Ride in style on your own gravel driveway
A gravel driveway offers a budget-friendly, low-maintenance option with a classic look. Unlike with many other types of driveways, handy homeowners can install a gravel driveway themselves. Learn how to make a gravel driveway and install each gravel driveway layer.
Keep in mind that the project can be physically-intensive work if you don’t rent larger equipment. Consider hiring a dependable driveway company if you want professional help with this project.
Before you lay your gravel, you’ll need to map out your driveway, calculate the amount of gravel you need, and gather your tools. Putting these pieces in place makes for a smooth, seamless project.
Survey your land and decide the future location, length, and shape of your driveway. Also, determine whether you want a parking area or other features.
When picking a location, consider how the driveway drains. Rainwater should run off the sides and away from your house. If your driveway has a steep slope, you may want to install a drainage system, such as a French drain, before creating it.
Depending on your local ordinances, you may need to get a building permit before constructing a driveway or pay certain taxes. Check with your city or county offices before beginning the project to determine what type of permits you need and the total cost.
The most stable gravel driveways have three rock layers, though you can create a driveway with two layers. The base layer should be crushed stone, limestone, or concrete with irregular shapes and a diameter of one to three inches. The middle layer is typically two- to three-inch stones. The top layer can be pea gravel, crushed stone, or limestone, ranging from ⅜ inch to 2 inches in diameter.
Next, measure your driveway's length and width. If it's a curvy driveway, measuring it in smaller sections and adding it together may be easier. Then, determine the depth of each rock layer, usually at least four to six inches. Convert the depth to feet by dividing the number of inches by 12.
For each layer, multiply the length (in feet) by the width (in feet) by the depth (in feet). Divide the total by 27 to determine that layer’s cubic yards of gravel. Calculate the amount of gravel for each layer the same way.
If you want to add a border of bricks, landscape edging, or timber, determine the total feet of the driveway’s perimeter. The total should include all the edges you want to cover with your border material.
Now that you’ve done the hard work of calculating your gravel needs, it’s time to purchase and start building your permeable driveway. Order your gravel, ideally with separate deliveries for each layer of stone, scheduled two or three days apart.
This tiered approach allows you to spread each layer and let it settle before spreading the next. Sometimes delivery trucks can help spread the gravel or place smaller piles along the driveway for easier spreading.
You may want to use larger tools to make the job faster and easier, such as a tractor for spreading gravel or a mechanical compactor to press down dirt and rocks. You can often rent tools from a local home improvement store or tool rental company. Be sure to have your other tools and materials set, including your weed barrier and any border material.
Once you have a potential design for your gravel driveway, it’s a good idea to outline it to ensure it works with your space. To mark one long side of the driveway, insert landscape stakes or sticks every eight to 10 feet. Place the second set of stakes at least 10 to 12 feet across from your first set, marking the width of your driveway. Tie string or twine across the stakes to form the outline of your driveway.
A straight, rectangular driveway is often the most straightforward, cost-effective design. A wider driveway is more expensive due to more gravel needed, and a curvy driveway is more time-intensive to build.
To prepare the ground for gravel, remove grass, topsoil, shrubs, or other vegetation from the staked area. In general, you should dig four to six inches of soil for each layer of rock.
You can use a shovel or backhoe or hire a local excavator to handle this part of the project for you. Clearing the ground can be labor-intensive, depending on the tools, so don’t hesitate to hire a pro for the prep steps.
After digging out the top soil but before laying any rock, level the surface of the driveway with a backhoe, metal rake, mechanical compactor, or another tool. The surface should be relatively even to prevent water pooling, but elevate it 2% to 5% in the middle to promote water drainage.
To prevent grass and weeds from growing through your driveway, lay down a fabric weed barrier. This step will also create a cushion layer of support for your vehicles, preventing irregular surfaces that can damage car tires.
Cover the driveway, aiming to create a flat layer without any areas bunching up. You should aim to lay the weed barrier immediately after leveling and compacting the soil surface.
The next step is constructing your gravel driveway’s border. If you're using bricks, landscaping stones, or timber to line your driveway, place them before laying your rock. If you’re not placing a border, you can skip this step.
Using a wheelbarrow, spread a layer of base rock across the length of your driveway. Use a shovel or hard metal rake to spread the rocks evenly across the width of your driveway.
Then, compact the rocks with a bulldozer roller, heavy truck, or mechanical compactor to create a solid foundation for your driveway. Keep in mind that this step requires operating heavy machinery, so don’t hesitate to hire a pro for this part to ensure your safety.
