- Clay soil definitely plays a role here—it holds moisture and expands/contracts more, causing sand to shift and gravel to sink unevenly.
- If you're stuck with clay, a compacted crushed stone base or geotextile fabric underneath usually holds up better long-term.
"If you're stuck with clay, a compacted crushed stone base or geotextile fabric underneath usually holds up better long-term."
Yeah, learned that the hard way myself after redoing our driveway twice in three years. Clay soil can be such a pain, especially when you think you've finally got it under control, and then boom... uneven sinking again. Curious though, has anyone tried combining both crushed stone and geotextile fabric together? Wondering if it’s overkill or if it actually makes a noticeable difference.
Did exactly that combo last summer—geotextile fabric first, then compacted crushed stone on top. Honestly, best decision ever. Our driveway hasn't budged an inch yet (knock on wood), and that's saying something considering the clay nightmare we started with. Might seem like overkill at first, but totally worth it if you're tired of playing driveway whack-a-mole every spring...
Did something similar a few years back, but skipped the fabric (regretted it later...). Roots eventually found their way up again. Definitely agree fabric's worth the extra step—wish I'd known sooner. Glad yours is holding strong so far!
Went through something similar at my old place—thought I had it all figured out with gravel and plastic sheeting. Nope, roots punched right through after a couple years. Curious, did you go with landscape fabric or something heavier-duty? Wondering if thickness makes a big difference...
