How do I prevent gravel on parking pad from getting buried?

Susan
by Susan

Rain/snow and vehicles parking on my gravel pad have caused the gravel to get buried in the dirt. How do I prevent this from happening? Is hardware cloth under the gravel an option? What weight and mesh opening size?


  5 answers
  • Cynthia H Cynthia H on Feb 16, 2020

    Hi! Great question especially since this has been on my mind, too. I now am having my second winter with gravel, so I did some research for both of us. Here is what I found:


    https://www.stonewarehouse.co.uk/about/news/2016/oct/17/how-to-choose-and-use-your-membrane


    https://www.greatdayimprovements.com/10-gravel-driveway-maintenance-tips.aspx

  • Mogie Mogie on Feb 16, 2020

    Depth

    One easy way to keep the gravel in a gravel driveway is to make sure that there is a decent depth of gravel. While the gravel is loose stone, if there are three inches or so of it, then the gravel will begin to compact itself. The weight of the gravel on top will press down, pushing the lower levels of gravel into the dirt and making a more solid base. The more weight there is (up to a point) then the more solid a gravel driveway is going to be overall. However, care should also be taken not to put too much gravel into a driveway, because then there is so much stone that it will rattle around and spread out, widening the driveway unintentionally.

    Borders

    Another way to keep gravel in place on a driveway is to put down borders. These borders could be a wooden fence, railroad ties, or even brick pavers. What materials are used to make the border are up to the homeowner and their sensibilities. All that is necessary is that the borders are strong enough to stop the driveway from shifting outward. This method is especially useful for driveways that are straight and easily framed. Curving driveways can be more problematic, but this method can still work, provided that you have flexible enough border material.

    Tamping and Packing

    For those who aren't averse to doing some work every now and again, maintaining a gravel driveway by hand is also an option. Gravel should be raked up onto the driveway, and tamped down until it's flat. Then the gravel should be wetted down with a hose, allowing the rock to shift and the dirt to accept the gravel once again. Don't use too much water, because you might cause the driveway to shift and the dirt to run. This will end up doing more harm than good, and it will require you to start the project all over again.


  • Before we put down our gravel we compacted the soil first. We put down some weedkiller before we put down the heavy duty plastic. Add a thick layer of gravel. This has worked well for years. Maybe your gravel layer was not thick enjoy or your ground to soft.

  • Michelle Leslie Michelle Leslie on Feb 16, 2020

    Hi Susan, I feel your pain. We had the same thing happen to us and the only way we could fix it was to rent a compactor to squish the existing gravel layer down and then we added 2 more layers of gravel on top

  • Peggy L Burnette Peggy L Burnette on Feb 16, 2020

    Hi Susan, sorry you are having problems with your gravel driveway. Hope this is helpful.

    Consider these pitfalls of gravel - Davis Enterprise

    www.davisenterprise.com › local-news › consider-these-pitfalls-of-gra...


    All gravel will sink into moist clay from the weight of foot or vehicle traffic. Over time ... It acts like a barrier to keep gravel separated from your soil while remaining ...