driveway material - gravel , asphalt millings , ?

[rfuerst911sc]

Our retirement house has a gravel driveway first one I've had in a very long time . Really nothing wrong with it as it is level enough to drive the Porsche on it . But it is fairly steep and with all the heavy rain we have had there is some minor ruts and some has washed down the hill . No biggie I will rake/shovel it back up with my mini front end loader .

But it gets me thinking of maybe a better material that won't break the bank . It seems like asphalt millings are all the rage right now around here . From what I have read on the net it packs down pretty good and sticks together fairly well making it more weather resistant to washouts . Any of you guys have experience with asphalt millings ? I can't afford concrete so that's out . Have not looked into conventional asphalt that may be a possibility . Any other products to consider ? The driveway currently is gravel the size of # 57 and smaller and packed down by years of driving on it .

I have also heard of concrete millings ? Not sure how well that would stay in place on the slanted portion of the driveway . Also the driveway does not have any borders on either side other than trees and lawn , was thinking maybe borders on each side of RR ties , PT 6X6's or stones would greatly help with the washing out . Now that I'm retired time is available but budget is tighter .

[pwd72s]

Driveway was gravel when we first moved here. As soon as it could be entered into the budget it became blacktop. No regrets on the money spent.

[stevej37]

What's the length of the driveway?
Around here, slag is used a lot. It packs in real tight.
I'm not sure what it's made of, but it looks like small marble chips.

[Eric Hahl]

Tar and chip maybe?

[dad911]

If you spread millings and roll/compact them on a hot day, they make a good base.

However, NJ DEP: The bitumen binder used in asphalt paving applications contains a relatively large concentration of a family of carcinogenic compounds which can pose serious human health and environmental concerns in certain circumstances such as when asphalt material is ground into very small particles that easily blow off of or wash from the surface. These compounds, known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are specified as targeted pollutants by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and are present in asphalt at much higher levels than the criteria established by the DEP for general use in a loose fashion on land. Asphalt millings used alone without a paved top surface have the potential to significantly migrate from the roadway through the actions of water, wind, and physical displacement and possibly contaminate surrounding soils and/or surface water sediments.

So I can't use millings in new construction, but just found out crushed concrete may be ok. I'm looking at that option now.

[rfuerst911sc]

In regards to the length of the driveway it is about 250 ' but I have not measured it . It comes in from the street and that's where the steepest pitch is , it then splits with one portion going in front of the house the other portion to the rear . The realtor that hooked us up with the house also suggested the ' tar and gravel " route . I know nothing about that method/type . Keep the suggestions coming . Thanks

[speeder]

These questions should always include a photo of the driveway/patio/road/roof/whatever being discussed. It helps people not have to imagine what it actually looks like, grade, size, etc...

Often, one person's imagined 250' is actually 100', a 4% grade is really double, etc.

[rfuerst911sc]

Hope this works I've never tried to attach a Snip It pic . If it works you'll see the driveway in the lower right where it comes in from the street . Then goes up hill and splits , one side to the left in front of the house the other goes straight then wraps around the back of the house . For now primarily concerned with the portion from the street to the front of the house .

[rfuerst911sc]

Well that didn't work !

[LakeCleElum]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Driveway was gravel when we first moved here. As soon as it could be entered into the budget it became blacktop. No regrets on the money spent.

Same here....After the first winter of using 4x4 getting thru the spring melt....

[stevej37]

One of the big advantages of asphalt or concrete is 'no dust/dirt'. If trying to maintain clean cars, a milings or tar chip surface is still going to create dust/dirt when driving over it.
Asphalt or concrete is easy to keep clean and will last a long time.
Easy to get a couple asphalt bids...it might be less than you expected.

[mepstein]

I live on a hill with a long driveway. Asphalt is the only thing that holds up over time. Price is cheaper when there are others neighbors who want is done.

[rfuerst911sc]

OK let's try again Went out and took some pics with my phone . The first pic is coming from the street , this has the most pitch and it's really the only trouble spot . The second pic is the intersection where it turns left towards the garage I'm building and also where it goes straight to the back of the house . The third pic is heading to the back of the house .

All of the front lawn is pitched towards the driveway where it comes in from the street , it is the natural pitch of the land and when it rains heavy obviously water runs down hill . Some runs down the driveway and some just down the lawn . Hope this helps .

[speeder]

That's a lot of driveway. Gravel probably makes the most sense.

[javadog]

You really ought to put in some shallow ditches on either side of the driveway, to keep as much runoff water off of it as you can.

[JavaBrewer]

Originally Posted by speeder

That's a lot of driveway. Gravel probably makes the most sense.

I would go with a solid surface near the house and keep the gravel for the rest.

Solid surface choices

1. Concrete paver stones
2. Poured concrete
99. Asphalt
100. Leave everything as is

[Bill Douglas]

I'd leave it as it is. Replace/top up the lost bits. It's a farm type driveway.

[Mark Henry]

I have asphalt millings, we call it reclaim here, it does pack down nice, but it can still wash out and the cars still kick up dust. Not as bad as gravel, say half way between gravel and hardtop.
I'd look into chip and tar, wish someone did driveways around here. We have it on most of our secondary roads, not as good as hardtop, but it stands up well. A good job on a driveway with a good base would last 30-50 years.
It would suck the first year (loose stone and dust), then 2nd year sweep it and it's just like hardtop

[rfuerst911sc]

As always good feedback gentleman . Adding a runoff mini ditch on either side I had not considered , at the very least one on the uphill side would take the majority of lawn runoff and divert away from the driveway . Might have to consider that . Yeah it is a decent size driveway I'm glad we don't get heavy snow here .

This year has been crazy for the amount of rain we have received so what I am seeing in the driveway is a " worst case " scenario and we only have minor washout/ruts . But I still don't like it . I had also considered lining the outside of the driveway with something like large stones or pressure treated 6 x 6's . Dig them down say 2 inches and they would help divert rain water . Would also serve as a cleaner barrier/edge to mow against AND provide containment for gravel/millings/asphalt .

A few more things I have to keep in mind , my water well line runs under the driveway ( somewhere ) in the front and my septic tank/lines run under the driveway in the back . Don't know exactly where the tank is in the back and neither does the county . I called them and they found the file for our address but the file is empty so they can't tell me where the tank is .

And lastly is there a more natural way to help control the runoff ? Maybe some type of border plants ? Obviously border plants would take a while to grow but certainly look less industrial than 6 x 6's . Just trying to consider all options .

[ckelly78z]

We have a steep stone driveway to the house, and a fairly flat stone driveway to the barn. When the state was grinding the asphalt road in front of our property, they (I asked them) dumped 3 large dump truck loads of milling onto our barn driveway in one big pile. With my FEL, I moved/spread 60-80 tons of millings onto both driveways and smoothed them out as best as I could. The next day, the state used thier heavy azz pavement roller on my driveways, and it has been pretty solid ever since, but still is rough enough to provide traction in the Winter.