How to Build a Crusher Run Driveway

Excavate the space for the driveway. Remove topsoil and organic matter until hard surface is reached. Use rented machinery, a small tractor or hand tools for this task.

Compact the dirt base by repeatedly driving over it with heavy machinery or by utilizing a vibrating plate or hand tamp.

Lay filter fabric or landscaping cloth in the excavated driveway space, if desired. This fabric may help limit the presence of vegetation in the driveway.

Add a 4-inch layer of gravel to the excavated driveway space. If possible, use larger, fist-sized stones for this first layer.

Compact the first layer of aggregate using the same equipment and methods as with the underlying soil base.

Add and compact crusher run in 4-inch layers until the rough driveway form is achieved. Two to three layers of crusher run are typically required to reach this point, depending on the depth of the excavated driveway space. Wait to compact the final layer of crusher run until it has been shaped.

Shape the final layer of crusher run before it is thoroughly compacted. The surface of the driveway should have a crown that prevents water from puddling on the driveway by forcing it to run off the sides. Make the center of the driveway a few inches higher than the edges, compact the driveway and check to make sure the crown is present by setting one end of a level board on the crown and measuring down from the board at a point above the driveway edge. Move or add crusher run as needed and compact it.

Maintain the driveway regularly by raking the gravel to restore the crown and fill in any low spots, adding new crusher run as needed. Addressing these minor problems promptly will stymie serious problems, like washouts.