Tips for Maintaining Your Gravel Driveway
While a gravel driveway does cost considerably less than either concrete or asphalt, they do, like any material, require maintenance. Below are some tips for maintaining your driveway to keep it in good condition:
Ensure your driveway is graded
Grading is vital when it comes to maintaining a gravel driveway. Proper grading involves loosening any hard-packed material, in addition to loosening the driveway to the depths of potholes present to prevent them from coming back. The gravel must be scraped from the edges to the center creating what is known as a “crown,” and then feather the gravel out lightly to the edges. Once this has been done, it is important to pack the gravel, to ensure that your driveway is level and has a good sturdy base.
Regularly check for any potholes or ruts
Potholes and ruts will make drainage issues worse, and create problems with your car as your drive it along the driveway. The best solution is to sort them out as they occur, replacing the gravel and raking it to the correct level.
Watch out for drainage problems
Poor drainage will result in problems in any driveway, causing the likes of ruts, washouts, and lastly erosion. Ensuring your gravel driveway is constructed and installed properly will eliminate many drainage issues; however, if you start to experience issues with water, it is important to add gravel to make your driveway higher than the areas surrounding it, or to create a ditch that removes the water away from where it flows.
Using the right materials
Understanding the different materials available that are used in gravel driveways is always the best measure to ensure success. Gravel size should be approximately pea-size, with sharp edges. So, if you use larger-sized flat or smooth stones, you will start to notice pits, ruts, and potholes.