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mojo
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# Posted: 15 Feb 2019 10:43am - Edited by: mojo
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I assume a lot of you constructed your own driveway to your cabins....so how'd you do it?
I've got a quote from a contractor...and I'd rather spend the money on a foundation or excavator work.
My drive is already cleared, de-stumped, and roughed in...but there's plenty of rutted topsoil left.
I have access to a tractor and part of me says "don't overthink it" (or overspend)....just scrape it as best I can with the bucket, lay down my gravel, and spot treat as needed when needed.
The other side of me says it will be a washed out, rutted mess again in a few years and spend the money now so I don't spend it later.
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bronco_ed
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# Posted: 15 Feb 2019 11:03am - Edited by: bronco_ed
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I have not made a drive... However I think before spreading any limestone or gravel. It would require a drainage ditch along the side or at least be elevated above the surrounding landscape to allow the water to drain off. The deeded path to the many cabins we take is not maintained and looks similar in appearance. It collects a lot of water, it is not a path that you want to take an ordinary vehicle down, It does keep vehicles from entering as they may not get out. It has culverts in where the water is really bad which helps keep it off the path as well. (These areas are also raised- I could only imagine how much worse it could be without them.
I think clearing a path is only a very early first step.
Although the left side appears that it could help with getting rid of some of the water. Just something to think about...
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mojo
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# Posted: 15 Feb 2019 11:35am
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Quoting: bronco_ed Just something to think about...
Oh I'm definitely thinking about ALL of that.
If this was super long then contracting it out would be a no brainer, but 95% of the drive is shown in that picture...so it's not very long (Maybe 200-250 feet).
I don't know if I'm kidding myself on what I could accomplish with a tractor bucket and backhoe attachment though.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 15 Feb 2019 09:09pm
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Ok, its flat, so level the bed out, create a slope to drain water off, small drains to run water out, to the left looks nice and then a nice thick bed of gravel. If it was on a long grade, you will build in small swells to go from down to slightly up then down to keep water from rapidly washing soil away, but this is flat and simply. How sloppy is that topsoil? Maybe some larger rock for a base, then gravel.
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Aklogcabin
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# Posted: 16 Feb 2019 10:00am
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It is not uncommon to dig a hole that you can put the overburden in and the gravel that comes out of the hole can be spread out for the drive. If the subsurface material is real sandy or clay you may need to cap it with gravel. You should be able to dig a hole with a backhoe , ask neighbors or go to the local US Geological service . USGS . And get the subsurface information.
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Mike 870
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# Posted: 16 Feb 2019 11:08am
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I have a tough driveway situation, and I can tell you it's all about slope and drainage, at least where I am. The parts that are done right hold up great. The parts that are done wrong are always trouble. I'm slowly fixing things as I can. You want to keep the water off it, thats the big thing.
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creeky
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# Posted: 16 Feb 2019 01:31pm
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mojo I built a 900 ft driveway on soft farm soil with a small tractor with front end loader. you can search the post here on the site.
I cleared the green stuff on top. Rots anyway. I put down road tarp. I searched around a found a small distributor who would sell 12x400' rolls to me. It wasn't cheap but it wasn't that bad either.
I then had the local quarry bring in 3". Put down a layer 4-6" deep. I then put 2" of 5/8".
To save money I back dragged the aggregate with my fel. Leveling took time. It was loud and fun. Very satisfying when done.
The first part of the lane is over 5 years now. Looks like new.
Good luck.
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deercula
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# Posted: 16 Feb 2019 01:50pm - Edited by: deercula
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Gravel, gravel, and more gravel. 100,000 pounds of it.
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ICC
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# Posted: 16 Feb 2019 02:52pm
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Quoting: creeky I put down road tarp
Geotextiles. Great stuff and needed in many places. Road fabric is a permeable woven geotextile that allows water on the surface to flow through the gravel to the soil beneath, but is strong enough to reduce rutting and restrict subgrade soil particles from working up into the gravel surface (pumping). Without it the gravel you place sinks as you drive on it and you will be adding gravel layers forever.
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Dekagoldwingers
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# Posted: 19 Feb 2019 12:09am
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I agree, geo-fabric is the way to go! In the North there are many highways built on this stuff. The local highways yard has a dozen rolls just waiting for the next project. The Alaska Highway was built on courderoy, which is logs laid down side by side then covered with dirt. This method lasted for years until Geo fabric came along. This stuff is landscape fabric on steroids. Look for it at landscape supply or heavy construction supply. Lay down a layer, 1’ of gravel, top coat and you’re done!
