Driveway construction

[Zedd]

Maybe someone here can offer advice. (this is in the Atlanta area)

My wife and I have 7 acres and are putting in a driveway looking to be about
1000 feet or more long. The lot itself is pie shaped and 1257 feet deep. We
have had the trees cleared from the driveway area and now need to bed the
road. We have to cross a large low area at the front of the property and two
creeks after that. We have the culvets for the creeks already and that part
seems easy compared to crossing the first part of the lot. This low area I
know needs drainage but my question is more about the driveway part.

Using riprap, how deep should we bed? Approximately how much square footage
will you get from a ton of riprap? Will gravel suppliers work with you on
the price if you are buying more than just a couple of loads?

Thanks in advance.

[twstanley]

You might look into using some geotextile fabric under the rip rap or gravel base to keep it from sinking into the underlying soil.

As far as the lower area near the front of your property, maybe you could snap us a picture or two so we can see how low you are talking about.....

If it is a swampy area, you may need to build a raised roadbed with dirt before you lay your fabric and then put the rocks on top of it...otherwise you will be just dumping gravel into a pond. =)

[gates]

Zedd,
Why are you using rip-rap for base? This is typically used in extremely poor soil conditons to create a base. The square footage depends on what type, ie. density of material, of Rip-Rap you are using. For the depth, it depends on the soil conditions. Ideally you want to excavate all of the poor soil areas and backfill with compactible material, ie. Rip-Rap, stone or other compacting material. Twstanley is correct, geotextile is very important factor in the construction of a driveway . These fabrics are an integral part of the driveway system are very helpful in questionable soils. They greatly reduce, if not eliminate, pot holes and rutting. A typical driveway system for us is as folllows:
1. Excavate 4 inches of soil.
2. Excavate all poor soil areas to a depth allowing for a decent base. Fill excavation up with compactible material to existing 4" grade cut. Compact material in 6" lifts.
3.Roll subbase, ie. dirt.
4. Install geotextile, there are a lot of types to choose from. There are permeable, non-permeable and a host of different loading & structural characteristics for each. Install 4" of CR-6 on top of fabric.
5. Roll CR-6 to achieve the compaction required.

We have also done driveways without fabric. Depending on the subbase, we increase the depth of cut and ultimately the stone. The fabric is costly up front, but is worth its weight in gold over the long haul especially if you are not going to pave it . I personally would not have a stone driveway without fabric under the stone. Been there, done that to many times!

Ron

[Zedd]

Thanks for the replies so far...

I should mention that yes, this area is wet. We are hoping to control some run off to this area and hopefully that will dry it up a bit but I think that some of this wetness is just due to it being a low spot close to ground water level.

Another option for this area we are working on is to share a portion of a neighbor's driveway. It needs repair and the guy doesn't live there (lives in NC) but may be willing to work something out. We have offered to fix up his driveway if we can have access to a portion of it to get us around the mucky area.

[twstanley]

Short term sharing a driveway might help you, but long term.....yikes.

I have read way to many stories of feuds and problems that develop over shared driveways and easements.

Are you going to be moving any dirt around elsewhere on the property that you can use to start building up that low area where your drive can go? Buliding pads, house foundations, digging a pond....etc.

[gates]

I definetly agree with Tw on the sharing of the driveway. I have herd numerous nightmare stories with regards to driveway sharing.

Ron

[5030tinkerer]

Okay...newbie question. I will be installing an 800' driveway of my own in the Spring. Where do I get the geotextile material? I imagine it is available in 20' wide or better rolls from somewhere?

[gates]

5030,
Most of the rolls we deal with are 12' wide. They are bought by the strenght, weight (thickness), and type ie. permeable or non-permeable, of the fabric. We purchase them from contractors supply sources. You will not find the fabrics at the typical big box stores, ie. Home Depot, Lowes etc. You will need to go to a supply house. Most utility supply companies have the fabrics.

Ron

[Pat]

You probably want permeable and it is simpler, easier, and better to overlap the cloth a bit more rather than triming it. IF your substrate isn't very stable then you need tougher cloth.

Pat

[5030tinkerer]

Thanks!