Stabilization mesh for gravel over concrete driveway

Wavey

Afternoon all.

I have a slightly sloped mass concrete drive way that is unsightly and needs to be brightened up.

I have seen the mesh below used on driveways to maintain a gravel finish on a slope.

Does anybody know if this can be laid directly on top of an existing concrete surface to successfully keep gravel finish in place?

Perhaps with some concrete fixing to prevent sliding.

I'm trying to avoid digging out the concrete if possible.

Many thanks,

Wavey.

Wildly Boaring

Don't know as never tried

In theory it should work.

But my only thought would be that you'll be forever raking pebbes back into the mesh/grid.

Lumen

Gravel looks nice for a year or two, then becomes a maintenance nightmare.

Love your zero maintenance concrete.

Odelay

Power wash the drive and see what it looks like after.

P2C

Drainage will be your issue. Has the water anywhere to drain. I am after doing 250 sq m drive with the mats. Lovely job and really robust. Kids can cycle on them very well compacted. They are kept in place by the kerbs etc. I got the heavy duty ones out of Holland and delivered to the door. I done my research and they should last as long if not longer than asphalt. Made out of LDPE with a 3.5 m rib wall. I got the 6 wheel lorry to drive over some and not a mark.

Wavey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118485479#Comment_118485479

Thank P2C.

What did you lay the grids over? concrete or hardcore?

Any idea what it cost you per sqm?

Thanks

Wavey.

P2C

I put it down on compacted hardcore. There are a few different types of gravel mats. From my research the more robust ones are made from HDPE or LDPE. They have a cell wall thickness of 3.5 mm. Normally about 500mm x 500 mm. I could only find one supplier in Ireland selling those type. Loads of suppliers are selling white ones. The cell walls are very thin and not as strong on the white ones. They normally come with a weed barrier. I purchased in NL shipped to Ireland at approx €14 sq m. It worked out a bit cheaper than the Irish supplier. I had to collect from the Irish supplier or arrange my own transport. Send me a pm and will send you the link to the supplier

Yarn56

Hi P2C

I was thinking about doing my driveway with gravel mats and discovered your discussion when searching this forum I was just wondering how did the gravel mats do where there any issues and if there were a good job if so which ones and where is the best to purchase.

Many Thanks

DownByTheGarden

Im looking to put a couple of car parking spaces on the grass beside the driveway. I was thinking some underlay with this mesh and gravel would be just the job.

Anyone know where I could get the Mesh in Dublin? Needs to be strong enough to park a car on.

P2C

My mats are down since December 21. Really happy . The only maintenance is had to pick a bit new grass caused by me overseeing the lawns and the odd weed. I did not put down a weed barrier as my logic was the weeds will come from being transported by the wind. I also created a kids play area for swings with the left overs. I scraped back the sod used a weed barrier and then placed the mats and used the stone. I will probably dress the top with some fresh stone this summer. You can see the mats in some spots as it had compacted and migrated. I have a 3 year old who can cycle across them with stabilisers. They can’t skate on them or use scooters. I ca pull the wheelie bins with no hassle. I have had lorries and oil man deliver and no issues. The ones I got are from Holland are LDPE and really robust and delivered by pallet to the door https://grindmatten.nl/stabilisatieplaat-j50

a company in Dublin who sell a good product . HDPE

https://www.geo-coastal.ie/products-services/miscellaneous/gravel-paving/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9cDQsJ7o_QIViaztCh2jOggzEAAYASACEgLPwvD_BwE

My advice is you may find cheaper versions or white ones with weed barriers. Check the type of plastic as some are brittle and when exposed to the sun will degrade a break.

P2C

09B60745-0B57-46DF-A05D-ACF4D12381B5.png

any where there’s gravel the mats are under the gravel at the entrance. Very good for drainage also as I used to have a lot of run off from the road

Lumen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120414004#Comment_120414004

IMO in that application you're better off with a solution that encourages grass to grow through the grid/mesh, otherwise you'll be fighting grass growing in the gravel. There are various products that will do this.

DownByTheGarden

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120414279#Comment_120414279

Thats a fair point. I never thought of that.

Interested Bystander

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118485479#Comment_118485479

Hi folks,

I'm thinking of doing this too. I have two questions for you P2C (or to anyone else who has used these)

1. Does is matter if the decorative stone is rounded or broken?
2. Has anyone used this on sloped areas of a driveway, if so, how did it bear up?

The Continental Op

I walk a quarter mile long driveway when out with the dogs sometimes. Its very seep and similar to the OP's picture. Now there is no mesh but if it was round stone all the stone would have long gone. On a slope mesh or not you need a sharp gravel so it locks together and has the smallest chance of rolling as possible. You might as well us ball bearings as use rounded stone like pea gravel.

P2C

I think that most companies recommend not using pea gravel. There are recommendations on maximum slopes. Once there are kerbs I can’t see the mats moving. Mine is down 18 months at this stage. I was a bit worried about the entrance as you’re coming off a very steep . But no issues

Lumen

I know this is slightly off-topic, but it's sort of relevant to the what's-more-attractive-than-a-regular-concrete-driveway problem.

This driveway is down in Wexford, and although the pics don't really do it justice I think it's really quite attractive/natural looking due to the textured finish and the way that the lack of kerbing allows it to blend with the soft verge.