# Best way to improve red clay driveway?



## J S Machine (Oct 6, 2009)

I just Bought a house that has a driveway about 400 yards long. It is mostly red clay/ sandy red clay that has been rutted up from neglect and poor drainage. I negotiated $300 from the sellers for some rock and dirt to be hauled in, but I'm not sure what the best plan of action is. A local company suggested clay gravel for the low spots, but I'm thinking a few shovels of nearby dirt could fix hat. Then for the top, the guy suggested 3/4 crush run. I'm not sure exactly what this is, but I would guess that it is the gray gravel rock that many people use on their driveways. 

I figured I could contribute up to $200 to get he total up to $500. That should get me enough of something to go a little ways. The drive is a nightmare in long periods of rain. Had to use 4x4 several times to get up in the past week because of the mud. 

Any info will be helpful.


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## Daniel Holzman (Mar 10, 2009)

Crusher run means different things in different parts of the country. Usually it means the supplier crushes locally available rock to a particular size, typically 3/4 inch or so. The word gravel means different things also. In the geotechnical world, gravel simply refers to the size of the stone, typically larger than about 1/8 inch, and has nothing to do with the material the gravel is made of.

What you want for a gravel road is hard, angular crushed stone, typically about 1/2 - 3/4 inch average diameter, laid down in lifts less than 4 inches, and compacted by running over with a heavy truck or a roller. The base should be free draining, which is going to be a problem for you since you say you have red clay, a poor draining material. Very expensive to excavate six inches of clay and replace with crushed stone, maybe the best you can do is to add several inches of crushed stone on top. Make sure the road has minimum cross slope of 2 percent, and has ditches on the low side to collect the runoff. This will reduce rutting, but you will always need to maintain the surface periodically, by grading and adding stone where the stone gets pushed off.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

I've a real good idea what you're dealing with being I was raised in the era when some days even the dependable Model-A wouldn't hack it.:laughing: 

As Daniel stated, crusher run will mean different in areas but near me it is 3/4 and finer with some real fines that make it pack fairly well. The crown maintained for drainage is key, mentioned, and packed before any top is applied and then it's a constant maintenance problem.

Some of the better roads I've traveled are crowned and topped with river sand with some pea size pebbles, but to maintain a crown with any type of gravel the edges need to be pulled back to the center occasionally. And in low areas a culvert pipe is often necessary for drainage in the right direction.


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Ayuh,... 'n yer budget is Way outa wack,...

$500.00 ain't gonna do squat on a 400 yard driveway,...


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