Rough going for sure. Construction is a lot like life, until you learn from it, your road results are what to expect. We have a lot of red clay here in Texas and we are getting ready to build approximately a 2000 ft. road for our subdivision and we have learned not to disturb the clay any more than you have too and... make sure it's DRY! I just hit subscribe to watch your journey. Best of Luck on your new adventure. Peace
This was very helpful to me . I will be starting this project in about two hours from now and like you I live in a temperate rain zone (northern Pa.) I will be using geotextile driveway fabric . Wish me luck first loads will be a larger stone mix (6+fill) . Lucky for me is I have a tractor and a backblade,
I really liked this video because I had SO MANY days like the end of your video--so many... Honestly, what I'm most impressed by is that you're doing this work in sandals and shorts. I graded and graveled my backyard dressed very much like you and came out with cuts and bruises. I moved tons of soil, roots, rocks and eventually gravel all by hand over the course of 5 months because it was only me, I wasn't in a hurry, and I like the feeling of accomplishment. I think you did fine. Everyone has an opinion on how to do this. I've seen people just throw rocks on soft dirt (my parents - RIP) and others rent expensive equipment to spread and compact the earth (I guess they don't like using shovels) and they all looked fine.
Hard to see that fabric get all wrinkled like that. While it may not be helping with stability all that much anymore where the rock is on the fabric, it'll keep it from getting pushed into the subgrade soil. Your soil looks fairly clayey so keeping the water off it is key long term. I would recommend choking off that large No3 stone with crusher run (crushed stone) about 3 inches thick at least. That smaller stone with fines, will help to keep the rain water from infiltrating through the stone to the soil below. Be sure to crown the road as best you can so the runoff runs down the edges and not down the center. Just found your channel and look forward to more videos!
Oh yeah, that first try left a pit in my stomach... it was upsetting. Yes, it's the classic red clay soil, and we get 50 inches of rain a year, which makes for some challenges. Thanks for the tips, we'll be trying to get a finer grade down after the house is dried in, and thanks for following!
Also you might want look into 8 inch rock for base, at least for the steep part. They call it pit run here, maybe the same in the East. Works well here in the clay filled Willamette Valley. Even the log trucks can float on that. Definitely can't work it with a shovel though. Sounds like you don't get discouraged by small set backs so I'm sure you'll prevail in the end.
Just now found this bid and your channel. We move from Commie-fornia next week to Idaho and I have to do this exact project on my road.. So glad I found this vid and saw your other one regarding fabric. There's really not much out there talking about why or when to use fabric... Just a few cursory comments about forming a barrier to keep the rock from sinking into the dirt but the local suppliers are telling me not to put any rock bigger than 1 3/4 on it or it will tear! And I have the other half telling me just do 3-4" minus as a base without cloth and then cap with 3/4"minus.
Good luck on the move! Though this front section of the drive was a mess, overall the fabric worked well and did not tear as far as I can tell - I recommend using it, even with the larger base stone. Thanks for following along!
