DIY Driveway?

[deevergote]

Ok, I plan on turning my crappylumpy grass/dirt driveway into a functional asphalt one. I know where I can get recycled asphalt (like gravel) for $7 a ton... I would just need to find a way to transport it, as the place has a 20 ton minimum for delivery!

The recycled asphalt can be rolled or hand-stamped (cheap rentals) to be hard like real asphalt. For the price, it can't be beat! My neighbor tells me that I need to dig down about 4" where I want the driveway to be. If anyone can confirm this, that would be great.


Now, this asphalt will probably be rather soft, kinda like my street (there are a few jack-divits from doing my suspension already...) Would I be smart to make a concrete patch where I can do major car work? Or maybe a steel plate? I hope to tear the engine out of a car in this driveway, and do as much work as I possibly can myself.

Advice, ideas, and questions are more than welcome!

[91accord4door]

when i install driveways we go down about 5-6 inches not 4.i would go atleast 5.

[91accord4door]

ya around here its 5.but different states have different rules i guess.anyways cracks and crumbling are going to happen nomatter what because concrete does not flex,or like any type of weather,eve road salt from winter eats away at it.but i know that the hardest of concrete will get divets from a jack,i think that a large piece of steal would def. be a good idea.

[deevergote]

Cool, thanks!

I'm probably gonna pick up the asphalt, so I'll only need like 3-4 tons... My guess anyway. I'll probably go down deeper if you guys suggest it (and have done it before... I haven't, so I'd rather listen to those who have!) 5-6" maybe.

I'll have to look into a steel plate to do my work with. Having the jack ON a bare plate would scare me, since it's slippery. Putting it underneath the asphalt is a good idea!

[91accord4door]

did you measure? i have done tons of driveways and we have a standard of atleats 5" and have not had any problems.4 is fine but 5 is what we use,sometimes 6.anyways steal would be slippery.is your driveway at any kind of slope?

[deevergote]

It has a very slight slope. I hope to level it out as much as possible when i dig down. It's bumpy as hell, so I may dig 6" to ensure I have nice solid ground to work on.

I haven't measured just yet, but I know I want to go like 30' or more back, half of it one car wide, the other half 2 cars wide (that's where I plan on working...)

[91accord4door]

you might want to use rebarb from home depot for strength in the struture.its cheap sloution to cracks.alos have you ever noticed those lines that they make in side walks or walk ways?those are there for a reason.they make those because instead of having ugly cracks all over the sidewalk they make those "crack lines" because thats wear thecrack will happen.now half the time it does not work because its not done right but thats why those lines are there.if theres stress on the concrete those lines will crack before the rest.

[deevergote]

Yeah, I know about the expansion cracks in sidewalks and stuff... Still, I plan on using recycled asphalt, so it'll be more like the roadway. Would rebarb still be useful with that? I'd definitely use it if it would work...