Our New Driveway – A Gravel/Concrete/Asphalt/Regrind Debate

Able to nerd out over driveways?? Imagine me, I didn’t wish to both six months in the past, however I discovered SO MUCH and y’all are asking. I clearly wish to remind you all that I’m NOT a driveway professional and that is simply based mostly on my first-time expertise doing it with the recommendation from the contractors that we consulted in Portland (i.e. there is perhaps different choices or very totally different pricing elsewhere). This isn’t a narrative that I ever needed to inform as a result of I by no means needed to redo the driveway within the first place, however now that it’s behind us I really feel very grateful that we have been in a position to do it because it’s simply so a lot better. We have now the world’s longest driveway so this wasn’t a enjoyable reasonably priced “weekend challenge”. No, No, NO. You’ll see…

After we first visited the property, IN 2019, we LOVED the lengthy driveway, utilizing phrases like “magical” and “enchanted”. It immediately transported you into the nation (we reside within the suburbs) and also you rocked backwards and forwards a bit on the damaged items whereas in your automobile. It’s lined with bushes that bend over and meet within the center however most significantly it had this grass patch within the center giving it an outdated two-track vibe. Branches would slap your windshield on the way in which down the highway and also you had to concentrate to the place the highway was to not unintentionally get caught in a ditch. These have been all issues I cherished about it and jogged my memory of the place I grew up (rural Oregon), however fairly actually nobody agreed with us (apart from Cali, our panorama designer who received our vibe). Brian needed it wider however cherished the vibe.

Certain, possibly the concrete round the remainder of the home was “very, completely, irreparably damaged,” nevertheless it didn’t actually hassle me. That they had patched a number of the tremendous damaged areas with gravel and when it was dry most individuals wouldn’t discover (edit: actually each man with a large truck would touch upon it, however none of my girlfriends even observed and I didn’t give a crap). I’ve so many different fish to fry, understanding that this dwelling renovation/restoration was going to bleed us dry already. We agreed early on that we’d focus our finances on the home, specifically the rooms that have been to be closely documented on the weblog for my job, with initiatives that have been tied to partnerships. There are some components of the development we are able to write off, and may truly construct future enterprise. I’m not a “driveway influencer” so once we have been prioritizing development prices we actually, actually didn’t wish to must redo the driveway. It was wonderful!!! (ish)

Aesthetically I didn’t wish to contact it in any respect as a result of I cherished the two-track nation vibe. However over the course of the development with so many massive vans and equipment coming out and in every day + two years of heavy rain, it grew to become an increasing number of busted to the purpose of not having the ability to drive down it in any respect with out fearing that you simply’ll pop your tire. The allure was fairly ruined and never simply because it was cracked and in again form, however as a result of it was so slender and surrounded by mud. Nobody may actually flip round and each time anybody tried they’d get caught within the mud. It was beginning to grow to be very clear that we must redo the driveway and she or he is LONG. So let’s discuss by means of the precise challenges/state of affairs:

1. It’s an extended driveway to simply get to the property, then a roundabout with a grove of fruit bushes within the center, and an enormous utility area that might park like 10 vehicles. She BIG.
2. It appears to be a mixture of largely damaged concrete with some poured asphalt blended in and plenty of patches of gravel.
3. Every little thing wanted to be widened so 2023 vehicles may navigate with out getting caught within the mud. It was that slender. I favored the narrowness and located it charming, however explaining that to guys which might be caught within the mud was feeling more and more foolish/annoying.
4. After which there was MUD. Simply a lot mud that I believe completely scarred us. We HAD to repair this drawback and earlier than subsequent winter.

We didn’t actually have a devoted contractor on this a part of the job – ARCIFORM would weigh in as would our panorama contractor who had completed many driveways, nevertheless it was on Brian and I do to all of the analysis and to ebook the work. So once more, this may not all be correct to your state of affairs nevertheless it’s what we have been informed, based mostly on our analysis.

Concrete

Everybody appears to like concrete and I agree that new concrete seems higher than new asphalt. I don’t know THAT a lot about this besides that concrete appears to be very costly – and shot up within the final couple of years. Based mostly on our sq. footage wanted it will be $75-100k. It requires a whole demo, grading, gravel base, metal rods, pouring, curing, pouring, curing, and no site visitors for weeks afterward. It’s what everybody thought we must always do with this older dwelling. However y’all, to not take down the concrete world proper now, however all of the concrete pours I see are all the time tremendous cracked. Can it actually maintain as much as the rain and heavy vehicles? Between the value, the size of time (3 weeks), and our doubt that it will actually final long run this was an easy NO. We thought of simply doing it round the home, however then we’re reserving two totally different contractors and the place wouldn’t it begin/cease, and so forth. It will be clunky and disjointed.

