Grading a Dirt Driveway

Finding the Proper Grade

• The pitch of a driveway should tilt away from the house and away from the lawn or outdoor living area. This is easily achievable for properties that slope downward from the house, and it is not too challenging for level properties. For properties at the foot of a hill or slope, where all the water flows towards the house, an underground drainage system must be installed at the foot of the slope to drain the water away before it reaches the house.

  Under leveled conditions, a gradual slope downwards from the house is the ideal way to grade a dirt driveway. Follow the natural flow of water to determine the best direction of the grading. The gradual slope creates an easy run-off of water off of the dirt driveway's surface, preventing any pooling that will soften the driveway's surface. The slope of the driveway should be 1/4 inch for every foot, creating enough of a slope to run the water off, but not too much of a slope that makes the road difficult to travel.

A Run-Off Trench

• When the ground alongside a dirt road is as level as the road itself, a trench must be dug to create a place for the run-off water to go. This is not necessary when the side of the road continues to slope down. To make a run-off trench, dig a trench along the lower side of the graded road. Make the side of the trench slope downward at an angle. This gradual transition to the bottom of the trench will be easier for a car tire to navigate than a sharp dip.

Tools to Use for Grading

• Prior to grading the dirt road, some of the dirt may need to be excavated to even out the ground. Use a mechanical excavator to scoop up large sections of the dirt where it is too high, and dump it where the ground is too low. In the grading process, a hand shovel will have many uses, but for the bulk of the job, use a tractor with an attached grading blade. Lower the grading blade to smooth over the uneven dirt. This process will fill in any dips in the road and make the ground even according to the desired slope of the road.

Regular Maintenance

• A plain dirt road requires regular maintenance to maintain its grading and smooth surface. Each wet and snowy season brings with it damage to the dirt road, and regular driving over the dirt road will cause tire-track indentations along the car's pathway. One to two times a year, go over the dirt road with a tractor outfitted with the grading blade. Regular maintenance will lessen the occurrence of major repairs along the dirt road.

Reinforcing a Dirt Driveway

• If after many attempts to repair a dirt road it just doesn't seem to hold its form, consider converting to a gravel road. A step up from a dirt road, a gravel road gives the road's surface more stability in the face of water run-off, yet maintains the look of a rural, unpaved road. A gravel road will also require periodic maintenance and grading to redistribute the gravel and even out its surface.