Gravel driveway
A driveway that holds up under tires is two layers, not one.
Size your project then pick a material on each shelf below. Your running total stays at the bottom of the screen and updates as you choose.
Length and width of the driveway in feet. Odd shape? Add the rectangles, or enter total square feet as length with width 1.
Compacted road base on the bottom carries the weight; angular crushed gravel on top locks together so it does not roll or rut. Rounded pebbles look nice and migrate under a car within a season. Enter the size above, pick the top color, and the delivered price for your ZIP follows.
Base course
Compact in two lifts. Skip only if you already have a firm gravel base.
Top course
3/4 inch crushed stone. Pick by color; they all compact the same way.
Do not forget
How to build it
- Excavate 6 to 8 inches, grade a slight crown so water sheds to the sides, and set edging.
- Lay fabric on soft ground, then spread road base in two 2 inch lifts, wetting and compacting each with a plate compactor.
- Spread 3 inches of crushed gravel, rake level, and compact again.
- Top up the high-traffic strips after the first year.
Questions
How deep should a gravel driveway be?
6 to 8 inches total: about 4 inches of compacted road base under 3 inches of crushed 3/4 inch gravel. Soft or wet ground needs more base.
Can I use pea gravel or river rock on a driveway?
Not as the driving surface. Rounded stone rolls under tires and migrates to the edges. Use it for borders and beds and keep angular crushed stone on the drive.
How many tons of gravel does a driveway take?
A 40 by 12 foot driveway at 3 inches of top course is about 6 tons of gravel plus about 8 tons of base. The calculator above does your exact size.