The gravel driveway is making a big comeback. If you’re a homeowner looking to install a new driveway, let’s go over a few of the many reasons why the modern gravel driveway of today is far superior to any other option you’ll find available. Unstabilized gravel tends to migrate and become pulverized, which leads to bare spots, ruts, dust, erosion, and more.
The benefits of installing gravel driveways using Gravelfix begin with the ease of installation.
Your Style Won’t Suffer
The aesthetic of a gravel driveway is nearly unmatched. Aside from gravel, you can choose from a wide variety of aggregates for your driveway. Limestone, Blackstar, crushed granite, or any type of angular gravel will work. Even if you’re in the middle of the suburbs, this affords you unmatched style, diversity, color choices, and unique charm.
If you want to stand out from the crowd or if your house would look better without an asphalt driveway, there’s no better way to mix it up and introduce some natural beauty to your home than with a gravel driveway.
Gravel driveways offer a unique alternative to traditional asphalt or concrete surfaces. With a variety of shapes, colors, and textures, they can be customized to fit the aesthetic of any home or landscape.
While considering durability, cost, and maintenance plays a significant role in deciding what type of driveway to install, it is essential to understand the pros and cons of laying a gravel driveway.
Gravel driveways can be visually appealing, adding a rustic charm to your home’s exterior. They are available in various colors and sizes, allowing you to customize the appearance to complement your property. Additionally, gravel driveways can be relatively easy to install and require less time to complete compared to other driveway materials, like concrete or asphalt.
Key Benefits of a Gravel Driveway
One of the key benefits of gravel driveways is their permeability. Unlike solid surfaces, gravel allows water to drain through, reducing the risk of water pooling or causing flooding. This can be particularly useful if your property is located in an area prone to heavy rainfall or where drainage is a concern.
It’s Time to Make the Switch to a Gravel Driveway Give Gappsi a Call Today @ 631.543.1177
Maintenance for gravel driveways is generally low, requiring only periodic raking to keep the stones in place and ensure a neat appearance. If your driveway develops low spots or potholes, you can simply add more gravel to level the surface. However, over time, you may find the stones displaced by vehicle movement or washed away during heavy rainfall, which eventually requires replenishment.
As with any driveway material, there are some drawbacks to consider. Gravel driveways may not be the best choice for areas that experience extreme weather conditions, as snow removal can be challenging, and ice can cause the gravel to shift.
PROS of Installing a Gravel Driveway
- Low Cost
- Aesthetic Appeal
- Easy Install
- Permeability
- Compacts Well
- Gravel Can Be Replenished
CONS of Installing a Gravel Driveway
- Gravel Can Wash Away
- Difficult to Snowplough
- Risk of Weeds
- Noise
Choosing The Right Gravel For The Area
Choosing The Right Gravel For The AreaWhen choosing gravel for your driveway or space, it’s essential to consider the size and texture of the rocks. The size and texture of the gravel can significantly affect the appearance, durability, and ease of maintenance.
There are two overarching categories of gravel that each type can be sorted into crushed stone and naturally formed gravel. There are several differences between the two, although they’re easily distinguishable based on appearance.
♦ Crushed stone has a jagged edge due to the manual crushing process.
♦ Naturally formed gravel has a smoother look due to natural weathering over time.
There are various sizes of gravel available, ranging from small pea gravel to larger coarse gravel. Pea gravel, as the name suggests, is the size of peas and is typically smooth in texture. This type of gravel creates a visually appealing driveway surface and is easier on your feet when walking on it. However, pea gravel may not be the best choice for a driveway with a lot of traffic or heavy vehicles, as it can shift and become displaced more easily than larger rocks.
Coarse gravel, on the other hand, is made up of larger rocks with a rougher texture. These rocks are less likely to shift under heavy loads, making coarse gravel a more durable option for driveways with more traffic. Additionally, the rough texture of coarse gravel can provide better traction for vehicles, especially during wet or icy conditions.
Why Invest in Gravelfix on Your Gravel Driveway
Investing in Gravelfix for your driveway comes with a plethora of advantages. To start, Gravelfix effectively stabilizes your driveway surface. There is no need to worry about gravel shifting or sinking, as these mats maintain a flat and uniform surface for you to drive or walk on.
Gravelfix reduces the likelihood of tire rut formation, which can be a concern with gravel driveways. By providing a stable foundation a vehicle’s tires move smoothly across the surface without causing unsightly ruts or damaging the driveway.
Another notable benefit of having Gravelfix is its effectiveness in preventing weed growth. By acting as a barrier between the gravel and the ground, it prevents invasive weeds from growing through, ensuring your driveway remains low maintenance and visually appealing.
Gravelfix Benefits
- It ensures a 100% draining paving
- It’s a completely recyclable product, made with high-quality Polypropylene, 100% pure
- Suitable for all applications, pedestrians, light and heavy traffic, motorbikes, bicycles, and wheelchair
- An economic paving option that keeps its color unchanged for years.
- The structure suppresses the growth of weeds and holds marble chips or pebbles
- It can be easily cut and adapted to all environments
- It is unaffected by cold and freezing temperatures
- GRAVELFIX structure stops footprints and tire tracks
Main Gravel Application Areas
- Public and private parking
- Balconies and rooftop gardens
- Alleys and cycle paths
- Driveways
- Cemetery areas and avenues
- Playgrounds
- Parks and Gardens
- Residential gardens
In this video, we show the process of preparing the base for this new gravel driveway with red angel stone gravel. We are preparing the final coating and compacting and flattening the bluestone screening base. We are moving on to install the Gravelfix System to contain the gravel.
This system has a honeycomb shape made out of polypropylene and a fiber mesh shedding attached on one side. The fiber mesh prevents the rock from underneath coming to the surface and mixing with the finished stones of the driveway. In addition, it holds the gravel that is installed in it and creates a better surface for the car tires to grab on and traction. The system also slows down the water runoff. In particular, in some driveways, it makes a big difference. This driveway is a very large area that is sloped towards the house. A lot of water coming from the street also comes into the driveway and runs towards the house. Through many heavy rain showers so far the homeowner has been very happy with the results. He has noticed a big difference since the Ggravelfix System was installed under the gravel.
The final part is the installation of gravel. We are filling the Gravelfix System with Red ⅜ Pennsylvanian stones. Gappsi carries a large selection of stones and glass gravel that we import from Italy. We display all our gravels and products at the Gappsi showroom. On the driveway, we also installed the Gappsi split-face Limestone Belgium paver as the driveway apron. This is the latest Gravelfix driveway installed by Gappsi in Laurel Hollow, NY