Does anyone have any advice on the best way to change my paved drive into a gravel one?

[NewsreaderChic]

Someone told me that we can't just buy the gravel and put it on top of the paving as it will just roll off. So do we have to lift all the paving stones? Do we put the stones directly on top of whatever's under the paving or do we have to have some sort of membrane? We rented a place once where the membrane was always poking through the stones and didn't look great. How do we stop the stones falling all over the pavement?

I'd like to do this as inexpensively as possible, but am not sure of the best way to go about it.

[Qwebec]

We have a gravel driveway with no membrane underneath. I'm for ever weeding the driveway.

You can remove the paving and add gravel (or if the working technics are thesamein the UK than hereyou will already have gravel under your paving ), but I'd try and find an other alternative to gravel.

[ZestyDragon]

No idea how but I would say don't do it! Weeds come through and the gravel moves onto the footpath

[TheseSoles]

Why do you want gravel? It's really annoying!

[VeryPunny]

Why on earth do you want gravel? It's messy, weedy and cats shit in it!

[BackforGood]

I too was wondering why you'd want to remove a good, solid surface like paving slabs to replace with something as annoying as gravel ?

[NewsreaderChic]

The paving looks municipal (not done by us) and I like the look of gravel, there are no cats nearby. Also I like the security of it, you can hear anyone approaching.

[shabbycaddy]

Gravel is fine as long as you do it correctly, infact can look better than block paving over a period of time. Lift all yours slabs and remove enough of the material underneath to lay down a Terram membrane, then add a layer of scalpings and use a wacker plate to compact it down, then add gravel. Don't go for pee shingle size gravel as it will go everywhere, use the 10mm to 20mm stuff. If you the correct membrane and scalping you won't get weeds. If you half arse it and just put gravel down it will be a nightmare like people have said.

[FuckingLiability]

I would advise against it. Yes, you can hear people approach but gravel is massively annoying. You will be forever sweeping it up, even if you remove the paving and get a proper membrane laid.

[PigletJohn]

most people will throw down pea-shingle, which is awful. Cars leave ruts, it moves downhill, weeds grow through it, and kids kick it around.

If you can find someone who will lay hoggin, it will last a hundred years. It is rolled flat with a slight camber, and is a prepared mixture of gravel, sand, and clay to bind it. Some paving contractors will do it.

I had to lay a new water pipe at the family house a few years ago, and once I had scraped aside the shingle some dummy had ordered, the old drive was firm, flat and sound. At the time it was 95 years old. The garden paths have lasted equally well.

[NewsreaderChic]

Thank you everyone. This morning my next door neighbour woke up to find her York stone driveway had been dug up and removed! Just as well I can't afford to have the same. Thanks for all the advice - off to google hoggin.

[Phalarope]

We replaced Tarmac with gravel last year. I love it - it looks smart and you can hear people coming. Tarmac was dug up, then a weedproof membrane put down and hardcore compressed on top of that. Then another membrane and then 20mm golden gravel.

You do still get weeds - there is a sycamore over the road that wants to seed itself everywhere - but they're easily picked out when you spot them. Bit of a pain to rake up leaves in autumn but you need to do it so you don't effectively create a layer of nice fertile leaf mould on top of the membrane.

Overall, it was cheaper and looks far nicer than the block paving you see everywhere.