Clean or replace dirty gravel?

Halek

I have a lot of gravel covering most of the site around the house. Unsurprisingly over the years dirt has built up and weeds poke through. I have sprayed to keep this under control, but its at the point now where I need to take more comprehensive action as so much dirt has built up in the stone. Does anyone know of a way to clean large quantities of gravel? Is there a rentable solution anyone could recommend or would I be better off just buying new stone?

What do you do with the old stone if that is the case? A lot of questions sorry, just trying to figure out where to start.

Lumen

Replace.

When I was having my driveway redone last year the groundworks contractor got vast quantities of gravel and subsoil disposed of at very little cost, he just called a guy with a dump truck and filled it up with a digger. There must have been about 50 cubic metres at least.

I've cleaned small quantities myself (like maybe 1 cubic meter) using weldmesh and a stream, and it is possible, but it's not much fun.

Dan Steely

I've been topping up a gravel driveway with 20 ton every few years. Needs replacing now. If it takes the 20 ton to top up could an approximate tonnage amount extrapolated from that for a full replacement? E.g, x3, x4, x5?

Alun

I've the same problem with my back garden. It's not weeds growing up from below that's the issue it's rotting organic matter like leaves rotting away and making a mess of it. When I can I let the leaf blower loose on it and get rid of as many leaves as I can, but as most leaves fall in the autumn and winter when it's wet there's only so much you can do.

I've also dug up small sections of the worst affected parts and attempted to clean them using a garden sieve and a hose pipe or pressure washer but as Lumen says it's a much more laborious task than you might at first think.

dathi

how about throwing the stone into a cement mixer with plenty of water and a dash of bleach and let the mixer clean them before emptying them through a sieve ?

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121704064#Comment_121704064

Not a bad idea but it depends on the area you want to clean.

Probably ok for a small back yard but a lot of work for a long driveway.

jack of all

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121704064#Comment_121704064

I've done this, got through about 3 wheelbarrow loads before I gave up on it! Even with a mixer it's very time consuming. I ended up giving about 1.5 tonnes of the stuff away (soiled/ unwashed) for someone to use as a base in raised beds/ planters- great for drainage.

Lumen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121708442#Comment_121708442

Yeah, the right question is not "has anyone ever done it?" but "has anyone ever done it twice?" 😀