Gravel Driveway

Beala

Hi All,
I am in the process of organising to put some some new gravel/chipping sdown in my front and back yard. Quite a large area. I have cleared away all the old stuff and was just about to order the gravel when a friend suggested that perhaps I should be putting down something to prevent the weeds coming through? I'm wondering is this worth dooing. I'm not putting down a very thick layer of gravel - proabably about 2 inches so I'm thinking if I put plastic or something similiar down it will end been visible in time? Any advice would be much appreciated Thanks!!

MOTM

Beala wrote: »

Hi All,
I am in the process of organising to put some some new gravel/chipping sdown in my front and back yard. Quite a large area. I have cleared away all the old stuff and was just about to order the gravel when a friend suggested that perhaps I should be putting down something to prevent the weeds coming through? I'm wondering is this worth dooing. I'm not putting down a very thick layer of gravel - proabably about 2 inches so I'm thinking if I put plastic or something similiar down it will end been visible in time? Any advice would be much appreciated Thanks!!

We've gravel on hardcore without a weed barrier. It's a pain. Loads of grass, buttercup, angelica, sycamore weeds. Grrr.

looksee

Gravel on properly compacted hardcore should be fairly weed resistant. I would not put down weed barrier - certainly not plastic as it is not porous. There will always be a few weeds as dirt accumulates in the gravel and the weeds grow in that, they are usually pretty easy to pull though, or you could put Path Clear or similar on it each year. I have a patch of gravel on hard core and it only grows very superficial weeds - mostly cranesbill.

lazybones32

Beala wrote: »

Hi All,
I am in the process of organising to put some some new gravel/chipping sdown in my front and back yard. Quite a large area. I have cleared away all the old stuff and was just about to order the gravel when a friend suggested that perhaps I should be putting down something to prevent the weeds coming through? I'm wondering is this worth dooing. I'm not putting down a very thick layer of gravel - proabably about 2 inches so I'm thinking if I put plastic or something similiar down it will end been visible in time? Any advice would be much appreciated Thanks!!

The weed-fabric will not suppress all weedlings. Some will grow through the pores and other weeds will grow in the dirt that settles on top.
Compact your hardcore/base material well and spread your chips.
You will, in time, have to spray your driveway at least once a year...or use a blowtorch.
The cost and labour of laying the weed-fabric isn't worth it.

Spanish Eyes

Pull up as many weeds as you can. Then liberally pour table salt all over the gravel. Sprinkle lightly with a hose to keep it there! And bobs your auntie. I do this in April every year and only have to redo it if there's lashings of rain. Cheap and effective.

For recurrence of the odd weed or two a kettle of boiling water will kill em stone dead. That's not practical for a gravelled area, so hence the salt.

It works for me anyway.

BUT make sure none of the salt gets anywhere near plants or grass. They will be dead..

Barnseire

I'd recommend using the barrier. You will get some weeds that grown on top of it, but because their roots are shallow, they are easily pulled. Homestore have it on sale at the moment. 8m by 1.5m for 2 euro.

greenfingerz

Barnseire wrote: »

I'd recommend using the barrier. You will get some weeds that grown on top of it, but because their roots are shallow, they are easily pulled. Homestore have it on sale at the moment. 8m by 1.5m for 2 euro.

that is pure cheap crap that wont last very long.mypex or terram is the way to go.both are widely used in the landscaping sector.if you are going to do it then do it once and do it properly with the proper material that is fit for purpose.

Norfolk Enchants_

Weed barriers in driveways are completely unnecessary and counter productive, the gravel doesn't bed in properly and because plants/weeds can't grow in gravel the weed barrier serves no purpose.

wildlifeboy

any subarban garden i have ever seen with gravel always turns into a disaster with pebbles everywhere after a month or two. i really dont think people think it through properly. you arent living in a country estate with a winding driveway..I would do with cobblelock every time or just plain old concrete rather than pebbles. out the back garden is a diffent story. i wouldnt use the membrane wither becuase no matter how well you put it down you will be able to see sections of it over time which looks ridiculous.

lazybones32

Barnseire wrote: »

8m by 1.5m for 2 euro.

