Measure and mark the area of the driveway. Hammer stakes into the ground to mark the boundaries. Tie a string from stake to stake to form an elevated guideline.
Dig down 8 inches within the guidelines.
Tamp the base of the excavated area with a gas-powered or hand-held tamper. Compact the soil tightly to provide a solid base for the crushed stone.
Pour 2 inches of sand over the base of the excavated area. Spread the sand evenly with the back of a metal rake to make it reasonably level.
Pour 5 inches of medium-grade crushed stone over the top of the sand. Drag a long piece of lumber over the crushed stone to level high spots and fill in depressions or holes.
Pour 1 inch of a finer grade crushed stone to fill in gaps between stones.
Wet the driveway, thoroughly soaking it with a garden hose, or wait for a heavy, soaking rainfall. The water helps to move stone into air pockets and tighten the structure.
Tamp the surface of the driveway. Add more fine-grade crushed stone as necessary after compacting to build the driveway up to the desired height.