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smallcabin
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# Posted: 19 Feb 2019 03:21pm
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Mojo,
Go with your gut feeling. For me, I scraped the top soils and leveled the dirt out....planted grass....road/driveway (300ft) never had a problem.
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Aklogcabin
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# Posted: 20 Feb 2019 08:58pm
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Deercula that’s some pretty nice dirt work using a tractor. Good job!!!!!
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AKfisher
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# Posted: 21 Feb 2019 02:58pm - Edited by: AKfisher
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It looks like a great start, probably not much overburden just by judging by the looks of the boulders off the side. I would smooth the dirt/mud so there are no puddles as it looks to be draining to the inside (right of the picture). I would then lay out fabric (geo textile) and gravel with a 3" minus. Put about 10" of that down, then cap it with 1 1/2" crush. The back hoe can do all the work. If you can get your hands on a small wheeled vibratory roller I would roll it. It will lock up the materials. And you won't have to think about your drive way for another 20+ years.
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NorthRick
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# Posted: 22 Feb 2019 12:58pm
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That's a pretty talented dog AKfisher!
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PAmatt1968
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# Posted: 24 Feb 2019 08:37am
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I have a job this summer. The rains in PA have been unforgiving.
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snobdds
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# Posted: 25 Feb 2019 11:52am
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Good roads have good ditches on both sides...
I would put down road fabric to keep all the road base on top of the organic layer and not have it become mixed with the organic layer later on.
Then top the road base with an angular rock that locks in place to keep the road base stable. Water will loosen the road base with all the sand mixed. in.
Done.
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neckless
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# Posted: 4 Mar 2019 12:17am
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in northwestern ont. when buildin logging roads the back hoe digs both sides of road and piles in centre too elevate road , pack down with machine as u go culverts in low spots geo tek , gravel ....wood trucks in a few days
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Brettny
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# Posted: 4 Mar 2019 04:13pm
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Doing the ditch work with only a front bucket will be a real pain and beat your machine prety bad. You need ditches so the water dosnt sit on your driveway and make pot holes/rutts.
Buying your self a box blade will pay for its self many times over with this one job. Inless you own a dump truck and the quarry is right down the road put in driveway fabric. It will save your gravel from mixing with the dirt under thus not making a muddy/pot holled rutted out driveway.
I do have a dump truck and the quarry is right down the street and wish i put fabric under my driveway. 3in of 1.25in stone lasts about 2 years. I have very poor draining clay.
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gauman2
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# Posted: 30 Apr 2019 12:46pm
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Use road fabric.
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Peewee86
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# Posted: 30 Apr 2019 01:22pm
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x2 on the road fabric below gravel or class 5.
The fabric will prevent it from mixing into the soil below. I have clay that could turn in to muck very easily if there was too much rain.
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Peewee86
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# Posted: 30 Apr 2019 01:25pm
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I’m not sure why I’ve had trouble with this website server rotating my photos. This is the second time it’s happened. Trust me they are the correct orientation on my computer. Sorry guys.
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paulz
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# Posted: 15 Aug 2019 10:44am
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Regarding lime..
I have a pile of road base I'll be spreading soon on my dirt driveway, and have heard about using lime as a binder. Would that be the lime sold in 50lb bags for $5 at big box stores? If so how much per ton and how to mix?
I also have the geo fabric I can put down on the flat mud prone area but I understand it's not good on slopes.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 15 Aug 2019 01:00pm
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I woukd expect they say limestone due to its small size. But due to this it can also wash away. Use crushed stone that has the dust alreaty in it. Your correct driveway fabric is no good on slopes.
Im about 75* done with my driveway that part of it was through a swamp. The driveway fabric really helped but ditches and places to run water off helped alot also.
From complete mud pit of a swamp to a hard drivable surface. Theres only roughly 6-8in if stone there. The fine stone is what really locks it in and the driveway fabric dosnt let the mud mix into the stone.
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paulz
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# Posted: 15 Aug 2019 05:40pm
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Wow, nice job. I bought a bag of lime, going to try experimenting. Document on the subject:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.graymont.com/sites/d efault/files/pdf/tech_paper/lime_dries_up_mud.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjd0ZfayoXkAhXwFjQIHXqLDc gQFjAAegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw2MEhZgfziXdhPZOmnHXKcc
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Brettny
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# Posted: 16 Aug 2019 06:16am
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That document is published by the national lime association. They cant be biased can they? Lol. Let us know how it goes.
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