Compact Gravel Drive

[RobAMerc]

hi guys

I recently dug out the front garden and went for 2 inches of garden aggregates bought from roadstone.
But having parked the car on it a few times now I find the car digging into it a bit much and leaving holes.

Does anyone know if I can compact it at all to stop this happening?

Thanks
Rob

 

[Ravima]

YOu will need to compact and then put in more gravel. The gravel is on the soft base and will take time to compact. on the plus side, once compacted, it will be as hard as concrete

 

[mathepac]

Ideally these are the steps that should be followed for a lasting finish

1) run a whacker plate across the freshly dug area to compact the disturbed soil, levelling as you go

2) Put down weedkiller and anti-weed membrane (lets water down and stops weeds soil and grass coming up)

3) Spread an inch or so of garden aggregate and run whacker-plate over this, leveling as you go

4) Repeat step 3 with balance of aggregate.

As it stands you may continue to get holes for a while especially in wet weather (is there any other kind?) and your only option is to keep back filling them.

 

[RobAMerc]

I dug about 4 inches into the garden,
whacked it
put down 4 inches of hardcore and the memberane, whacked it
then spread the pebbles over the whole garden (half of it was concrete drive)
but the side not on the old concrete is fairly deep and where I sink.

do you think this will compact ?

Thanks again for the help

 

[mathepac]

The bit that was under the old concrete drive was compacted more than where the soil was dug out.

Have a go at this bit (originally grass?) again with the whacker and more filling until it is an inch or so higher than the bit that was concrete. That way you'll have a bit to spare to keep raking into the depressions that appear, which they will for a while.

 

[Scaper]

hi guys

I recently dug out the front garden and went for 2 inches of garden aggregates bought from roadstone.
But having parked the car on it a few times now I find the car digging into it a bit much and leaving holes.

Does anyone know if I can compact it at all to stop this happening?

Thanks
Rob

Freshly dug area should firstly be compacted, then back filled with 150mm/6" of hardcore(804), then blinded with 804 dust, again rolled and compacted. Finally topdress with decorative stone (35mm/1"-2").

Insufficient hardcore will not be capable of supporting car weight, use of blinding dust binds hadcore and prevents any mixing with devcorative stone whilst too much decorative stone will create nasty ridges.