For property owners, gravel driveways have many benefits that make them a top choice for parking areas of all sizes.
This style of the driveway is extremely affordable, can fit with nearly any house aesthetic, and is simple to install, no matter what your construction experience looks like.
But of course, there are a few drawbacks to having installed gravel driveways.
One of the main concerns is erosion, which can cause you endless maintenance costs and an ongoing headache if you aren’t careful.
Thankfully, building an erosion-proof gravel pad doesn’t have to be complicated. Today, we’re showing you exactly how to stop erosion on a gravel driveway in just 4 simple steps, so you can stop stressing and start enjoying a beautiful natural driveway.
Why Does Erosion Happen?
First, it’s important to understand how driveway erosion happens in the first place.
Erosion, which refers to the process of natural materials slowly being moved from their original location to another, is typically caused by 3 main factors.
Heavy Rains
The most obvious cause of erosion on driveways is rain. If you live in a wet climate that experiences heavy rains often, you’ll notice that soil, gravel, and other natural elements become easily dispersed anytime you see water flowing. This can eventually lead to uneven driveway surfacing, no matter how well installed your gravel driveway is.
Strong Winds
Another natural cause of erosion is wind. And while strong wind speeds can erode your driveway at a rapid rate, even small gusts of wind can easily displace the pieces of stones used to cover your driveway, leading to eventual driveway erosion later down the line.
Regular Use
While not being a natural phenomenon, normal driveway usage can also erode your driveway over time. Each time your vehicle passes over your driveway surface, you place added pressure on your infill materials that can cause them to become weak and loose, making it even easier for rain and wind to carry away the foundation of your gravel driveway.
How To Stop Erosion On A Gravel Driveway:
Having a reliable erosion control system is crucial to the long-term stability of your driveway, and the easiest way to manage that is by installing a built-in erosion-proof barrier like a BaseCore GeoCell foundation.
Here’s how it works…
Step 1) Clear The Driveway Area
First, it’s essential to have a completely clear driveway area before laying any sort of erosion control product. If you already have a gravel driveway, you’ll need to remove all the current materials and check to make sure there are no large limbs or other potential hazards beneath the base of your driveway.
If you’re starting this project from scratch, you’ll want to remove any tree limbs, bushes, or other elements that could prevent you from having a smooth driveway surface.
Step 2) Lay Your Protective Barrier
Next, it’s time to install your GeoCells. BaseCore products are simple to install and act as a dual weed barrier and erosion control system, so you can easily maintain your driveway all year round.
To do this, you’ll want to dig several inches deep into your soil, allowing you to evenly lay out your GeoCell grid from end to end. Then, you can begin connecting your GeoCell panels one at a time with the provided connectors, until your driveway is completely secure.
With this system in place, you can save yourself the cost and hassle of complicated drainage pipes, since GeoCell bases seamlessly allow any water flowing to be drained out of your driveway.
Step 3) Add Your Gravel Infill
After your base is installed, you can add fresh gravel back to your driveway.
Thankfully, gravel for erosion control is extremely inexpensive and can be found at most major home improvement stores. Simply begin spreading a thin layer of gravel across your GeoCell panels until the base is no longer visible from the surface, including along the edge of the driveway.
Step 4) Monitor Any Noticeable Erosion
Although BaseCore GeoCells provide superior erosion control compared to most other products, it’s still a good idea to carefully monitor your driveway for any potential erosion concerns.
You can do this by periodically walking around the sides of the driveway and using a rake to push any misplaced pieces of stones back where they belong.
Ready To Erosion Proof Your Gravel Pad?
Backyard Bases understands that taking on a new gravel driveway project can seem like an overwhelming task.
That’s why our industry-leading BaseCore GeoCell driveway pads have been designed to give you seamless protection against all the natural elements that could disrupt your driveway, all delivered to you at an affordable price.
We’d like to show you how to stop erosion on a gravel driveway, contact us today.