Gravel is an excellent alternative to concrete or asphalt in outdoor spaces, including garden paths and driveways, and it is functional and attractive. Gravel may also be used for general landscaping to offer a beautiful contrast around the garden or when sprucing up borders and flower beds.
Gravel driveways are very common in rural areas. Gravel is mainly used for its advantages, including good drainage, low maintenance, no cracks, and no wear and tear, as with concrete and asphalt. Although gravel driveways do not require regular maintenance, it is good to have the surface maintained from time to time. Gravel will maintain a good impression of the landscape and the property's aesthetic value.
This also helps relax the gravel on the driveway up to the depth of any pothole and ensures that the potholes do not occur again. To grade gravel surfaces, you should scrape the surface from its edges to the center, forming a crown shape. After this, lightly feather the gravel outwards, towards the edges. After grading, you should pack the stone to ensure the driveway is level and has a good base.
Potholes on the gravel surface can turn an otherwise beautiful surface very ugly. Additionally, potholes will worsen drainage problems and make it uncomfortable for you to drive over. Potholes on gravel surfaces should be repaired as soon as they appear. Besides o t raking the gravel well, replacing the missing stone in such potholes is also essential.
Another problem that can occur in gravel driveways is drainage. Poor drainage in sections of the driveway should be addressed immediately, as it can cause washouts, ruts, and erosion. However, this problem can be avoided by having the gravel adequately installed in the driveway. Alternatively, you may add more stone to the flooding region to make it higher than the surrounding regions. You can also solve this problem by constructing a ditch to lead the floodwater from the driveway.
Some issues affecting gravel driveways may be avoided using suitable materials during installation. For instance, using gravel with large grains can easily lead to ruts, potholes, or pits on the driveway's surface after some time. Instead, it is advisable to use gravel with pea-size (¼") grains during installation. Additionally, it would help to use quality, solid and durable driveway reinforcement grids, like MatsGrids, during installation to prevent gravel migration on the surface.
For the parts affected by snow during winter, you should keep the gravel clear of snow. However, you may remove some rock from the driveway, and the snow and this gravel should be replaced in spring. It would be best if you also raked back the rock pulled outwards by the snow.
