Class 5 gravel?

[BLACKJACK]

I have a gravel driveway, fairly long, and every year I just call up the local blacktop company and get a couple loads hauled in, I want to keep a good base and replace what disapears via snowblowing and erosion. My problem is that its always very sandy gravel, not much rock in it. Then the next heavy rain it washes away. I almost feel like they are bringing the poor gravel to me, the occaisional customer rather than the good gravel with aggregate in it.

How can you tell if its good class 5?

[Eric Osborn]

I am probably going to have some hauled in this spring as well, how long of a distance does a load cover and how much do they charge?

[croixflats]

I have a gravel driveway, fairly long, and every year I just call up the local blacktop company and get a couple loads hauled in, I want to keep a good base and replace what disappears via snowblowing and erosion. My problem is that its always very sandy gravel, not much rock in it. Then the next heavy rain it washes away. I almost feel like they are bringing the poor gravel to me, the occasional customer rather than the good gravel with aggregate in it.

How can you tell if its good class 5?

Class 5 generally is pulverised limestone down to 3/4 inch. There should be a 3/4 limestone mixed with finer particles of limestone ratio I would say 3 parts 3/4" to 1 part particle(dust and 1/4"to 3/8"). No sand in it only limestone.

[Comet]

Sounds like you should order a gravel instead of class 5.

[IFallsRon]

Crushed granite.

[croixflats]

I am probably going to have some hauled in this spring as well, how long of a distance does a load cover and how much do they charge?

Coverage is 100 sq ft/ton at 2" deep or 70 sq ft/ton at 3" or 50 sq ft/ton at 4"

A ton = 2000# where 1 cubic yard is 1.4 tons.

_

As for cost it can very depending where you get it from $25 a ton

Down to $10 a ton from a quarry with an average of $150 shipping fee.

[BillP]

Gravel varies from one location to another depending on what is available. I doubt you will find much limestone in class 5 in this area. Talk with whoever does the roads for your township. What you are talking about is a continuing problem for them and they known the best and least expensive way to deal with it. In our area, sugar sand (beach sand) is very easy to come by but is nearly worthless for building roads. In some places class 5 is the best way to go but in others you need something else.

[jimmy40]

Class 5 usually consists of sand and finer rocks. what you should consider is class 2 which has 3/4 rock with fines. or another consideration is check into crush asphalt.

[Coach Dog]

Or try recycled concrete. Cheaper and it also "binds" together better than CL5. However, it doesn't drain as well so that may or may not be an issue for you.

[fish with teeth]

we use recycled class 5 (crushed asphalt and concrete). it tends to have less of the fine material (depending on where you get it) and it is alot cheaper than limestone class 5. compaction is a must or it will just wash away as you said. it will not look the same as limestone, so if that matters then maybe its not for you.

[croixflats]

BillP made a good point in what is available in ones area.

As far as class 5(also none as 3/4 minus) it is classifacation not a type of material. You can get class 5 recycle or what ever material that is available

Class 2 is half inch you dont want that for a drive way

[DRH1175]

Class 5 can be any crushed rock. Limestone is just one mix. It consists of course to Fine aggregate. Every gravel road has what you are describing happen every year as it rains and the snow melts. That is exactly why gravel roads need to be graded a couple times a year as well as gravel added to them occaisionally. It has nothing to do with the product you are recieving. There is only one cure and that is to Pave your driveway, otherwise it will be something you have to do to maintain your gravel driveway. Now using a class 7 mix can be cheaper and in many instances have less fines to wash away. Class 7 recycled, Bit, and concrete. Good luck. The county I work for every year is paving more and more roads to eliminate the constant maintence. Good luck!

[DRH1175]

Another note? Are you compacting the gravel after you lay it down? I would also add instead of adding each year. Why not just have it graded?

[BLACKJACK]

Lots of gravel and asphalt guys on this forum!!! Thanks for the advice!!!

I do live on a hill so I'm also fighting erosion every time it rains. My maintenance consists of taking my tractor and double I beam drag, setting the attachment chains just right and in the spring dragging the gravel toward the center so I have a good crown, so the water runs off. I do that several times a summer, especially when I notice the water running down the tire tracks.

In the fall I straighten the I beam out and flatten that crown out so that it makes snowblowing easier, if I don't the snowblower will take that crown off for me - and there goes my gravel!!

