Inside Out – August 2019

T

he crunch of gravel as you swing

your car into the drive is the

stuff garden dreams are made of.

Gravel conjures up images of languid

luxury, even if you’re not driving a sports

car or pulling up to a mansion. But a

crisply laid gravel driveway can quickly

turn into messy mayhem if it’s not done

correctly. Spreading stones, wheel-

spinning vehicles and errant weeds are

major pitfalls. Here’s what to think about

before you go down the path of gravel.

1

type of gravel

That’s right – all gravel is not made

equal. Decomposed granite (DG) is

a fine-textured mixture of silt and tiny

rocks formed from the erosion of solid

granite. Often a yellow-gold colour that

fades to tan, it’s affordable and easy to get

cars and strollers across. Decomposed

granite is sold as ‘natural’ or ‘stabilised’ –

the latter option is pricier but much

easier to walk or move over.

Pea gravel is made of rounded,

pea-sized stones, often in grey or sand-

coloured tones. Though it makes a great,

crunchy sound underfoot, pea gravel rolls

when you walk on it and can get stuck

in wheels. This makes it impractical

for high-traffic areas.

Crushed stone comes in a large variety

of colours from off-white to brown, and

also gives a satisfying crunch underfoot.

However, the jagged edges make it

unsuitable if small children or pets will

be using the driveway.

2

edging

Keep an eye out for spreading gravel.

First, it looks messy. In addition, gravel

spilt onto an adjacent pathway can cause

people to slip over, and gravel in grass

can flick up in the lawnmower and hurt

someone or damage your windows.

Wood, stone and brick all work well as

edging materials. Bear in mind that wood

will need replacing every 10 years, and

stone and brick need to be set properly

in concrete to get the full benefits.

3

position

Gravel can stick to the soles of shoes

and result in scratched floors. Make sure

there’s another surface between the gravel

driveway and the entry of your home,

to give stones a chance to fall from shoes.

It’s also worth having a door mat at the

front door to shed any excess stones.

4

preparation

Creating a gravel driveway isn’t as

simple as pouring some stones onto a path

• do that and you’ll sink straight into it.
  Proper preparation is essential.
  Gravel should be laid in a slight trench
  of about 10cm deep. Smooth and compact
  the soil, then lay about 10cm of hardcore
  (crushed stones) at the bottom of the
  trench to allow for drainage. Compact
  these with a sledgehammer, then lay
  weed membrane to prevent weeds with
  deep roots from sprouting.
  That’s the base; now it’s time for the
  gravel, which you should distribute evenly
  to a depth of 4-5cm. To lock the stones
  in place, cover it with a binding product.

5

maintenance

How do you stop gravel spreading?

Well, you’ll need to rake it back into the

middle of the driveway regularly, and top up

any hollows or patches that have occurred.

You’ll also need to spray weedkiller or

hand-weed any shoots that might creep

in. A fresh layer of gravel every six months

or so will keep the colour looking fresh

and maintain that crunch!

INSIDE OUT | 135

3

position

Make sure

it stays out

4
prep
Work from
a base

STONE AGE A well-laid

gravel driveway could add

thousands to your home’s

resale value. This property

in Sydney’s Freshwater was

built by Those Architects,

with landscaping by Terry

Boyle. As well as toning

in beautifully with the

sandstone cladding, the

gravel makes a comforting

cruncy sound on arrival.

5

upkeep

Rake, weed

and top up