My rubbish drive, ideas please

[AHPP]

 

13 minutes ago, peds said:

 

We hope to put a thin layer of quarry dust or something on top of the whole 200m of it at some stage, it isn't top of the To Do list right now though.

What will that do? Surely it’ll just wash away?

[GarethM]

Personally, just bite the bullet and go tarmac or concrete.

 

Probably around 5k, guessing around 1k of concrete plus a bit of mesh, fibre, drainage and the guys laying it at 4-5" over a decent base.

[Steven P]

Simplest might be to drill through the drive where the puddles form to create a soak away at that point, put a grid on top - might keep the wife happy while you work out the best solution between you? Power brush the lot to make it look nice

[peds]

QUOTE MODE

Yer man Alex up there said:

"What will that do? Surely it’ll just wash away?"

END QUOTE MODE

 

Not at all, it sets solid as anything. It's mostly to fill in the bigger gaps in some patches of the lane where the bigger bits of 3inch-all-in are at the top, instead of the smaller bits.

Our digger driver is going to scrape the lump in the middle of the lane flat the next time he's with us, then says a few loads of dust dropped with the truck moving and the back door on chains, then a nearby farmer with a levelling bar on his tractor would leave it exactly how we want it.

It's not really dust, it's anything 3mm and down... so it binds together brilliant, especially if it's layed on top of a more open stone beneath it.

Edited September 30 by peds

[GarethM]

Plannings do not set, they just compact.

 

They might melt a little in the sunshine but I can guarantee they'll tear up as soon as you put anything of any real weight over them.

 

I've probably 200+ tons spread around the yard, gets nice and flat until the tractor or forklift comes out and they make it's presence known.

 

You can add a little red to make them a bit more melty but unless you heat, relay or possibly heated roller it's just compacted.

 

One of the reasons they're getting hard to find, is they're recycling road surfaces with new bitumen and relaying it.

 

All for the environment, but it makes for a even worse surface long term, think motorways and airports are exempt tho.

Edited September 30 by GarethM

[Stere]

Plannings seem poor  compared to the granite chippings from the local quarry. 

 

 

 

Seen alot of drives with plannings, that if there any slope just  get washed away by rain & even on the flat ones potholes form very quickly.

 

Granite doesn't seem to wash out  as much....or pothole as fast maybe as its a heavier density

 

 

Edited September 30 by Stere

[doobin]

14 hours ago, sime42 said:

Road scalpings will be cheaper, and go down nice and hard.

 

Groundworker here.

 

You can't successfully add a thin layer of anything granular such as planings onto concrete. It can't be compacted to bite into the solid concrete substrate (as opposed to loose rock or soil) and will remain loose, unless you were to put a mega thick layer on.

 

14 hours ago, Muddy42 said:

Concrete drives are normally indestructible even if they crack.

 

 

if it really has crumbled, assuming the foundations are OK, find a decent company to resurface it, meaning aggressive grinding back and adding a new layer of concrete.

 

 

You can't resurface concrete. Ok, you technically can, but it's not cost effective, and a thin layer won't work without a large amount of additives to make the new layer stick and not fracture (similar to laying floor screed, but subject to weathering and 3.5t plus!) You can't plane that, it'll just come up in lumps so you may as well pull it up and start again with a decent sub base. Tarmac would work though.

 

4 hours ago, Steve Bullman said:

If you’re not on a particular budget look at a resin bound driveway. Not entirely sure but I believe it would just go straight down on top of that with little prep work needed. Come in any colour you like 

 

 

No reputable resin company would lay on that. Sub base is key for resin drives, if you resin that there will be cracks all over in under a week.

18 minutes ago, Stere said:

Plannings seem poor  compared to the granite chippings from the local quarry. 

 

 

 

Seen alot of drives with plannings, that if there any slope just  get washed away by rain & even on the flat ones potholes form very quickly.

 

Granite doesn't seem to wash out  as much....or pothole as fast maybe as its a heavier density

 

 

Usually to do with the quality of the planings (how much road dust is mixed in) and whether a sufficient layer was added to allow them to bind. Weather and compaction method also make a big difference.

 

OP- Your gravel grid idea is quick and easy, you could do it yourself. It may well suffice given the retaining edge that I can see in the photo, although you'd need to frame it with other edges. No point putting anything other than gravel in the grids as the grids hold it all and it can't bind through the grids can it?

 

If it was me I'd get a reputable firm to skim it with 50mm of tarmac, assuming there is room for that as regards DPC and other edges. Fairly cheap and will give the best result without ripping up and startipng again. Again, a reputable firm, not door knockers.

Edited September 30 by doobin

[Steven P]

15x3 drive, it is only going to be used for cars though.

[GarethM]

A loose gravel type driveway is hated by everyone, they might look nice when Jeeves drives the Bentley.

 

You end up with it migrating onto the road, sticking in the tyre tread and generally peeing off everyone within miles of the house.

 

Bite the bullet, plus every hgv delivery driver will have you on the sh1t list for deliveries as they're impossible to use a pump truck over.

[AHPP]

2 hours ago, peds said:

 

It's not really dust, it's anything 3mm and down... so it binds together brilliant, especially if it's layed on top of a more open stone beneath it.

Gotcha. Seen it before. Was like ghastly wet muesli at first but really good after a week or so. Why does everything in groundworks have to be a code…