One layer down, two more to go. Spread and compact your next layer of rock the same way as your base layer. Neaten the perimeter of the driveway with a shovel and rake. If you're only making a two-layer driveway, skip this step.
Almost done! Spread the top layer of gravel onto your driveway and smooth it down to eliminate bumps or divots. Be sure to grade the sides so that they’re slightly higher than the middle to allow for effective rainwater drainage.
If you’re satisfied with your work, it’s time to clean up your tools and materials, including removing stakes and twine markers. The only step left is to maintain your gravel driveway year after year for durability, longevity, and appearance.
If you’re not completely sold on building a gravel driveway, you may want to consider other options. Gravel is durable, affordable, and available in different colors. Maintaining a gravel driveway is relatively easy, but it may not be right for your environment — if you live in snowy regions — or the aesthetic you’re trying to create. The most common alternatives include:
Unlike gravel, asphalt is one of the best driveway materials for cold weather. However, its sensitivity to heat and sun exposure makes it less than ideal for warmer areas. Asphalt driveways are easy to repair, but they have a shorter life span. To get an asphalt driveway to last 15 to 20 years, you’ll need the extra maintenance of having a contractor seal it every three to five years.
Concrete driveways are durable, cost-effective, and long-lasting. While its life span may pale in comparison to the 100 years a gravel driveway can last, concrete can last up to 40 years with routine maintenance. Similar to gravel, concrete may not be ideal for extremely cold climates. Frigid temperatures can cause your concrete driveway to crack, and it’s worth noting that concrete can be difficult to repair.
The look of gravel driveways can be versatile, but using pavers gives homeowners a lot more options and curb appeal. Pavers are available in materials like brick, natural stone, marble, and cobblestone. The variety gives you tons of design and style options, but it makes installation expensive and long. Pavers are durable and easy to repair, but if you live in colder climates, it can be difficult to remove snow and ice — just like gravel.
Permeable pavers are a gravel alternative that allows water from rain and snow to pass between each tile and filter through into the ground. Homeowners have their pick of what to fill the joints of the tiles with — turf, grass, or stone. The look helps create a natural, rustic appearance while their design and layout can prevent flooding and reduce runoff water. Permeable driveways can last between 20 and 30 years, but they’re both difficult to install and require routine maintenance, usually once or twice a year.
With some heavy lifting, time, and experience, you can create a DIY gravel driveway. However, this project involves renting heavy-duty machinery and exerting plenty of sweat equity. Plus, any errors made during the installation process may be difficult and expensive to fix.
In addition to the cost of the gravel, about $1.25 to $1.80 per square foot, you’ll need to account for some basic supplies (wheelbarrow, shovel, hoe, steel rake, etc.) plus the cost to rent an excavator if you need to dig up grass and topsoil, which is about $350 per day. There is also the cost of renting a mechanical compactor to settle the stones, which costs $100 per day to rent.
Ultimately, the gravel driveway cost to DIY might not be worth it for the average homeowner.
If you want to ensure the job is done faster and more accurately, consider hiring a local driveway paving contractor. The price of driveway paving labor costs $30 per hour on average.
Jenna Jonaitis contributed to this piece.
The total depth of a gravel driveway should be 12 to 18 inches thick. Each layer should be four to six inches thick—three layers are best for durability and longevity. Grading the ground and laying a weed barrier before the gravel layers prevents driveway drainage problems and the growth of grass and weeds through the driveway.
You put a weed barrier under a gravel driveway, plus a base layer and middle layer of rock. The top layer of gravel finishes the driveway and comes in a variety of types, shapes, and colors to meet your chosen aesthetic. The system works together to create a durable, long-lasting driveway that drains rainwater and melted snow.
The best gravel for the base is limestone gravel with a diameter of one to three inches. It’s usually irregularly shaped, forming a solid foundation with proper drainage. The base layer should be four to six inches deep and covered by a middle layer and top layer of rock.
To get rid of weeds in a gravel driveway, you can pull them up by hand, sprinkle rock salt, or spray a mixture of dish soap and vinegar. While wearing a pair of gloves, grab the weeds near the bottom and pull, making sure you pull them up from the root. If you don’t, dig the roots out to stop the weeds from coming back. Sprinkling rock salt on the weeds in your driveway to kill them in a few days. With your typical household products, mix one tablespoon of dish soap with a gallon of vinegar before spraying it on and around the weeds.
