Whether you’re interested in selling your home or you’re looking for different ways to make improvements to the exterior in hopes of increasing curb appeal, enhancing your driveway is an excellent way of doing that. In fact, many homeowners like to do most of these tasks themselves to try and save money on labor.
When it comes to the driveway, a popular option is using gravel, which drastically improves the home’s value. Want to install a driveway? Learn how to build a gravel driveway below.
How To Build a Gravel Driveway
Want to know how to do your own driveway? We can help! Below are eight steps to achieving a beautiful driveway using gravel.
- Mark out the path. Before starting, decide where the driveway will be. You can mark the perimeter using landscape stakes and string.
- Clear out any grass and topsoil. Remove any topsoil and grass where the driveway is going. Having it professionally excavated could help save you lots of time.
- Calculating how much gravel is needed. Math may not be your strong suit, but it won’t be too tough. Simply multiply the depth, height, and length of the driveway to get the cubic feet needed. You’ll then divide that number by 27 to get cubic yards.
- Schedule your gravel delivery. Most companies allow you to pick up the order or have it delivered to your home.
- Level out the driveway’s path. Before the gravel is delivered, level out the driveway’s path by hand or with a backhoe. Many professionals recommend using a weed barrier to prevent grass from growing along the driveway.
- Spread out and compact the base layer. For the base layer, it’s advised to use crushed limestone, which has to be compacted and pressed into the soil to create the foundation. It’s best to use a heavy truck or bulldozer for this.
- Spread the middle layer of gravel. Then, you’ll spread your second layer of gravel. Crush limestone is best to use since it’s excellent to compact while letting the water drain.
- Spread and smooth out the top layer. Your last step is spreading and smoothing out your final layer of gravel. You can do this with crushed limestone, river rock, or pea gravel.
If you have questions or need assistance, contact your local gravel company. If you’re unsure about doing this yourself, you can get in touch with local driveway contractors or businesses that handle driveway installations.