Pea Stone Driveway Ideas

Base Layer

• After years of being compacted by vehicles in your driveway, pea gravel will start to get compacted into the ground. You may need to refill your driveway with more pea gravel every three or four years. Pea gravel can cost approximately $1 per square foot, according to John Wagner, writer for This Old House website, so refilling your pea gravel driveway can get expensive. One way to make your driveway last longer is to put a layer of larger stones in as a base layer and then put your pea gravel on top of the base stones. Use a ratio of 1 inch of pea gravel to every 2 inches of stone.

Quartz

• You can add a decorative look to your pea gravel driveway by mixing in small pieces of quartz. Quartz is another naturally occurring decorative gravel that sparkles like diamonds in the sunlight. The multicolored pea gravel and sparkling quartz together can make for an interesting decor in your driveway.

Edging

• Pea gravel driveways benefit from higher edging because the smooth stones disperse more easily than more coarse gravel. To keep your pea gravel driveway contained and to maintain a compacted consistency that is easier to walk and drive on, use taller edging such as wood or masonry tiles to surround your driveway. Pressure-treated beams make ideal pea gravel edging as the beams are soft enough to allow the gravel to move naturally, but tall enough to keep the gravel contained.

Grading

• A pea gravel driveway is good for drainage because the pea gravel allows water to flow freely, unlike asphalt or concrete, which do not allow water to pass through and create runoff that can flow toward your home. When you are designing your pea gravel driveway, make sure it is graded away from your home and toward the curb. This will allow the water to flow safely away from your foundation and protect your landscaping as well.