All About Gravel Driveways

Looking for driveway ideas? Considering a new driveway? Which driveway surface is best when choosing between gravel, asphalt, concrete pavers and concrete? What are the benefits of a gravel driveway vs asphalt, concrete or concrete pavers? What type of ongoing maintenance does a gravel driveway require? What type material is best... Crushed stone, gravel, pea gravel, crushed granite? What size of stone is best for a gravel driveway? These are all things to consider when shopping for a new gravel driveway.

Gravel Driveways

Gravel driveways and crushed stone driveways can be seen all over the United States! They're affordable, easy to maintain and you can create unique colors and designs with different types of gravel. In snowy regions they are much more difficult to maintain however, due to regular snow removal. If you're planning on installing a gravel or crushed stone driveway and you live in a snowy region, plan on putting all of the gravel that was pushed off with the snow plow back onto your driveway every spring!

Gravel driveways can be installed in the shortest amount of time with very little impact on the use of your driveway! Gravel driveway installation should be accompanied by meticulous drainage planning and an experienced grader operator to minimize the ongoing maintenance as much as possible. Depending on the size and scope of work involved, the construction of a new crushed stone or gravel driveway can be installed by an experienced grading contractor generally over a 1 to 3 day period. Crushed stone or gravel driveway installation is relatively simple. Most of the work is done with grading equipment and front end loaders so it can be completed fairly quickly with minimal impact on your daily routine. You can also expect to drive on and use the driveway throughout the construction of of a gravel driveway!

Cost Chart:

Concrete Paver Driveway - #1 - Most Expensive

Concrete Driveway - #2

Asphalt Driveway - #3

Gravel Driveway - #4 - Least Expensive

A gravel driveway is the least expensive driveway when comparing it to the other driveway types.

Ongoing Maintenance Chart:

Gravel Driveway - #1 - Most Ongoing Maintenance

Asphalt Driveway - #2

Concrete Driveway - #3

Concrete Paver Driveway - #4 - Least Ongoing Maintenance

A gravel driveway requires the most amount of ongoing maintenance compared to the other driveway types.

Life Expectancy Of A Gravel Driveway

A gravel driveway, if installed properly, can last up to 3 to 5 years with regular upkeep and maintenance. The variation in age can be determined by the amount of slope on your driveway if any, the amount of curves in your driveway, the stability of the sub-grade, and the climate you live in.

Types of ongoing maintenance you can expect to perform on a gravel driveway?

Annual herbicide application, weed pulling, raking and replacement of displaced gravel from car tires and snow removal.

A properly installed gravel driveway will need an herbicide applied annually or bi annually to minimize vegetation growth. Fine tuning and sprucing up and/or additional stone may need to be added every two to three years to keep it looking clean cut! The amount of maintenance of a gravel driveway is directly correlated to the quality of the installation and the amount of slopes and curves you may have on your driveway. Applying a herbicide prior to the initial installation can help to minimize the amount of vegetation growth that will occur during the life of your gravel or crushed stone driveway. Keeping drainage planning in mind during the entire installation process will also help minimize ongoing maintenance.

Choosing The Right Driveway For Your Home

When choosing between a gravel driveway and the other three types of driveways, take into the consideration these things:

Budget - Curb Appeal - Climate - Amount Of Ongoing Maintenance

If the short term, up front cost is a deciding factor, gravel driveways are an excellent, low cost option. The long term trade off however, is more ongoing maintenance costs. If up front costs are not as important and aesthetics are the most important as well as having a hard driving surface, then asphalt driveways, concrete driveways or concrete paver driveways are the alternatives. While initially the up front costs are higher, long term they require less maintenance costs unless you live in a snowy region.

Also take into consideration the effects of a gravel driveway if it's not maintained properly or how it can look as it ages.

Gravel Driveways can be a beautiful, low cost addition to your home. The wide variety of different colors of gravel and crushed stone available can provide for an endless amount of designs and colors. See some different Colorful Design Ideas for Gravel Driveways for more examples!

If you're considering having a new gravel driveway installed, see our Gravel Driveway Installation FAQ's section for more information.

You can also learn more about the ongoing maintenance of a gravel driveway by visiting our Gravel Driveway Maintenance FAQ's section!

Before you hire a contractor to install or perform maintenance on your gravel driveway, be sure and review our video and eBook series, "The Most Common Ways Gravel Contractors Rip Us Off And How To Avoid Them" TM You'll learn everything you need to know to hire a reputable gravel contractor and get the job done right.

Or save time and take the guesswork out of hiring a gravel contractor to install or maintain your gravel driveway and request an estimate from one of our Trusted Gravel Driveway Contractors in your area!

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