How to Lay a Gravel Driveway

A gravel driveway can be one of the easiest driveways to install, but sometimes, it can be one of the hardest to maintain. That is why many of our customers look to other driveway types that provide pleasing aesthetics, longevity and permeability. Resin-bound driveways, concrete driveways and block paving driveways are all extremely popular, but something about gravel makes it a choice many love to make.

So, in this blog, we’ve decided to pass on some of our knowledge to help you with laying a gravel driveway at home. Once you’ve read this, if you feel it may be too complex, time-consuming or just unsuitable, get in touch with us and we’ll use our skills to give you the driveway you desire.

Laying a gravel driveway

Before you start anything, you’ll need to ensure you have the correct materials and equipment:

• Line marking spray or similar (to mark where the driveway will be!)
• Spade (for removing all the soil!)
• A Skip (If you have lots of soil, debris or concrete to remove.)
• A Cable Avoidance Tool (so you can avoid any cables buried underground).
• An excavator (not essential, but hiring might be best for large spaces.)
• Your desired gravel.
• MOT Type 1 sub-base.
• Weed prevention membrane.
• Any decorative features.
• Edging material (bricks, boulders, etc.)
• Gloves, goggles, sturdy footwear.

Mark out the area

Use your line marking spray or a suitable alternative to measure and mark out where you want the driveway to be. Remember to factor in how many vehicles will likely use the space and what room they need to manoeuvre.

Dig out the driveway space

Using your spade or excavator, dig out the area being used for your driveway. You’ll need to dig around 200mm deep. This then allows for 150mm of sub-base and 50mm of gravel. At this point, you’ll want to use the CAT (Cable Avoidance Tool) to ensure you don’t break through any important cables. Depending on the amount of soil, debris and other surface materials you remove, you may need to put them into a skip or durable sacks to ensure suitable disposal.

Lay your sub-base

With the area cleared, you can now apply the sub-base. This is an essential part of gravel driveway installation. Your sub-base supports the weight of vehicles using your driveway and prevents the driveway from sinking. Use the MOT Type 1 sub-base material and apply it to the space until 150mm of the total depth is filled. Compact it to ensure it is well distributed and sufficiently laid. If your driveway is large, you may need to hire a roller to ensure proper compaction.

Add any edging

If you have decided to add edging to your gravel drive, now is the time to do it. Edging helps keep gravel in place, making maintenance easier and keeping the rest of the area looking how it should. We’ve put together a few tips for driveway edging. They may help you decide whether it’s necessary or not. Some edging can be gently placed along the side of the drive area; other types may require digging into the surface to give the edging material some stability. Just remember the edging needs to be tall enough to keep your gravel within the driveway area.

Lay your weed control fabric

Weeds can be the downfall of any driveway; they make it look unsightly and can cause long-lasting damage. Laying a weed prevention membrane stops weeds from breaching your gravel driveway, but allows water to drain through rather than pool on the surface. Lay the fabric over the sub-base and cut it to the desired shape and size.

Lay the gravel

With sub-base, weed membrane and edging all in place, you can now add your chosen gravel. Spread it over the top, ensuring a depth of 50mm. Use a rake to get the gravel spread evenly, and that’s it! For an additional finish, spray the driveway with a hose to remove any dust and dirt.

It’s that simple! However, there are likely still some questions, so let’s dive in.

How to lay a gravel driveway on a slope

This is quite easy. Simply follow all the steps we have mentioned already but lay a gravel stabiliser grid on top of your weed control fabric. The whole procedure is outlined below.

• Mark out the area
• Dig out the area (200mm deep)
• Lay sub-base (150mm deep)
• Add any edging (if required)
• Add weed membrane
• Add gravel stabiliser grid
• Add your gravel

How to maintain your gravel driveway

Once you have installed your new gravel driveway, you’ll want it to serve you well for a long time. You can do this with some simple maintenance. We’ve put together a complete guide for cleaning a gravel driveway, but for a bullet point list of the main things you should be doing, look below:

• Rake it regularly
• Remove debris as you find it
• Stay on top of weeds (they can sometimes penetrate your weed control fabric)
• Add extra gravel as levels drop

A gravel driveway can be a quick and easy install, but it’s not for everyone! If you need any surfacing help, whether it be a complete overhaul or some general repairs, speak to Tidey & Webb, the leading surfacing contractors for Sussex, Surrey, Kent and Hampshire.