Repairing a Pea Gravel Driveway

Pea gravel makes a decorative surface for driveways, but its smooth, round shape prevents it from forming a stable surface. More so than angular gravel, pea gravel shifts under heavyweight loads, creating tracks and pits that are difficult for vehicles to drive over. Repairing the driveway entails adding new pea gravel and using basic tools to form it into a slight crown for drainage.

Rake
Pea gravel
Shovel
1 1/4-inch gravel
4-by-4-inch board
3/8-inch gravel
Pea gravel
Wood boards

Instructions

- 1
  Rake any scattered pea gravel from the surrounding lawn. If the driveway doesn’t have edging, stones tend to scatter when vehicles drive or turn too quickly.
- 2
  Rake the entire driveway to make it as level as possible. Flatten berms from the sides and note where pits are located.
- 3
  Shovel out loose gravel from the bottom and sides of pits so the edges are straight down rather than curved. Spread the removed gravel over any bare spots on the rest of the driveway.
- 4
  Fill the pits with 1 1/4-inch angular gravel and stop 2 inches from the top. Tamp the large gravel down as firmly as possible with the flat end of a 4-by-4-inch board.
- 5
  Fill the remaining 2-inch holes with 3/8-inch angular gravel and tamp it down. The sharp edges will wedge together to provide a more solid base for the pea gravel.
- 6
  Scatter a 2-inch layer of pea gravel down the center of the driveway. Rake it into a crown over the entire surface so the sides are about 1/2 inch lower than the center.
- 7
  Compact the entire driveway by laying large boards over each section and driving over the boards several times.

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