How to Lay a Pebble Driveway

Measure the area with a tape measure, and outline the driveway site with stakes and a string. The width should be about 10 feet for one car and 16 to 24 feet for two. Add 2 inches to each side for the edging.

Dig out 12 inches of soil and grass with a shovel, and transfer the soil to a low area in the yard. Use a hand tamper to pack down the soil under the driveway area until it feels hard beneath the tamper.

Pour 8 inches of pack, or a mix of small gravel and stone dust, into the site and tamp it. The small stones compact together into an almost solid base, while the stone dust fills in the crevices. Moisten the surface with a hose so the dust will cling to the stones as it dries to create a stable base.

Fit landscape timbers against the inner edges of the remaining expanse. Hammer 12-inch nail spikes through the timbers to fasten them down. Other types of edging to consider include fieldstones, pavers and metal strips.

Shovel pebbles over the pack and shift them with a shovel to fill in the corners and edges. Fill the driveway until the pebbles are about an inch above ground level. Add an additional 2-inch-thick layer down the center of the driveway to crown the surface so water flows to the sides and off the driveway instead of forming puddles in the center.