How to Install a Pebblestone Driveway

Insert wooden pegs in the four corners of the driveway site and every four feet along the sides. Measure the width using measuring tape and adjust the spacing so the driveway is at least 10 feet for one car, and 14 feet if the driveway curves. Tie a long white string around the top of each peg to create an outline.

Lay down a tarp to the side of the site. Dig out grass and topsoil with a shovel, and dump it on the tarp to fill in low spots of the yard. Remove 12 inches of topsoil, then start at the end closest to the house and dig down 1/8 inch more for every foot of length toward the street to make a smooth, consistent drainage slope.

Push a vibrating compactor over the dirt floor to make the subbase as stable as possible.

Spread two 4-inch layers of aggregate over the site, compacting it down between both layers.

Hammer wooden stakes every eight feet around the inner walls of the site until the top of each stake is about an inch above ground level. Lay 2-by-6-inch boards on their sides against the stakes to frame the driveway. Bracket the boards together end-to-end with a drill and screws. Drill a screw through the stakes into the boards to secure them in place.

Mix concrete in a concrete mixer. using concrete mix and the prescribed amount of water. Pour the thick, batter-like mix over the site until it fills the frame boards. Drag a long metal screed board across the surface, moving slowly down the length of the site to push excess into low spots so the concrete is level. Use a squeegee over the surface to smooth over lines left by the screed board. Wait about two hours for the concrete to firm up.

Use a long-handled shovel to sprinkle pebbles over the concrete. Spread them evenly with a soft broom, and press the pebbles into the concrete with a clean, flat board. Wait an hour for the pebbles to set in the slab.

Push a thin coating of cement paste over the top of the pebbles with the soft broom. Remove just enough cement to show the top surface of each stone. Hose off the loose cement and cover the driveway with breathable fabric for about a week.