Renewing Gravel Patio / Driveway with new gravel

Zverklez

I moved in to a house which has around 200 square metres of gravel around it. The gravel appears to have been pushed down through the soil in places, and large sections are now covered in grass and weeds.

My plan was to kill off the weeds, and simply cover it in Mypex weed control fabric, and add a 5cm layer of new gravel (14mm-20mm stones) on top.

Would this work? Should I try to compact the existing gravel? Others have advised removing the gravel completely before putting down the fabric and new gravel, but this seems like a lot of work.

looksee

You need to dig out enough depth to put in about 4 inches of 804 (someone may correct me on the depth) - its a dusty chipping stuff that will make a weed-proof barrier, compress it thoroughly then cover with the same depth approx of chippings, apply half, roll, then the rest and roll again - doing in in two parts makes the whole thing level as you fill any dips on the second go. Limestone chips (I think they were 1" but I can't remember) are around €30 a tonne, loose, as against most other things which are €80+.

Yes its a lot of work. I did the same on a similar (slightly bigger) area. I didn't put down the 804 as it was not soil I was dealing with under the old gravel, it was pretty much inert shale which did the same job. I put 30 tonnes of limestone chippings down. 3 years later it is doing well, a good surface still. It gets a few small weeds but they will germinate in the gravel, same as they would over mypex, they are easy enough to spray off once a year.

Markcheese

Why spray if youve got mypex ?

coillsaille

The wind blows seeds of weeds in and they germinate in the chippings above the mypex and require spraying. I have to spray our yard twice or three times a year for this reason.

Markcheese

I always found that with a decent bed of loose gravel a quick flick with the rake took care of anything small .. but probably depends on the type of gravel ect ..

looksee

But loose gravel is not suitable for taking a car over (or lorry, truck, tractor or anything else that drives into your yard) as it displaces and fires everywhere. Angular chippings, well rolled down will stay in place in all but the most extreme situations (a truck doing wheelies for example).

Zverklez

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120658825#Comment_120658825

I believe it was dug out and had hardcore put in before the existing gravel - would you say I need to repeat the process instead of compacting the existing gravel and adding more on top?

looksee

What kind of gravel is it that is already there?