.. to build my own driveway?

[lnsufficientFuns]

Have been told by several local driveway people that there’s a years wait 😳

I really need to extend my driveway .... at the moment it looks like a Somme reconstruction and we’re smearing mud all over the joint. We can’t fit our cars on the Lilliputian driveway....

So.. why can’t I just do it myself? Gravel grids on top of a membrane and fill it all in? Compact down?

Anybody tried this?

Yes. All of mum's neighbours got together to do the shared lane (6 houses- 2 without cars). It took ten of us working for three weekends plus two people carrying on in between. It was backbreaking work. I lost count of how many tons of hardcore and gravel we moved. It looked great for the first year but within two years it was back to a muddy potholed mess

They did a whole street? 😱

Did they use grids?

I’m impressed at the teamwork even if the results didn’t last - well done them

We already had a dropped kerb, the whole width of the front of our garden and used plastic grids which clip together and filled with a semi small gravel.
Do spend the time on the groundwork's. One half we did, used a compactor and got it very level and it's pretty much stayed that way and has hardly any weeds. The other half we did as a quick job and didn't compact it. It's got dips all over where the wheels sit and so many weeds, I suspect due to not destroying them with compacting.
The whole drive will be redone at some point with pretty much the same system as it works. The only annoying thing is the gravel goes over the road and pavement and we have to sweep or kick it back every time.

I would say do-able but you will need to dig down and put in a hardcore base, compact that and then put the gravel grid on top, plus gravel.

We used the plastic grid system as a shed base, dug it out, levelled it with building sand, weed membrane, gravel grids 2x3m area then infilled with pea gravel. But the shed isn't moving, just sitting spreading the weight across the grids.

You have to account for the uneven weight of the cars as the weight is concentrated on the tyres. I think if you don't put hardcore down first the grids will just sink under the weight of the cars.

It's not very complicated - as previous posters have mentioned, dig out, lay sub-base and finish off. The more effort you put into your levels at the beginning the better the end result will be.

Should be doable in a weekend

You could do it yourself - you'd need to hire a digger and definitely make sure the hard core is well compacted

Well the monobloc part is completely level and ok and the muddy bit is lower, so I was going to
use sharp sand to level it all out (inc existing monobloc driveway)
compact like crazy
add membrane,
more sand,
more compacting - then.... grid!

Does this sound thorough enough? I’m not going up to the edge of the house or anything so won’t need to worry about damp proof course I think 🤔

I am beyond excited 😂

Congrats to everybody who has done this - I never thought it would be possible!

I did a fiat 500 sized extension to our drive myself two years ago. I ordered grids and had a tonne of travel. Dug out, installed grids and drove over them a bit to flatten, then filled with gravel. Probably not the professional way but all still level and looking good now.

Depends how big the area is really, you can rent wacker plates quite cheaply too Wych will help you.

My dad has done something which he says is 'temporary' but knowing dad he'll sort it twenty years from now

He's basically put this stuff down (which in hindsight might be what you mean!) and then put gravel on the top. The gravel has drifted but at least he's not tracking mud all through his house.

This is what you want!

Easy to put down and can be driven over by a lorry once down!

www.mudcontrol.co.uk

@Dobbyafreeelf

This is what you want!

Easy to put down and can be driven over by a lorry once down!

www.mudcontrol.co.uk

All the local footpaths have this abs are all covered in mud. They just sunk into the mud and got covered. Every few metres you can see a few poking out. Definitely not great in my opinion.

@KilledByWitches

Did you need to install edging stones or whatever at the edge of the last grid? 🤔

Thanks - will have a look @Dobbyafreeelf @Bobsyer

We did this. It is a temporary measure (for a few years). We plan to get it blocked when the current situation eases. It is starting to look a bit tatty but does mean I'm not driving on mud.

[quote lnsufficientFuns]@KilledByWitches

Did you need to install edging stones or whatever at the edge of the last grid? 🤔[/quote]
I didn't because where I laid it bordered the garage wall and the edge of the path.
I literally dug down, put in weed control fabric, laid the grids over and drove over them 😂
Then lugged a tonne of gravel up the drive.

Research it well and do it properly. Go for it. I'm building my own house right now and all I'd done before was replace a bathroom suite and paint some walls. Why not, if you're at all practical and able to make some effort there's no reason to think you can't do it.
The botch jobs are the ones which look good on the surface but haven't got the prep stages right through lack of research or deliberate half - job attitude.

@CrimeJunkie01 I very much doubt that tbh!!! I think you will probably find they are using cheap similar looking products. Not proper mud control mats. These do jot sink! They float on top of the mud. Perhaps do some research before knocking them?
Theses have stood the test of time for numerous horsey friends and they have been down years in some of the worst mud I've known!

I took photos at the time it seems! As I say it's still fine now and I changed my 500 for a Land Rover which is much heavier on the grids.
It is only a small area though.

[quote Dobbyafreeelf]@CrimeJunkie01 I very much doubt that tbh!!! I think you will probably find they are using cheap similar looking products. Not proper mud control mats. These do jot sink! They float on top of the mud. Perhaps do some research before knocking them?
Theses have stood the test of time for numerous horsey friends and they have been down years in some of the worst mud I've known! [/quote]
I'm pleased for you....That's great. I'm still allowed to share my observations though. Have a great day. Try not to be an arse to my one ESR.

OP - I take it you're in Scotland?

Sorry to hijack but has anyone ever laid self-binding gravel, and if so with or without hardcore? OP this might be an option for you - the stuff that the National Trust uses on paths and driveways..

We are extending ours, currently brick paved and the grass will be dug up and concrete put down. My fella is going to do it at a fraction of the cost.

I've just looked at the mudcontrol site - the 'before' pics are winter, and the 'after' pics are late spring/summer which is when everything dries up anyway. And then the last photograph is on frozen ground.....

Doesn't seem a very honest way to advertise!

Just remember to check local building regs as nowadays they can sometimes be strict about materials and drainage etc.

Apparently gravel is semi permeable and therefore don’t need pp for most places- if that helps anybody reading this thread.

Also the gravel isn’t a damp proof membrane issue for the same reason so it can be taken up to the wall of the house etc - I’ll be avoiding that all the same however 😂