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mixing river rock and 3/4 minus to build a drive way and shop slab?

bigrich954rr

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Dec 10, 2014
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211
Location
oregon
I have yards and yards of river rock that id like to use up.

First going to build up a dirt driveway the has wore away from time. need to rise it about a 1ft and up to 2 feet in some spots its about 350ft long

Thinking about 3/4minus base pack it down do a layer of river rock in center cap with gravel and fines pack down cover with 3/4 minus. Looking for idea never working with river rock before. this place is up in the mountains about 45 miles away from place i will be buying the 3/4 crush at. thats the reason for wanting to use river rock the travel time to bring in gravel is killing me.
 

Birken Vogt

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Nov 30, 2003
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5,305
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Grass Valley, Ca
When you say river rock are you referring to stuff dug out of the riverbed that is like 3-4" on down?

Not seeing the project I can't exactly speak to it but this sounds like the way it is commonly done out here except in a different order.

1. Use fill dirt/clay (not organic) to bring the road up close to grade and have it all packed in good with lots of water of course so it dries firm and hard.

2. Cap it off with the (cheaper) larger river rock and fines mixed together and kind of pound that in to the top layer which will get muddy when wet so you kind of have a dirt/rock mixture at the bottom giving way to mostly all rock near the top. It really helps if you can be driving on this through a wet season and really pack it in and fill the soft spots with more large rock mixture until it really hardens up under all conditions.

3. Cap the now solid base off with the 3/4 minus crushed product.

This way you will have to use the smallest quantity of 3/4 minus crush (expensive) and let the dirt and big cobbles be your base (cheap).
 

bigrich954rr

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Dec 10, 2014
Messages
211
Location
oregon
ok thank you that helps alot.

the river rock is mostly 3-4inchs down plus a random 5-6 inch rocks mixed in.

ill talk it over and see if i can put down the river rock dirt and maybe some gravel down let them drive over it for a while than do and good cap of 3/4
 

check

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in the mail
If you have lots of squishy clay under the road, the river rock will help, otherwise not needed. If you use the river rock just because it's easy, I'd mix it with 3/4 minus to interlock the round rock and hold it together. Just the right amount of clay will also help hold it together. Angular rock is always better than round rock when it comes to traction. Round rock on steep grades and corners is no fun.
 

bigrich954rr

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Dec 10, 2014
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Location
oregon
No not much clay it's a sandy soul base that gets muddy in spring . But trying to cut down on how much 3/4 to bring in. I. Was floating the idea of trying to mix concrete and dirt to help fill in and hold the river rock.
 

Birken Vogt

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Well it might not be right then because the river rock brings a fair amount of sand with it and more sand isn't really what you want.

I wonder if there is good dirt you could borrow from a nearby hillside to mix the dirt and rock together to get a good cheap base to get some elevation which it sounds like you also need.
 

bigrich954rr

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oregon
I've been looking we don't really have any clay type dirt out in east Oregon mostly sand or a fluffy type of slit dirt which is very soft and doesn't pack at all.
 

check

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in the mail
On the area to be raised you could mix the sandy silt with river rock and see how it holds together.
If the river rock is cheap and the 3/4 minus is spendy, you could lay down a layer of river rock and drive on it a season and see. It won't be any worse than it is now, maybe bumpier.
Then another layer of river rock next year, drive on it some more and then cap it with a thin layer of 3/4 minus. There are really too many variables to get accurate internet advice on this.
 

Esfoder

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Apr 24, 2013
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Location
Eastern Oregon
Occupation
Ready-Mix concrete /Sand and gravel producer
Did you ever get anything going on this? I'm a concrete and crushed rock producer in eastern Oregon. Where are you located ?

Dusty
 

bigrich954rr

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Dec 10, 2014
Messages
211
Location
oregon
PM me your info i got started on it but i work on this in my down time so im hoping to fully finish it by summer. hauled in about 100 yards so far the wife change what she wanted to adding another parking area. looking at 300-500 yards now. if she picks to do the other side might being moving close to 800 yards.
 

bigrich954rr

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Dec 10, 2014
Messages
211
Location
oregon
PM me your info i got started on it but i work on this in my down time so im hoping to fully finish it by summer. hauled in about 100 yards so far the wife change what she wanted to adding another parking area. looking at 300-500 yards now. if she picks to do the other side might being moving close to 800 yards.


im all so looking for a bunch of 2-5ft rocks to do a landscape wall
 

Esfoder

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Eastern Oregon
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Ready-Mix concrete /Sand and gravel producer
I have a bunch of boulders that size. Do you want them round rock or basalt type.

Dusty
 

bigrich954rr

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Dec 10, 2014
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211
Location
oregon
mostly will take a little of both type one area will take rounded rock more of the jagged type. sorry was hauling hay all day
 

Steve Frazier

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If it were me I'd blend your riverstone with the 3/4- for the base and finish grade with 3 inches of straight 3/4-. I think that would make for a solid driveway
 
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