Should You Add Concrete Powder To Your Gravel Driveway To Make It More Durable?

Adding a gravel driveway to your home looks great, is relatively quick, and is certainly cost-effective. However, one of the drawbacks of this material is the stability of the surface. If the driveway is on a slope, even a gentle one, the gravel will tend to flow downhill. When vehicles drive on it, they will create ruts. According to some DIYers and driveway contractors, adding concrete powder to an existing driveway can solve these problems and make it stronger and more durable. It should also be inexpensive. The whole process sounds great on paper, but not every clever idea translates well when you consider real-life functionality.

The idea is pretty straightforward: Spread the powder across the gravel, use a stiff broom to brush it in, then water it using a watering can so that the concrete binds with the gravel and holds it in place. If you're looking for a truly low-budget way to improve your driveway, powdered products like concrete or cement can often be found on offer for as little as a dollar a bag if they are split. With concrete mix at around $6 for an 80 pound bag from big-name hardware outlets, finding a deal like that would make a noticeable difference to the cost of the job.

The hack uses concrete mix as the main component, but expert advice suggests that, at best, it would be a temporary solution. On its own, concrete mix isn't strong enough to support traffic and would break up and be eroded by the weather. If there was sufficient material to hold the gravel together for a while, it would create an impermeable barrier. Then rainwater would run off, potentially flooding areas of the yard that weren't previously a problem. According to Dirt Connections, a construction service, adding concrete to gravel is basically a "waste of time, money, and effort."

There are other issues. If you follow the same line of thinking, cement mix, mortar mix, or sand mix could also be used, but these products would behave differently when water was added and have different levels of durability. They would create a patchwork that lacked strength and, perhaps worse, ruin the attractive color and texture of the driveway, which is one of the main reasons people choose gravel in the first place. Perhaps if concrete mix was used in a utilitarian area of the yard where appearance wasn't a consideration, then the hack might be worth a try. However, while there are a number of effective ways to maintain a gravel driveway, this quick fix isn't one of them.

Keeping a gravel driveway in peak condition does take a little effort, but a few tire ruts will have little impact on the visual appeal if the gravel is a reasonable thickness. Although there are arguments for a thicker layer, a couple of inches of material is often sufficient. Raking the gravel regularly is beneficial, doesn't require any expensive tools, and isn't particularly hard work.

To cure some problem areas, it may be necessary to lift the gravel and start again. This can be time-consuming, but worth it in the long run. If weeds in the gravel are a problem, landscape fabric can be laid as a barrier. If you need a solid area within your gravel driveway, pavers can be added. It's important to choose the the best paver stones for your driveway, but the result can be something that is both functional and looks great. Plastic gravel grids, like these Standartpark Vodaland Permeable Pavers from Amazon, are another option to prevent gravel moving around. They may not sound particularly appealing, but once filled, they act as an almost-undetectable way to bring some more structure to your gravel surface.