How to Fix Potholes in a Limestone Driveway

Crushed limestone driveways need periodic maintenance to control potholes.

Driveways made of crushed limestone shift with rain, snow, the weight of your car and even foot traffic. While a well-constructed limestone driveway will be hard packed to withstand slight pressure, potholes do appear over time. The quick fix – shoveling more stone into the hole – can work, but it compromises the driveway's strength. Spend an afternoon fixing the potholes to restore your driveway to peak shape.

Things You'll Need

• Pickax or shovel
• Limestone gravel
• Hand tamp or tamping machine
• Landscape rake

Instructions

1. Move the limestone gravel to an area near the driveway. Loosen the crushed limestone surrounding the pothole using a pickax or shovel. Excavate the pothole area to make a longer-lasting repair.

2. Pour limestone gravel into the enlarged pothole until the hole is even with the adjacent area. A gravel driveway performs best with a crown in it – a center area that is slightly higher than the sides so water can flow off it. Add or remove gravel to make your driveway conform to the crown shape.

3. Tamp down the rock using a hand tamp or a tamping machine, which you can rent at a hardware store. This compacts the limestone gravel, creating a durable hard-packed driveway. When you finish tamping, the driveway should still have a crown shape.

4. Add more limestone gravel and re-tamp. Continue to top off the gravel and tamp down the stone until you've created a level grade once more.

5. Fix additional potholes the same way.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a landscape rake to replace loose gravel periodically to discourage potholes from forming. Remove gravel from high areas to fill in the valleys, ensuring the neat, even grade of your driveway.

References

• Ask the Builder: Build A Gravel Driveway
• Gavers Pavers: How to Maintain Your Gravel Driveway