Chip Seal

A lot of you reached out to say chip seal and I had by no means heard of it. Thanks! So we lastly received a chip seal contractor to come back quote (which held up the entire course of for weeks since he was actually busy and there are solely a few guys on the town however we significantly thought it will be price it). He gave it a stable “no method” as a result of our driveway was on a hill. He mentioned with the rain within the PNW that he can be again in 3 years to redo it. And that’s actually coming from a chip seal contractor. It’s principally glued gravel over a base coat of gravel (I’m positive there’s extra to it than that, however that’s how he defined it to me). We cherished the look of it on-line however we didn’t expertise it wherever in particular person however that was a moot level – when the salesperson is saying “no method, this can be a unhealthy product for you,” you don’t preserve exploring or push again.

Permeable Pavers

On the final minute, ARCIFORM advised these pavers which truthfully I believe is a GREAT thought. We did preliminary analysis which confirmed that it was going to be very, very costly however might be very fairly if thoughtfully designed. Suppose small stone or brick pavers which have area for grass rising in between – making a sample. After we introduced it as much as our panorama contractor he talked us by means of the method and y’all it sounded much more costly than all the opposite choices. I’ll say that it’s a nice choice for the planet because it permits crops/grass to develop by means of and rainwater to empty straight by means of it, however we merely couldn’t afford it (and didn’t have time to analysis partnership alternatives). Now if we ever have a small driveway (actually the place you’ll be able to solely park two vehicles) I might like to discover this, however for our scale of driveway, it simply didn’t really feel like a viable choice that we may afford.

Gravel

We love gravel, y’all. We love the sound of the tires after they drive over, the crunch below our ft as we stroll, and the look that feels so informal for this outdated property. I’m not saying it’s proper for all over the place (it’s not), however the vibe was what we needed. However we had added gravel within the winter of 2022 in a bunch of locations to ensure that vans to navigate the property with out getting caught within the mud and all of it simply was a mud pit – all of it (granted we didn’t have it correctly prepped or completed). Additionally for gravel, we have been going to must demo out all of the concrete, grade all the pieces, line and prep after which put a gravel base, compact it, after which add a remaining high coat. All wonderful and good however it will take weeks, price $60K+, after which we have been nonetheless very, very, very fearful that it will wash away in just a few winters anyway!! We additionally simply fearful that it will gather mud and once more, we had felt held hostage by mud for a yr. We weren’t going to redo our driveway and have that be a danger. Our asphalt contractor mentioned it for positive would wash away (however clearly he’s promoting a unique product). Which brings me to…

Asphalt

Y’all. This was the place Brian and I felt like we have been going nuts as a result of everybody appeared so bummed once we mentioned we have been extremely contemplating asphalt. There was a “please don’t do that to this lovely property” look and whereas I kinda agreed, we have been like, “so are YOU going bankroll our concrete price?” We received three quotes, throughout $38k which after concrete and gravel appeared like our greatest choice. We actually favored one of many firms – their data, customer support, and response time have been glorious, so we set it up. A number of the execs of asphalt are that because it’s liquid tar blended with rock (I believe) it may be poured over cracked concrete and even outdated gravel – so much less demo and prep time (and time is cash). There may be some prep work, however far much less. It additionally meant that the youngsters may rollerblade on the driveway and bike simpler than they may in gravel – which on the time appeared like an important perk. However it’s black and undoubtedly says, “new development”. I assume it stinks for some time and may deliver black marks on footwear into the home. However it takes just a few days, price actually 1/2 of concrete (if not even much less) and the man, John, mentioned they may do it actually any time – like the subsequent week.

We have been so unbelievably over the mud surrounding our home, at occasions through the rain feeling like we needed to quarantine inside as a result of it will be that unhealthy simply strolling to the automobile. I wore Bogs virtually completely and had to supply rain/mud boots for visitors ought to they wish to go to. I ruined numerous pairs of footwear – all wonderful and good, nevertheless it informs our resolution making which is why I’m bringing it up. So we in all probability weren’t within the headspace to make this resolution as a result of we have been reacting to the mud and couldn’t be goal. However we talked about it for months, actually making an attempt to see it from a $30k foot view, and requested ourselves if that is what we’d need in 10 years for this property. Had been we simply doing the most cost effective choice that we’d remorse??

After a lot debate we determined that asphalt was adequate for us. The home is so fairly that you simply gained’t actually even discover. You’ll see the gorgeous home windows, the crops, the gorgeous structure – solely sure old-house purists would assume we took a budget method out. And we began seeing asphalt all over the place and it appeared wonderful to us!! We all know that it all the time grays out over time, is simple/low-cost/quick to redo in 15 years (only one layer and someday’s work, no demo) and in the end it’s simply not the place we may spend the cash. It was a choice based mostly strictly on money and time and we have been rapidly operating out of each, truthfully.

