Gravel Driveway Maintenance

Driveway gravel is made up from small stones. These stones may be crushed, or they can be whole stones of small sizes. Driveway gravel can consist of sand, clay and silt. Because the driveway is made up from stones, water can seep in and other problems can occur. As a result, proper gravel driveway maintenance is required to keep the driveway gravel fully functional.

Driveway gravel will eventually bed down and become invaded by dust dirt and weeds. This process can be delayed by occasional gravel driveway maintenance, usually clearing weeds, spraying weed killer, and sweeping gravel that is escaped back onto the drive area. But eventually the top surface will need relaying, particularly where car wheels habitually travel, as the weight will cause the gravel to break down and compact.

The relative ease of gravel driveway maintenance is the biggest advantage of driveway gravel over most other types of driveways. A gravel driveway can cause inconvenience when snow gets into it, but it is one of the least expensive kinds of driveways both to install, position and maintain. One of the essential forms of gravel driveway maintenance, however, involves building the driveway properly. Ideally, the driveway gravel should have a slanted, roof like shape. When properly shaped, the incline helps water flow easily on the driveway, pre-empting water clogging.

As more people are turning to driveway gravel and stone driveways instead of the impenetrable tar or concrete ones, it is important to know how to maintain them. A gravel driveway is one of the least expensive routes to take when installing a driveway, but it can be a nuisance if it becomes filled with potholes and weeds.

If weeds occur, weed it. If one allows weeds to grow in the gravel driveway, dirt will accumulate and then rain will be able to get down into the base of the driveway gravel. However, by the use of weed killer instead of pulling the weeds, so that one does not pull up the roots and make holes.

Every now and then, the gravel tends to move around and it will need to be raked into place. The problem is that if one has a driveway of any length, it will be virtually impossible to rake by hand. Instead in gravel driveway maintenance, use a weighted metal frame and drag it with the yard tractor or truck. It should smooth out the gravel, filling in the low spots and leveling the high spots.

One gravel driveway maintenance procedure is by filling in the potholes, this can be as simple as removing the loose driveway gravel, applying a layer of fine sand and then placing large sharp gravel on top. Slightly overfill it and then drive over it a few times with a car, truck, tractor, or any vehicle to compact it.

One procedure of gravel driveway maintenance is by keeping a crown for water drainage, this basically means to keep the level of the driveway highest in the middle. If the driveway gravel was not designed this way, then just make sure that the other side is a little higher than the other so the rain can drain off.

Another helpful procedure in gravel driveway maintenance is with the help of a leaf blower to remove the leaves in the fall so they do not break down and become dirt in the driveway gravel, it can also help one to have it easier to do than raking it or picking the leaves. Try to stay caught up with removing them while they are dry or it will take much longer to move them once they are damp.

By doing gravel driveway maintenance properly, one can have a very presentable, fascinating and long lasting driveway.

Gravel driveway maintenance is less tedious and costly compared to other driveways. Also, gravel driveway maintenance can be done in a long period of time.