Gravel Driveway Installation Austin TX
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ATX Gravel Driveways
AUSTIN’S BEST GRAVEL DRIVEWAY CONTRACTORS
Sure, you can install a gravel driveway by yourself, but why not leave it to the experts? With so many options out there, it may be difficult to know who is actually the best. This becomes even harder when it’s time to fill in that angular gravel to cover your driveway surface after a storm or repair the middle layer after weeds have done some serious damage.
Well, Well, look no further as ATX Gravel Driveways is here to help. With years of experience in the field and a won’t stop attitude, we guarantee to assist you through the process from gravel delivery, all the way to shoveling the first bit of stone onto your property!
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OUR GRAVEL PAVING SERVICES
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Meet ATX GRAVEL DRIVEWAY
Since ATX Gravel Driveways opened its doors in 2020, we’ve assisted homeowners with the creation of beautiful gravel driveways straight out of their design dreams. Our goal is to not only provide you with the materials needed to install and fill your gravel driveway but also educate each and every customer on the benefits of its use over a traditional cement or asphalt driveway.
With this commitment in mind, we have serviced hundreds of homes with various square foot and driveway area requirements. No property is exactly the same (unless you live in the twilight zone) so our specialists not only recommend the best-looking material for your home but the most practical solution for your needs.
What Are the Benefits of Gravel Driveways?
Want to know a secret? Gravel driveways are just as long-lasting and great to look at as any of the other material alternatives out there. Most companies won’t give you the exact benefits but we are happy to do so.
Just a few of the benefits of choosing a gravel driveway over more “traditional” methods are:
The immediate benefit of a gravel driveway is the added security of always hearing when a car, unwanted animal, or person(s) is on your property.
If for some reason the crunch doesn’t wake you at first, your significant other or loyal pooch will definitely notice and alert you to potential intruders. Installation, maintenance, and repair efforts compared to gravel’s competition for driveway installation aren’t even close. Unlike other less malleable alteratives, gravel can be installed and maintained by many DIYers.
The process, in its base form, involves creating multiple layers for weatherproofing and containing the loose aggregate materials. Once installed, maintaining the gravel surface from then on will typically involve weed pulling or adding a little bit more gravel if any bare spots appear. The final look though is unparalleled in both style and design.
Finally, gravel is pound by pound a more affordable option than other driveway materials while maintaining equal levels of durability. On average, gravel is anywhere from two to eight dollars cheaper per square foot than the alternatives. This really adds up when you factor in that the average two-car driveway in the US is around 640 square feet. That’s a savings of $1280 – $5120 on costs! Not to mention the cost of labor/machines required when contracting a company to lay and smooth those other materials.
With improved security, easier installation & maintenance, as well as better costs overall – the benefits of choosing gravel over its alternatives should be clearer than ever before.
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THE GRAVEL DRIVEWAY INSTALLATION PROCESS
STEP 1
Creating the Base Layer
After choosing the style of gravel you’d like that will complement your property best, the first and possibly most important step is to measure your driveway in cubic feet to estimate how much gravel will be needed for the job. Typically, you can assume that one bag of gravel will cover about five square meters (53.8 square feet) of space at a depth of 50 millimeters (5 cm).
In addition, you’ll want to consider if edging is necessary for your driveway. Edging refers to a perimeter created to keep the gravel where you intended and not fall into the street with ease. For example, you can use stones, a small brick fence, or even other types of gravel to keep everything where it belongs.
Once you have these preliminary steps complete, next comes the manual work. You’ll need to remove any existing driveway as well as any excess debris or topsoil that can get in the way. Once this is completed, you’ll need to dig to a depth of at minimum 5 cm but we recommend going down at least 20cm ( to provide room for the base layer. Use measuring tape and tools to ensure this is maintained throughout the whole area you’re preparing as you’ll want your driveway as level and even as possible.
