How to Add Gravel to a Driveway

Over time a gravel driveway will begin to wear thin.

Gravel driveways require maintenance from time to time, due to use and weather. The driveway's crown begins to settle, falling rain finds a purchase, tires spin out, and soon you have potholes and ruts dotting the surface. After a particularly bad rainstorm, much of the gravel may even be washed away, leaving you with a thinner driveway than before. Add a little more judiciously placed gravel and your driveway will be as good as new.

Things You'll Need

• #21-A gravel
• #57 gravel (optional)
• Rake

Instructions

1. Fill the deepest potholes partway with ping pong ball-sized pieces of #57 gravel, for a strong foundation. Finish off with smaller #21-A gravel, until the holes are level with the rest of your driveway. Shallower holes will require only the smaller-sized gravel.

2. Repeat this process with any ruts or thin spots that have developed, using the large #57 gravel only if the rut extends several inches below the surface of the driveway.

3. Repair the driveway's crown. The crown is likely to have receded even if you have no ruts or potholes. The driveway should come to a peak, running down the middle of its length. This crown or peak needs to be 1/2-inch higher than the edge of the driveway for every foot of the driveway's width---a 6-foot-wide driveway should have a 3-inch crown.

4. Rake the entire driveway smooth. Make sure that the sides of it slopes smoothly up to the crown, giving the driveway a shallow, inverted V-shaped cross-section.

References

• Ask the Builder: Build a Gravel Driveway
• John Deere Homestead Magazine: Maintaining Your Gravel Driveway