It’s no secret that stone, asphalt, and concrete driveways often come with a hefty price tag and even more costly installation expenses since these materials require the hand of a seasoned professional. The lifespan of these driveway materials is also limited, with asphalt driveways averaging around 15 years.

If you want to upgrade your driveway surface, gravel driveways installed using BaseCore geocell panels are a simple yet affordable option that adds a unique curb appeal to your property while still providing plenty of durability for your vehicles. Geocells also support an exceptionally long lifespan for your driveway.

For this home improvement project, we’ll show you the aspects you need that make a gravel driveway solid so you can transform your parking area into a stunning addition to your property.

A Pre-Planned Driveway Area

Marking or “staking out” your entire driveway area from end to end is critical for planning a solid gravel driveway. This step will also help you calculate how much gravel you need using the cubic yards from your parking area.

To do this, you can use basic landscape stakes to create a perimeter for your driveway surface or use string or twine to mark along the length and width of the driveway.

A Clear Surface

It’s essential to ensure that your work area is clean from any debris that could cause your driveway to become uneven. This includes grass, topsoil, plants, and limbs.

If you’re physically able to, you can do this using a rake and wheelbarrow. Although, manually clearing land can be pretty time-consuming. You can also rent land-clearing machinery or hire a professional to assist with this process.

Level Ground

After the land is clear, you’ll need to level the driveway surface, so it’s entirely even with the ground. You can do this using the same manual tools used for clearing the land or using land excavation machinery, which can typically be rented from your local home improvement store.

A Base Layer Of Gravel

Finally, once your land is fully prepared, you can start the steps to lay a gravel driveway. You’ll begin this by creating a base layer of gravel, usually a few inches thick. Each time you add a new layer of gravel to your driveway, it’s essential to make sure that stones are fully compact so that they don’t become loose over time.

While many professionals do this using a bulldozer, you can also achieve this by driving over the gravel with a vehicle until it’s entirely smooth.

Geotextile Landscape Fabric

One of the critical factors in keeping your gravel driveway solid is preventing weeds and other unwanted elements from penetrating the driveway area. You’ll need to use a non-woven geotextile landscaping fabric for this step. These fabrics are made from highly durable polypropylene, which is designed to support heavy loads without the risk of being punctured.

Not only does this fabric act as a strong weed barrier, but it also helps prevent erosion by allowing water to flow. You can install your geotextile fabric using landscape stakes or high-quality nails.

GeoCell Stabilization Grids

With your geotextile fabric in place, you can start building your ultimate ground stabilization system. BaseCore GeoCell ground grids are one of the most sought-after products for this type of project, and for a good reason. The unique honeycomb-shaped pattern helps act as a natural erosion control and filtration system since the perforated design lets water safely flow away from your driveway area.

Most importantly, these ultra-durable panels support everything from small family vehicles to large construction machinery. You can be sure that your driveway surface will remain intact no matter what kind of car you drive.

You can find detailed information on installing your BaseCore GeoCell panels here.

Spreading The Gravel For Infill

Another great benefit to using BaseCore GeoCell grids is they can be used with a wide variety of infill materials. To lay a gravel driveway, you can spread an additional layer of gravel over the GeoCells until the panels are no longer visible.

Compact Your Layer Of Gravel

Now that you’ve successfully spread your gravel evenly, you can compact this driveway area using the same methods as your base layer of gravel. When this is done, you can finally enjoy your solid gravel driveway with minimal regular maintenance required.

Ready To Start Your Gravel Driveway Project?

Taking on a new home improvement project doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

Backyard Bases is a proud supplier of industry-leading BaseCore GeoCell products designed to meet your driveway stabilization needs. Still trying to figure out where to start? Our team is here to walk you through every step of the installation process so that you can get the results you deserve fast.

Give us a call at (888)-897-2224 to start your gravel driveway project today.