Lol commie fornia is actually a good one I like that. Even with so many of our middle aged people so incompetent they actually have no idea wtf or how the fck our own government works. Even believe Fox News is actually News!!! Haha I am a real life long Conservative Myself so there's no snowflake fck face sht here. Just 100% true that almost all conservative media outlets are 100% bllsht they're actually legally identical to the Jerry Springer show....as in "for entertainment purposes only"......all the times Fox News has been sued their legal defense in court is ; "No reasonable Adult could EVER BELIEVE any claims or statements made on our network as it is not a NEWS CHANNEL"! it is make believe partisan lies only inbred, incompetent or straight up jrk offs actually watch and believe anything aired on the channel. Freedom of speech only applies to our government unfortunately giving Fox, Brietbart, all the others their legal defense for existing and lying to our own people for the super Rich Republican RAPE of our country. Adam Kinzinger is the man. Our 1 last hope for our beloved party
Also it depends entirely on your location man. Do you have massive water intrusion? Non existent drainage? On Clay or super soft bog? Are you in a hole at the Foot of local mountains? You want to guarantee a good base obviously so dig down say 8-10" below grade, dump in a layer say 4-6" thick then roll the hell out of it packing it down. Then you use whatever is local for a PROPER gravel driveway which you like the looks of but is correct for the application. You want it to last obviously. So if you need drainage of whatever kind (including the crown of the run/section) put it in ahead of time. Lastly....May God Bless America 🇺🇸 and good luck man 👍
@@johnserrano9689 Thank you sir and likewise! Since leaving this comment I have done work to my road. Previous neighbors had put down 2 FEET of 12 in minus and then logged their property. The log trucks mashed all that huge rock down into the clay and now if I grade the dirt road 6 inch rocks come up...So I have a great base. Yes we are at the base of a mountain with a lot of water shed and thick clay. I cleaned out the drainage ditches and culverts and dug a new ditch on the uphill side and it all drains fabulously now. I placed middle weight roadbed fabric down and 2 1/2 minus 8 inches deep and it's holding up great! If I hadn't seen your video I would probably have tried to save the money on the fabric cuz its freaking expensive!
Hi, why not back in the first load? Then some spreading? Ive seen truck guys dump forward and baxkwards in a pretty even layer. Also, that looked so wet under there. Would have gone way better if allowed to dry.
Well the fabric is shot the driver is at his wits end. Can we try this NEXT WEEK AFTER 6 inches of rain? Look the truck is really heavy that’s a steep hill. 2+2 is 4 not 5 or 6.
Unclear why he is doing this. They usually back up to the start of the fabric and drop spread from there. That way they are driving on rock as they go. Maybe something going on i didn't see.
Sir!!! You worked waaayy too hard. First, wait till it's dry enough to shape the ground for your driveway. Second, dig the ground down til' it gets hard. Apply the fabric properly by stretching and pinning. Spread the rock with light machinery like a tractor or a skidsteer, finally roll the rocks until they're compact enough to hold the truck...Before you start another section ask a lot of questions, or you finance it and have a contractor you can trust do the work and offer to help...
I was thinking the same. Knowing how expensive the fabric is, im working with some myself, it was stressful to watch this and reminds me of times my husband and i might start fighting. I took over the entire commercial driveway project and added a lot more rock: 1-3” angular basalt (not easy to grade so took me a long time), compacted it, and now im pulling snug, and pinning dow, the geotech fabric with about one foot of overlap between the 2 sections. Next i will add 3/4” clean angular rock, about 1-4” where i level out more spots to grade, compact it. For the final later im adding Truegrid and Vodaland commercial permeable pavers, which will be filled with clean 3/4” or 1/2” clean gravel and lightly compacted. It is our own driveway but the school bus will use it as a bus turn around spot so they can pick up kids in our neighborhood (City removed the previous turnaround spot that was the bus stop for over 20 years and didnt put a new one in the redesigned road! 🤦🏻♀️).
Tough day, but our driver was great... Please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and hit that BELL NOTIFICATION - it really helps us keep the videos coming. Thanks!
Flip-flops man? You were not ready to do battle with this hill, at all; where's the combat boots? Hill= +1 flip-flops = -2! 🤣💥
Try backing up the hill while spreading gravel.
Rough going for sure. Construction is a lot like life, until you learn from it, your road results are what to expect. We have a lot of red clay here in Texas and we are getting ready to build approximately a 2000 ft. road for our subdivision and we have learned not to disturb the clay any more than you have too and... make sure it's DRY! I just hit subscribe to watch your journey. Best of Luck on your new adventure. Peace
This was very helpful to me . I will be starting this project in about two hours from now and like you I live in a temperate rain zone (northern Pa.) I will be using geotextile driveway fabric . Wish me luck first loads will be a larger stone mix (6+fill) . Lucky for me is I have a tractor and a backblade,
Good luck dude.
