How to Install Inclined Gravel on a Driveway

Lay out the course by planting wood stakes in the ground along the borders every few feet. Use measuring tape to ensure the width is at least 10 feet in straight sections and 14 feet where it curves. The slope of a driveway should not be more than 15 percent or it could be dangerous in wet weather. If the incline of the site is significant, curve the path to reduce the slope. Use a long string to connect the stakes and outline the sides.

Dig out the course of the driveway with an excavator machine or shovel. Remove all of the topsoil from the site until you hit hard ground beneath. Dump the soil on a tarp to re-use for raised gardens or lower-lying areas. Use a measuring stick to verify that the depth is consistent and at least 12 inches. Run a vibrating compactor over the subsoil.

Fit geotextile fabric over the subsoil. Lay down a 4-inch layer of large, irregularly shaped gravel equal in size to a baseball (3 to 4 inches in diameter). Go over the rocks with the compactor machine. Add two 4-inch layers of 3/4-inch gravel over top and run the compactor machine over the entire driveway until the gravel resists pressure.

Finish the surface by adding a crown of 3/4-inch gravel down the middle of the driveway. Rake it so the center of the driveway is higher than the sides for drainage. Make another pass over the site with the compactor machine to prevent the rocks from shifting around.

Install edging on the sides of the driveway to contain the gravel and block surrounding growth from encroaching. Use landscape timbers or medium stones for a natural look, or metal or plastic strips of edging restraints to blend in with the yard.