Once the digging is done, it’s time to lay the base layer. This is typically done by using MOT type 1 across the full area of the expected gravel driveway. Mot type 1 is a fill and leveling material that helps with allowing water through among other things. While you can skip this step, we don’t recommend it to ensure a long-lasting driveway.
STEP 2
WHAT TO DO WITH THE MIDDLE LAYER
Once the base layer is set, the middle layer can be added. The middle layer is most regularly used to prevent the growth and sustainability of weeds in your driveway. This is done with the use of a weed prevention membrane or similar layer.
This typically is a sheet-type material that allows water to pass through but prevents plants from taking root. You’ll want to cut this to match your construction area (including any corners and irregularly shaped places) then place the sheets over the base layer Once placed, you’ll want to make sure it is lined well against your edging (if needed) and is flat enough to not cause bunching once the final layer is lain.
STEP 3
TIME TO FILL GRAVEL ON THE TOP LAYER
Finally the fun part! Now that you’ve gotten your base and middle layers as they should be, use a shovel to spread your gravel along the surface. It’s recommended to start from the outside perimeter in to make a makeshift perimeter for the rest of the gravel. Once you have all the gravel lain, make sure all areas are at least 5 cm deep.
Once all the gravel is shoveled out, use a rake or other tool to spread it around evenly and finish your beautiful new driveway!
OUR FAVORITE TYPES OF GRAVEL USED FOR DRIVEWAYS
While there are plenty to choose from, below are just a few facts about our favorite types of gravel.
Pea Gravel
Pea gravel is a popular choice due to its natural appearance, low cost, and ease of installation. There are a few issues such as shifting due to the small size of each rock but this is offset with increased drainage and weed fighting properties.
Marble Chips
If you’ve always wanted a gravel driveway that you can show off, marble chips may be the way to go. Although slightly more expensive than the other varieties listed here, it makes up for the price difference with a beautiful aesthetic that shines in the sunlight. The biggest drawback of this variety is the necessity for edging but our team is happy to help make this an easy process once you’re ready.
Jersey Shore Gravel
While it shares many of the properties of its pea brethren, Jersey Shore gravel differentiates itself with its more varied rock size as well as a more appealing color scheme. Just like the pea variety of gravel, however, it also suffers from shifting due to its nature.
River Rock
While it shares many of the properties of its pea brethren, Jersey Shore gravel differentiates itself with its more varied rock size as well as a more appealing color scheme. Just like the pea variety of gravel, however, it also suffers from shifting due to its nature.
Item #4 Gravel
This type of gravel has a lot to be proud of. Unlike others on the list, it has its own sub-varieties such as quarry item # 4 which is crushed limestone, and recycled item #4 which consists of recycled materials such as concrete. While this is a great option, its primary use is as a foundation so results may vary depending on the skill of the installer.
Decomposed Granite
This is a material so close to gravel that we had to include it on the list. The biggest difference here is it is much finer in nature which allows it to be packed very easily and create solid, flat driveway surfaces. Unfortunately, this comes with the trade-off of being very easy to cling to shoes and tires meaning you’ll have to be careful of tracking it in and out of the house.
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GRAVEL DRIVEWAY MAINTENANCE
Want to know a secret? Gravel driveways are just as long-lasting and great to look at as any of the other material alternatives out there. Most companies won’t give you the exact benefits but we are happy to do so.
Weed growth, even with the prevention membrane will happen from time to time. By no means is it a regular maintenance item but knowing what to do when you see it occur will help tons. When you notice weeds beginning to sprout up in your driveway, you’ll want to pull them by hand. Since there isn’t tough soil beneath the gravel, weed roots are often not fully set resulting in ease of removal.
The next, and most common, maintenance item is bare spots. This occurs over years of cars driving in and out, foot traffic, kids playing, or even a dog trying to bury one of its toys! Regardless of the reason, fixing the problem is easy. You can add all new gravel to fix the spot or rake your driveway to fill in empty spots with existing gravel. More often than not, you’ll notice the missing gravel has just been moved which makes this one of the easiest low-maintenance fixes there are.