Good to watch this before starting on my new driveway on my land i bought here in Aljezur, Portugal. Thanks!
Thanks Jens! Tellu and I have Portugal high on our list of places to visit - I even downloaded a language app already - I hear it's lovely
I really liked this video because I had SO MANY days like the end of your video--so many... Honestly, what I'm most impressed by is that you're doing this work in sandals and shorts. I graded and graveled my backyard dressed very much like you and came out with cuts and bruises. I moved tons of soil, roots, rocks and eventually gravel all by hand over the course of 5 months because it was only me, I wasn't in a hurry, and I like the feeling of accomplishment. I think you did fine. Everyone has an opinion on how to do this. I've seen people just throw rocks on soft dirt (my parents - RIP) and others rent expensive equipment to spread and compact the earth (I guess they don't like using shovels) and they all looked fine.
Hard to see that fabric get all wrinkled like that. While it may not be helping with stability all that much anymore where the rock is on the fabric, it'll keep it from getting pushed into the subgrade soil. Your soil looks fairly clayey so keeping the water off it is key long term. I would recommend choking off that large No3 stone with crusher run (crushed stone) about 3 inches thick at least. That smaller stone with fines, will help to keep the rain water from infiltrating through the stone to the soil below. Be sure to crown the road as best you can so the runoff runs down the edges and not down the center.
Just found your channel and look forward to more videos!
Oh yeah, that first try left a pit in my stomach... it was upsetting. Yes, it's the classic red clay soil, and we get 50 inches of rain a year, which makes for some challenges. Thanks for the tips, we'll be trying to get a finer grade down after the house is dried in, and thanks for following!
We were cringing during this entire video, man we feel your pain. I hope you have better luck coming your way soon.
Yeah I would have dumped it all 30 feet off the main road after the 4th try. That driver is dedicated.
Also you might want look into 8 inch rock for base, at least for the steep part. They call it pit run here, maybe the same in the East. Works well here in the clay filled Willamette Valley. Even the log trucks can float on that. Definitely can't work it with a shovel though. Sounds like you don't get discouraged by small set backs so I'm sure you'll prevail in the end.
I think down here they call it 'surge stone' and it would have definitely helped us on that slope - thanks for stopping by!
Just now found this bid and your channel. We move from Commie-fornia next week to Idaho and I have to do this exact project on my road.. So glad I found this vid and saw your other one regarding fabric. There's really not much out there talking about why or when to use fabric... Just a few cursory comments about forming a barrier to keep the rock from sinking into the dirt but the local suppliers are telling me not to put any rock bigger than 1 3/4 on it or it will tear! And I have the other half telling me just do 3-4" minus as a base without cloth and then cap with 3/4"minus.
Good luck on the move! Though this front section of the drive was a mess, overall the fabric worked well and did not tear as far as I can tell - I recommend using it, even with the larger base stone. Thanks for following along!
Lol commie fornia is actually a good one I like that. Even with so many of our middle aged people so incompetent they actually have no idea wtf or how the fck our own government works. Even believe Fox News is actually News!!! Haha
I am a real life long Conservative Myself so there's no snowflake fck face sht here. Just 100% true that almost all conservative media outlets are 100% bllsht they're actually legally identical to the Jerry Springer show....as in "for entertainment purposes only"......all the times Fox News has been sued their legal defense in court is ; "No reasonable Adult could EVER BELIEVE any claims or statements made on our network as it is not a NEWS CHANNEL"! it is make believe partisan lies only inbred, incompetent or straight up jrk offs actually watch and believe anything aired on the channel. Freedom of speech only applies to our government unfortunately giving Fox, Brietbart, all the others their legal defense for existing and lying to our own people for the super Rich Republican RAPE of our country.
