your gravel driveway can last as long as 100 years. You will also enjoy easy, low-cost maintenance. Gravel is also less susceptible to damage that may arise from seasonal freeze-and-thaw cycles.
Your gravel driveway will require regular maintenance as it is also more vulnerable to potholes and grooves - even with normal usage. However, these are easy, low-cost fixes. We recommend having a pile of covered gravel nearby to fill in any holes that emerge quickly.
We recommend that you fix any damage to your gravel driveway as soon as possible. Filling in potholes as they occur ensures that they don't get larger and deeper and more costly to repair. Larger potholes will require larger tools to fix.
If your driveway is subject to climate fluctuations and a lot of traffic, then you will need to regrade your driveway at least once per year (or more frequently). Regrading requires heavy equipment, like a tractor with a bucket and grader to grade your driveway's surface and spread and compact the fresh gravel.
By far, a gravel driveway is cost-effective and easy to maintain. Choose Fundamental Siteworks to get the perfect gravel driveway for your needs.
Contact Us to Install Your Gravel Driveway
When thinking about installing gravel driveways, Fundamental Siteworks is your best choice. We will be delighted to speak with you about your property’s unique requirements. You can rely on us to design and install the best solution to increase your property value. We invite you to contact us by completing our contact form below:
