Crushed concrete’s definitely less hassle than gravel, but I always remind people—watch for sharp bits if you’re doing any digging or kids are around.
I hear you on the tire-shredding chunks, but I’ve actually had more drama with gravel than crushed concrete. Gravel seems to migrate everywhere, especially if you’ve got a slope. I swear I found some in my basement once… no idea how. I do toss a cheap landscape fabric down first though, helps keep the sharp bits buried and the weeds out. Not perfect, but better than picking concrete outta your shoe.
I swear I found some in my basement once… no idea how.
- Been there. Gravel’s like glitter—once it’s loose, you’ll find it everywhere for years.
- Crushed concrete’s rough on hands, but at least it mostly stays put.
- Landscape fabric helps, but if you’re digging for septic lines, watch out. That stuff tangles up in everything and makes repairs a pain.
- Honestly, I’d rather deal with a few sharp bits than chase gravel down the driveway every spring.
Never thought I’d say it, but I actually miss the days when all I had to worry about was rocks in my shoes. Once you start digging for septic stuff, it’s like a treasure hunt—except the “treasure” is usually roots, mystery pipes, or that infamous landscape fabric. That stuff is the worst. I tried to save money by reusing some gravel and ended up tracking it into the kitchen for weeks… Not sure it was worth the couple bucks saved, honestly.
That landscape fabric is a nightmare—once it’s buried, it’s like trying to cut through Kevlar. I’ve run into old chicken wire too, which is even worse when you’re digging blind. Honestly, I stopped reusing gravel after the second time I had to sweep up the kitchen every night. Did you ever hit any weird old pipes or stuff that didn’t make sense? I once found a capped-off line that went nowhere. Still no clue what it was for.
Capped-off lines are always a head-scratcher. Nine times outta ten, it's something from an old irrigation setup or maybe a previous owner’s DIY fix that never got finished. I’ve dug up stuff like that and traced it back to absolutely nothing—just ends in the dirt. Once found a pipe that literally looped back on itself. If you’re worried it might be tied to septic or water, I usually recommend running a quick pressure test or dye test just to rule out leaks. Beats guessing, especially with old properties where folks did whatever made sense at the time... or didn’t.
