How to Build a Gravel Driveway Without Excavation

News

Years ago, people built gravel driveways without first excavating the site. Then people learned that excavating to create a compacted site meant a firmer driveway with less chance of sinking and lower maintenance. Many people still build gravel driveways without excavating because of limited budgets.

Save money by building a gravel driveway without excavating.

But instead of simply spreading gravel over the site, you can create a substantial driveway--without first excavating.

  • Walk over the entire driveway site to look for soft areas prone to water pooling. Wait until after a rain and walk over the area to look for puddles and spongy ground. Fill those soft and low areas with landscape rock.

  • Roll the tamper over the driveway site repeatedly until the ground ceases to compress when you walk on it.

  • Stack cinder blocks on the driveway perimeter to hold in the gravel. Stagger the blocks and create two layers for each row of blocks, placing a row or wall on each side of the driveway. Dry stack the blocks or make more permanent walls by applying wet mortar to the blocks.

  • Place a 3-inch layer of coarse gravel between the walls. Roll the tamper until the gravel stops giving under its weight. Apply a second 3-inch layer of coarse gravel and tamp the gravel down.

  • Apply a 3-inch layer of medium-sized gravel and tamp it down. Place a second layer of this medium-sized gravel; tamp it down.

  • Apply fine gravel to the remaining area until you fill the driveway to the total height of the cinder block walls. Apply the fine gravel in 3-inch layers and compact each layer before applying the next.

    • Things You Will Need

    +
    • Landscape rock
    • Mechanical tamper
    • Cinder blocks
    • Mortar (optional)
    • Trowel (optional)
    • Coarse gravel
    • Medium gravel
    • Fine gravel

    Tip

    Gather the landscape rocks from around your property or purchase them. You may also place a cinder block wall at the front of the driveway, if you will not be driving off the driveway in that direction. Constant compaction between small layers produces a more solid and well-draining driveway.

    ncG1vNJzZmign6KytMDEmpuyZpOkunB9kWlnanBlaHypu9Zmq6hlkqq2rbCMmmSgqpGrsq15w6ugr52nlsZuw8itn6itpGKyua%2FAr5itoZ%2Bj