? That's dirt cheap! Is it any good?

vinnie13

the weeds will still grow in the stone anyway regardless of what you put down.
putting in a barrier will stop the soil rising over time as the stones get pushed down

Sonnenblumen

IMO there's plenty of misinformed opinion being offered here as advice!

Gravel driveways if correctly installed on suitable sites are very appealing, cost effective and easily maintained.

LurkerNo1

I have gravel paths all around my flower borders and they are all let go to seed for winter interest. I have maybe a handful of weeds a year. Excavated to 6 inches removing all perennial weeds, then hardecore compacted then a finer dust wetted and compacted again and then the gravel, works for me.

creedp

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

IMO there's plenty of misinformed opinion being offered here as advice!

Gravel driveways if correctly installed on suitable sites are very appealing, cost effective and easily maintained.

Im in the process of trying to decide what to do with a 600 sqm drive with a slope in from the road and level all round the house. I have been delaying the job but the kids are now at the stage where they are cycling a lot and are coming off on the current 803 mix which is also very dirty with grit and dirt continuously in the house.

I was contemplating going with a gravel/chip drive as I always fancied one. However, I have been warned off the option by a number of reasons including many of the ones mentioned here. While you suggest a gravel drive are suitable in some cases would a sloped drive make it less suitable?

Another option I was considering was to put SMA on the sloped part and around the front of house where cars with travel and then go with stone chips around the back where cars won't travel. If going with this option would it be necessary to blind the current 803 surface (after gathering us some loose stone) or would it be sufficient to simply lay out 25mm of stone over the current surface. Would stone chips laid this way be much more economical?

Peppa Cig

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

IMO there's plenty of misinformed opinion being offered here as advice!

Gravel driveways if correctly installed on suitable sites are very appealing, cost effective and easily maintained.[/quote

So what is the best way to install on top of existing compacted 804? Some talk about a layer of compacted quarry dust on top followed by chippings?

Sonnenblumen

Peppa Cig wrote: »

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

IMO there's plenty of misinformed opinion being offered here as advice!

Gravel driveways if correctly installed on suitable sites are very appealing, cost effective and easily maintained.[/quote

So what is the best way to install on top of existing compacted 804? Some talk about a layer of compacted quarry dust on top followed by chippings?

You need to be consider carefully before installing gravel (chipped stone surfaces) on a sloping site. Loose material is prone to drifting on level ground and obviously much more so on slopes. Slopes > 20 degrees is probably not practical unless you create bands/traps to reduce drift.

On reasonable/low slopes more raking of surface will be required. Nothing too difficult.

Blind existing surface with 20mm dust and 30mm stone chippings. Ensure sub-base and separately blinding layer are each separately well compacted/rolled before applying top layer.

Stone chippings vary in size from 5-7mm 'grits' to 20mm + I would recommend 17-20mm. For stone choices (warm colours) : Quartz and for Neutrals (Limestone) both are very hardwearing.

A loose stone surface is very appealing and well done requires a modest amount of regular upkeep.

Norfolk Enchants_

vinnie13 wrote: »

the weeds will still grow in the stone anyway regardless of what you put down.
putting in a barrier will stop the soil rising over time as the stones get pushed down

Weeds/plants don't grow in stone, they grow in silt/soil and other types of organic material that gathers in between the gravel over time from fallen leaf debris and other wind blown soil/debris, a weed suppressant material is ineffective against that, you saying the silt will rise from the underside is certainly possible in certain soil types but very unlikely and even more unlikely if the subbase is correctly installed and again a weed suppressant material would be in effective against that type of scenario.

Barnseire

lazybones32 wrote: »

? That's dirt cheap! Is it any good?

To be honest - I don't know. I bought a roll as it seems dead handy for when I want to cut my hedge and I used it to collect the clippings. They are a nightmare to get up from gravel even with a Power Vac. The roll worked a treat. They guys who put down my gravel used a membrane and it works fairly well. Also the stones do move about when you drive over them, however you can put some hexagonal plastic underneath but it's massively expensive. A quick rake can sort out the problem.