Designing Buildings - User contributions [en]

Installing a gravel driveway

2013-12-20T15:24:30Z

Gridforce:

If you’re thinking about installing a gravel driveway, you might be surprised to learn that it’s not as complicated as taxing or as expensive as you might think.

A new gravel driveway can make all the difference to any home. Properly installed, these driveways will last for years and breathe new life into any property. With the right materials, you can also ensure that the driveway doesn’t suffer from the usual issues of rutting, pot holes, puddles and weed growth and it only takes a few simple steps and the right materials.

== Choosing The Right Ingredients ==

The first steps to installing your own driveway are choosing the right materials.
*'''Geotextile Membrane''' – a gravel driveway installation depends heavily on surface preparation and an undercoat (of sorts). A good quality, permeable membrane will ensure that any rain water or surface moisture has the ability to drain through into the earth below without restraint or restriction. The other benefit of this material is it prevents the growth of even the most aggressive weeds springing up and ruining your new driveway. It doesn’t cost the earth and it’s an essential part of the process, so don’t scrimp!
*'''Gravel Grids '''– one of the main issues with gravel driveways is the potential for gravel shift and movement. Though it is possible to simply lay gravel on any surface and just get on with your life, it’s a bit of a shortcut and will lead to problems. The most obvious issue is what’s described as ‘the ball bearing effect’ where loose gravel is moved easily across (and off of) the surface as it’s travelled over. For example, car tyres, feet, bicycle wheels – all have the potential to shift and even ping gravel off the driveway and into the road, towards unsuspecting accident victims and more. So keeping it in place is an important part of both installing and maintaining your driveway for the best results. This is where gravel driveway grids come in. With a honeycomb structure and tough durable design they’re built to hold the gravel within their core and prevent dangerous movement or irritating shifts that might ruin or damage your driveway. Simple, cost-effective and highly essential.
*'''Gravel '''– it goes without saying that if you’re planning to install your own gravel driveway, you’ll need gravel. You’ll be able to get it from your local home and garden supply store at reasonable prices or you can contact your local quarry and probably get it at discounted prices directly from them.

== Installing Your Gravel Driveway ==

Gravel driveways are easy to install with the right tools and preparation, allowing the construction to be carried out in a matter of hours following these few simple steps.
#'''Clearing & preparation''' – as previously stated, it’s perfectly possible to lay gravel on the current driveway surface (e.g. concrete) without clearing or preparing the surface in any other way. But it’s certainly not recommended. You’ll soon discover installing gravel this way will lead to shifting, puddle and unpleasant wear and tear that you won’t enjoy. So getting the surface preparation right can make all the difference. If you can, clear the current surface and ensure there’s fresh soil underneath ready for the next step. Flatten the surface as best you can to make the rest of the process that little bit easier.
#'''Laying the membrane – '''as previously stated, it’s essential to lay a good surface membrane down before you get to the actual gravel. A good quality membrane will stop weed growth ruining the look of your driveway and allow for sufficient moisture drainage as well. You can buy the membrane is large sheets, cut to size and lay it to overlap for perfect coverage.
#'''Laying the grids – '''with the membrane properly in place, the next step is laying the grids that will keep the gravel in place. These durable tiles can be cut to shape and easily fit by interlocking with one another to cover the entire driveway. Properly installed they will help ensure a flat surface and hold your gravel firmly in place.
#'''Spreading the gravel – '''the final step is unloading and spreading your gravel over the properly prepared surface. As you rake and brush the gravel into place you’ll find it being absorbed into the honeycomb structure. With this design there’s less potential for the ball bearing effect and far less places for the gravel to go, meaning you’ll find you’ll need less gravel to cover the same amount of space.

That’s it. You’re all done. Now you can step back and admire your handiwork. The result is a durable, long-lasting driveway that doesn’t suffer from the usual issues of rutting, shifting, puddles and weed problems. Just a driveway that’ll last and last and won’t cost you the earth.

This article was created by [http://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/User:Gridforce Gridforce], a company that specialises in driveway construction and ground reinforcement.

[[Category:Construction_techniques]]

Installing a gravel driveway

2013-12-20T15:22:09Z

Gridforce:

If you’re thinking about installing your own gravel driveway, you might be surprised to learn that it’s not as complicated as taxing or as expensive as you might think.

