Gravel Driveways: Maintenance Tips to Follow

Adding a gravel driveway at your home or place of business can be an inexpensive way to create your own place to safely park and navigate vehicles. But while a properly installed gravel driveway can last anywhere from three to 10 years with regular upkeep, it can quickly fall into disrepair if you aren’t diligent. To ensure your driveway lasts as long as possible, you’ll want to stay up-to-date with your maintenance. Here are a few important tips you’ll want to follow.

Set a Speed Limit

Although gravel used for driveways is fairly durable, it’s a lot looser than what you’d expect with a paved or poured driveway. Therefore, the materials you obtained during your crushed gravel delivery could potentially be dispersed due to recklessness. Driving too fast over a gravel driveway could cause some damage to the driveway itself. If you want to prevent divots and potholes from forming, make sure to institute a speed limit on your property. By posting signs for guests or for employees, you can ensure that rough driving won’t cause problems.

Remove Debris Regularly

Keep in mind that while crushed gravel delivery is affordable (and a great choice in a lot of other ways), these driveways do require some ongoing maintenance. While you could easily hose down an asphalt driveway, you’ll need to rake a gravel one. This can remove debris like sticks, leaves, and other items that could eventually lead to damage. You don’t have to go over your driveway with a fine toothed comb, but you should make it a point to rake any obvious debris out on a weekly basis. Putting that time in now will allow you to avoid more significant issues later on.

Fill Holes Properly

Sooner or later, you may notice a rut or a pothole start to form. Instead of taking gravel from another part of the driveway to fill in those areas, you should always opt for a new crushed gravel delivery. The first option will actually end up creating more weak spots within the driveway, which can cause damage in the future. But filling the spots in with new gravel will provide a resolution quickly and will allow the entire driveway to retain its strength.

Add Fresh Gravel

In addition to filling in holes and ruts, you’ll also need to apply additional gravel once every couple of years. By obtaining a new crushed gravel delivery at regular increments will make the driveway more stable and address any low spots you might have missed. Adding a fresh layer once a year or once every two years will keep your driveway healthy for many more years to come.

Looking for a resource for gravel Seattle residents can count on? We’re here to provide exactly what you need. From gravel for driveways and parking lots to river rock for landscaping features, our materials are sure to fit the bill and keep your home or business looking its best. For further information, please contact us today.