Regrind (A.Ok.A. Recycled Asphalt)

So our asphalt firm was prepping, about to start out once we lamented that we actually needed the look/really feel/sound of gravel. He advised rapidly, “What about recycled concrete” – a product he additionally did. I used to be busy in conferences so Brian tried to relay the knowledge as finest he may which was primarily this: regrind is recycled asphalt that’s damaged up into gravel bits however because it nonetheless has the tar in it so it could actually compact to be more durable and with much less motion than gravel. He mentioned that the prep can be extra (a further $10k) as a result of they must demo out extra of the bigger damaged concrete chunks however the product (regrind) is cheaper than asphalt by round $8k. They nonetheless compact it so it’s a lot more durable than gravel, nevertheless it’s a bit unfastened on high and never this new asphalt look/really feel. It’s a $2k distinction, however if you find yourself speaking about $38k-$40k then you definately actually simply resolve what you assume you’ll need extra long run, not making an attempt to save lots of $2k.

We made the choice – REGRIND IT IS, with an enormous thanks to some of you who DM’d me and gave me confidence that it was the precise factor to do. They started demo’ing out a number of the concrete and widening the driveway with prep work after they…

It had rained closely the weekend earlier than, which I believe was in between the prep work. As they have been prepping the lengthy driveway and widening it, the water from our hillside property was flooding the gravel and it was unimaginable to maneuver the vans round or to compact it. Cool. So I pulled up my “unhealthy information script” and requested, “okay, what are our choices and the way a lot will they price?”

Possibility #1: Wait til it dries out, extending the development by a few weeks (relying on climate). However all of them suggested that with out correct drainage it wouldn’t matter WHAT floor we had selected – this driveway was going to get flooded and can be compromised once more inside just a few years. It’s because we had deeply disturbed the hillside by grading it for development vans and “disturbed soil” doesn’t retain/drain water like “established soil”. This was proving to be true all over the place there was disturbed soil. He additionally mentioned that this is the reason the driveway appeared so patched within the first place – that there was try after try to repair this drawback for many years, however with out correct drainage, we’d be in that very same boat (haha) in just a few years. Primarily if we don’t cope with this now we is perhaps drowning in mud once more quickly.

Possibility #2: Put in an extended perforated tube that may primarily line your complete size of the driveway on the hillside facet and act as a French drain, taking the water away earlier than it hits the driveway. This could prolong the job by two days and value $13k. This was clearly the advice, nevertheless it wasn’t $13 {dollars}, $130 {dollars}, or $1300. It was $13k gone similar to that. Did we technically have it? Sure, in our financial savings from the sale of our LA home, which we’re grateful for. However oof.

I begged him to get it below $10k and in that case I’d simply do it, rip the bandaid off in hopes of by no means having to cope with it once more. He agreed and so they completed it. They walked the property with us and confirmed us how a lot water there was. It’s simply insidious and until we handled it now we’d have a much bigger drawback later.

We had ZERO expertise with this and didn’t have time to take a driving cruise round Portland and attempt to discover some regrind. I put it on social and had sufficient of you say that you simply thought it was a good suggestion. So with the knowledge we had on the time we went for regrind.

After I got here dwelling after it was completed I’ve to confess I used to be like, “okay. positive?” Because it’s looser it isn’t this tremendous clear concrete or asphalt easy look. There are areas which might be tremendous compact and stable and different areas that we puzzled if it was too unfastened. However as we’ve settled in (it’s been about two months) Brian and I each agree that we truly LOVE it. It’s that excellent mixture between gravel and asphalt. It feels informal and farm-like, however actually appears to be extra compacted and has extra longevity than gravel with the hillside + rain mixture. I clearly can’t say something about that for years, so please know this isn’t a overview (but).

It’s tremendous darkish, however not black like asphalt. It seems like darkish small gravel rocks glued/compacted along with a layer of semi-loose to unfastened gravel on high (however very angular, so not that unfastened and settles in simply to the decrease layer). It’s about 6″ in complete depth (it looks as if it anyway). I stroll on it in my naked ft however I’ve working troll ft that may deal with far more than others – so I suppose that most individuals would say it’s like strolling on gravel and never advisable with naked ft. However once I’m strolling the canine or driving up the driveway has that grave crunch that I like!

I simply checked in with Brian about it – as a result of two months in the past we have been each like “effectively, we hope we made the precise resolution”. And now, he mentioned the identical factor – that he has come to find it irresistible, too. We’re so comfortable. The entire thing ended up being within the low $40k vary (paid over time in funds which all the time helps) and it’s behind us. However once more, I wish to stress that the product itself isn’t that costly, we simply have an exceptionally lengthy driveway so in case you have a shorter one, all of those quotes can be far much less.

When you guys have extra perception/expertise go away it within the feedback. I really hope that we made the precise resolution however solely time will inform. We love the appear and feel prefer it doesn’t compromise the general vibe of the home, whereas hopefully giving us the long-term perform, sturdiness, and “NO MUD” that we so desired.

Thanks for listening to my driveway ted discuss. I really hope to not must ever do that once more 😉

*After Set up Pictures by Kaitlin Inexperienced