A new gravel driveway can make all the difference to your home. Properly installed, these driveways will last for years and breathe new life into any home. With the right materials, you can also ensure that your driveway doesn’t suffer from the usual issues of rutting, pot holes, puddles and weed growth and it only takes a few simple steps and the right materials.

== Choosing The Right Ingredients ==

The first steps to installing your own driveway are choosing the right materials.
*'''Geotextile Membrane''' – as with most things DIY, a DIY gravel driveway installation depends heavily on surface preparation and an undercoat (of sorts). A good quality, permeable membrane will ensure that any rain water or surface moisture has the ability to drain through into the earth below without restraint or restriction. The other benefit of this material is it prevents the growth of even the most aggressive weeds springing up and ruining your new driveway. It doesn’t cost the earth and it’s an essential part of the process, so don’t scrimp!
*'''Gravel Grids '''– one of the main issues with gravel driveways is the potential for gravel shift and movement. Though it is possible to simply lay gravel on any surface and just get on with your life, it’s a bit of a shortcut and will lead to problems. The most obvious issue is what’s described as ‘the ball bearing effect’ where loose gravel is moved easily across (and off of) the surface as it’s travelled over. For example, car tyres, feet, bicycle wheels – all have the potential to shift and even ping gravel off the driveway and into the road, towards unsuspecting accident victims and more. So keeping it in place is an important part of both installing and maintaining your driveway for the best results. This is where gravel driveway grids come in. With a honeycomb structure and tough durable design they’re built to hold the gravel within their core and prevent dangerous movement or irritating shifts that might ruin or damage your driveway. Simple, cost-effective and highly essential.
*'''Gravel '''– it goes without saying that if you’re planning to install your own gravel driveway, you’ll need gravel. You’ll be able to get it from your local home and garden supply store at reasonable prices or you can contact your local quarry and probably get it at discounted prices directly from them.

== Installing Your Gravel Driveway ==

Gravel driveways are so easy to install with the right tools and preparation you can easily get it done in a matter of hours following these few simple steps.
#'''Clearing & preparation''' – as previously stated, it’s perfectly possible to lay your gravel on current driveway surface (e.g. concrete) without clearing or preparing the surface in any other way. But it’s certainly not recommended. You’ll soon discover installing gravel this way will lead to shifting, puddle and unpleasant wear and tear that you won’t enjoy. So getting the surface preparation right can make all the difference. If you can, clear the current surface and ensure there’s fresh soil underneath ready for the next step. Flatten the surface as best you can to make the rest of the process that little bit easier.
#'''Laying the membrane – '''As previously stated, it’s essential to lay a good surface membrane down before you get to the actual gravel. A good quality membrane will stop weed growth ruining the look of your driveway and allow for sufficient moisture drainage as well. You can buy the membrane is large sheets, cut to size and lay it to overlap for perfect coverage.
#'''Laying the grids – '''with the membrane properly in place, the next step is laying the grids that will keep the gravel in place. These durable tiles can be cut to shape and easily fit by interlocking with one another to cover the entire driveway. Properly installed they will help ensure a flat surface and hold your gravel firmly in place.
#'''Spreading the gravel – '''the final step is unloading and spreading your gravel over the properly prepared surface. As you rake and brush the gravel into place you’ll find it being absorbed into the honeycomb structure. With this design there’s less potential for the ball bearing effect and far less places for the gravel to go, meaning you’ll find you’ll need less gravel to cover the same amount of space.

That’s it. You’re all done. Now you can step back and admire your handiwork. The result is a durable, long-lasting driveway that doesn’t suffer from the usual issues of rutting, shifting, puddles and weed problems. Just a driveway that’ll last and last and won’t cost you the earth.

This article was created by [http://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/User:Gridforce Gridforce], a company that specialises in driveway construction and ground reinforcement.

[[Category:Construction_techniques]]

Installing a gravel driveway

2013-12-20T15:17:51Z

Gridforce: Created page with " If you’re thinking about installing your own gravel driveway, you might be surprised to learn that it’s not as complicated as taxing or as expensive as you might think. A n..."