Adam Kinzinger is the man. Our 1 last hope for our beloved party
Also it depends entirely on your location man. Do you have massive water intrusion? Non existent drainage? On Clay or super soft bog? Are you in a hole at the Foot of local mountains?
You want to guarantee a good base obviously so dig down say 8-10" below grade, dump in a layer say 4-6" thick then roll the hell out of it packing it down. Then you use whatever is local for a PROPER gravel driveway which you like the looks of but is correct for the application.
You want it to last obviously. So if you need drainage of whatever kind (including the crown of the run/section) put it in ahead of time.
Lastly....May God Bless America 🇺🇸 and good luck man 👍
@@johnserrano9689 Thank you sir and likewise! Since leaving this comment I have done work to my road. Previous neighbors had put down 2 FEET of 12 in minus and then logged their property. The log trucks mashed all that huge rock down into the clay and now if I grade the dirt road 6 inch rocks come up...So I have a great base. Yes we are at the base of a mountain with a lot of water shed and thick clay. I cleaned out the drainage ditches and culverts and dug a new ditch on the uphill side and it all drains fabulously now. I placed middle weight roadbed fabric down and 2 1/2 minus 8 inches deep and it's holding up great! If I hadn't seen your video I would probably have tried to save the money on the fabric cuz its freaking expensive!
Hi, why not back in the first load? Then some spreading?
Ive seen truck guys dump forward and baxkwards in a pretty even layer.
Also, that looked so wet under there. Would have gone way better if allowed to dry.
Should of reversed dumped would of been much easier on fabric and driver
That's the answer to this - Experienced Drivers....
Well the fabric is shot the driver is at his wits end. Can we try this NEXT WEEK AFTER 6 inches of rain? Look the truck is really heavy that’s a steep hill.
2+2 is 4 not 5 or 6.
I think you need a tractor to spread that stone. Shovels? To painful to watch. Sincerely wish you the best.
John, can you say what state your building in?
We're in South Carolina
Unclear why he is doing this. They usually back up to the start of the fabric and drop spread from there. That way they are driving on rock as they go. Maybe something going on i didn't see.
Thanks Rob - it was the perfect storm of an inexperienced operator and inexperienced me :)
SHOULD HAVE STARTED DUMPING FROM TOP TO THE BOTTOM
Your landscape fabric is too narrow. Is that from Lowes? There is another company that sells it in 12’ widths.
first of all get some work boots and a skid steer to move the gravel around.
Sir!!! You worked waaayy too hard. First, wait till it's dry enough to shape the ground for your driveway. Second, dig the ground down til' it gets hard. Apply the fabric properly by stretching and pinning. Spread the rock with light machinery like a tractor or a skidsteer, finally roll the rocks until they're compact enough to hold the truck...Before you start another section ask a lot of questions, or you finance it and have a contractor you can trust do the work and offer to help...
I was thinking the same. Knowing how expensive the fabric is, im working with some myself, it was stressful to watch this and reminds me of times my husband and i might start fighting. I took over the entire commercial driveway project and added a lot more rock: 1-3” angular basalt (not easy to grade so took me a long time), compacted it, and now im pulling snug, and pinning dow, the geotech fabric with about one foot of overlap between the 2 sections.
Next i will add 3/4” clean angular rock, about 1-4” where i level out more spots to grade, compact it. For the final later im adding Truegrid and Vodaland commercial permeable pavers, which will be filled with clean 3/4” or 1/2” clean gravel and lightly compacted. It is our own driveway but the school bus will use it as a bus turn around spot so they can pick up kids in our neighborhood (City removed the previous turnaround spot that was the bus stop for over 20 years and didnt put a new one in the redesigned road! 🤦🏻♀️).
How you fix it
Mostly by hand, but you can check out the other videos. Thanks!
What an absolute shit show - dump the rock in a pile and move / spread it with a skid steer
Maybe be dressed for work...? Adidas slides aren't the best for manual shovel work. geez
yall dont psot anymore