Compaction is done by vehicles and the tractor running up and down the road.

I think I will contact the township, find out who they are contracting to haul gravel, then get them to haul some, that way I get the same class that the township is getting, not from the sand pile.

Thanks for the advice!!

[dirtking]

Class 5 doesent always even have to be crushed. Sometimes a sand and gravel mixture will make the class 5 gradation right out of the bank. Not much limestone in Willmar. I am guessing your choices are class 5 sand and gravel, crushed rock, or recycle. The recycle sometimes is dusty and wont drain too well - might be an option for the driveway if not too close to the house

[theiceman]

I have worked around recycled concrete the problem I've seen is dust, best way around that is to put recycled asphalt on top of it. Makes a great driveway.

[duckslayer11]

I would try class 2 like stated before. I would also rent a roller to compact the driveway. This will help establish a solid base and help with the erosion. I've seen others use 3/4" sewer rock (may be called 3/4" clear, 3/4" limestone, 3/4" keystone depending on where you live and where you get it from). It's a drainage material so it may help with some of those problems. Whatever you do I would definately compact it though. Hope this helps.

[dirtking]

Yes bituminous millings work great (they are a little spendy as the aspahlt guys recycle them back into their plant) After the millings get packed down in the heat of the summer it is like you have a paved driveway.

[ec30_06]

3/4 clear would work good. No fines in that.

[Nutty Fisherman]

3/4 clear, I think if I remember right will not compact without fines to hold it together

[gregg52]

class 5 to meet specs must be crushed if you take gravel out of a bank the round natural rock wont compact class 5 is rock cushed to 1 inch and smaller and has 2-5% of clay (binder) in it

crushed concrete can get dusty that is a draw back to it

crushed asphalt and milling i dont care for at all in driveway

unless its install with the right equipment some kind of small grader and COMPACTED that is the key here no matter what you use

if it graded and compacted even the class 5 will last for awhile if its graded to drain

the problem with useing cushed asphalt or millings is as the someone above said the sun will heat it and it will bind together and you CAN NOT regrade it cuz it all slides in one big chunk and if you plan on have it paved in the future it will hafta be removed to do the job right

as i said i think the best scernio is to get a driveway contractor in there when it drys out have then grade and roll

(COMPACT IT GOOD) useing either class 5 or crushed concrete

then your done talk to him like your going to have it paved the following yr and he might cut you a good deal

you can buy all these products til you blue in the face every yr spending a grand or spend aliittle this yr and next and be done with it

oh and DONT use class 2 it has higher percentage of clay and smaller rock and when it rains you will have a geasy mess everytime not sure how big your driveway is but you figure around 2-2.25 per sq ft thats bout what it should cost to have it paved

depending on where oil prices go but that will give you a close cost

oh and dont use the landscape rock or clear 3/4 you have a mess cuz as someone said it will not compact and in the winter you will spread it all over and really have a mess in your yard

plus it way more spendy than cleass 5 or crushed concrete

[fish with teeth]

i think its called pit run gravel when they just take it out of the bank and clasify it. it does not pack as well as crushed rock.

dirtking i see your from LC, me too im just north of gervais.

[duckslayer11]

It's been my experience that 3/4 clear will compact just not to the magnitude that class 5 would. I work for a landscape distributer and we use 3/4 clear for the base on some patio's and retaining walls (typically large parking lots and large walls) due to the fact that it doesn't settle as much as class 5 or class 2 does. It also has a better drainage rate so you can avoid water and heaving with the freeze-thaw we have here in Minnesota. People use different things I understand that, but this has been my experience and I work with the stuff every day.

[hunter101]

Generally the gravel counties and townships use on thier roads is pit run or screened. that material doesnt compact well because the rock isnt crushed. class 5 is a crushed material but the range of rock in the mix is wide. my preference would be a crushed rock material. granite, limestone, quartsite. concrete, bit, etc... it will probably cost more but last longer.

[gregg52]

my last thought here i've been doing this type of work for close to 30 yrs now

like i said 3/4 rock screen or clear rock as they say will be all over your yard

theres not a county in the state that puts pit run on the roads

and doubt very much any townships do

as far as class 5 again it is 1 inch rock and smaller to meet MnDot specs it all goes threw screens as its bein crushed

but if your not going to pave it right i would use the crushed concrete rent a roller spay some water on it pound the hec out of it