If for some reason, drainage becomes an issue, you’ll need to redo a bit of the process. Once you’ve located the problem area, rake the gravel from the top layer to expose the second layer and the base you’ve created. You may need to adjust your base layer (add MOT type 1) and then replace the weed prevention membrane. Once this is fixed, however, adding the removed gravel back over will restore its natural beauty.
PROJECT GALLERY
4 BENEFITS OF WORKING WITH A GRAVEL DRIVEWAY COMPANY
There are plenty of local companies out there who claim to do what we do. However, when it comes to premium gravel driveway installations or delivery, ATX Gravel Driveways just can’t be beaten. Here are just a few benefits of working with us.
Our team is filled to the brim with talented workers who have been in the construction field, especially gravel driveway installation, for years. Their accumulated experience helps when discussing crushed limestone or the prospect of changing the material on a long driveway. This means that you’ll always receive educated, valuable insight from our group whenever you need it.
That insight extends further when we speak on value. With so many types of gravel out there, it’s difficult as a customer (especially if it’s your first time doing it) to know what will last your lifetime or what is just a waste of time. We’ll do the math, crunch the numbers, and provide plenty of estimates so you have the full view of what to expect.
Things only get better once you’re ready to order. Not only do we offer gravel delivery anywhere in Austin Texas and surrounding areas, but we also can secure and deliver any aggregate or materials needed for the three layers required. If you have a specialty need, just let us know and we’ll see what we can do.
Oh, before we forget! Unlike concrete driveways or asphalt driveways that require heavy equipment, most gravel surfaces can be done as a DIY project. We understand and encourage this approach and are ready to assist you every step of the way. Whether it’s creating a solid foundation for a new install or just trying to add gravel to an existing driveway, we’re here for any of your gravel needs!
GRAVEL DRIVEWAY SERVICES
gravel driveway installation
Our gravel driveway installation service begins with an estimate from a member of our team based on average driveway square footage. If needed, we’ll perform a secondary evaluation onsite to ensure our measurements are correct before we begin the work. The actual process involves choosing the gravel you desire, our team pulling the existing driveway up, creating the layers including a weed preventative membrane, adding any edging to avoid run off, and finally filling the gravel you chose as directed. After we’re done, you’ll have a gorgeous, low maintenance, driveway to show off to the neighbors.
Crushed Granite Driveways
Crushed granite (also known as decomposed granite) is a great material due to its finer nature allowing it to be packed more compactly. Our team is trained in how to ensure this type of crushed granite is properly installed to avoid the costly issues that could arise. Primarily, ensuring that the draining water still occurs during rainfall or other sources of moisture and the least amount of the material rubs off on your shoes and tires.
Pea Gravel Driveways
Pea gravel is a very attractive choice and provides excellent weed and drainage control. A regular issue you may encounter is the shifting of rocks on the final layer (top layer) which can cause a loss of surface area that will need to be replaced. Our team can assist with adding edging and other preventative measures so your pea gravel driveways remain as beautiful as the day it was first installed.
Caliche Driveways
Caliche is a great material choice for long driveways or roads where using other materials may be exceedingly expensive. Caliche is very similar to limestone and is great for rural areas where ensuring that plant roots do not take hold along its path is a requirement. As caliche is not very permeable, contractors must consider how water will drain when asked to install it.
Crushed Concrete Driveway
Gravel such as Recycled item #4 is a great choice. The biggest benefit of crushed concrete versus laying concrete is the affordability of the crushed aggregate as well as the positive environmental impact of using already created resources. Concrete is known for its durability as well as heat distribution making it a great choice for a gravel driveway.
Gravel Paving
While driveways are great, gravel can also be used in other areas of your property. Just a few bulk bags of gravel is all it takes to add gorgeous stone to your garden or backyard. This process is very similar to creating a driveway but can be built with elevation in mind if you are looking to make a beautiful deck or eastern-inspired design. Gravel can also be used as a way to deter plant growth in areas of your lawn that you instead want as a semi-permanent walkway.
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