Lock A Gravel Driveway In Place With An Easy And Effective Solution

Although gravel is a great and inexpensive option for your driveway, gravel driveways come with their own drawbacks. Chief among them is the fact that gravel is notorious for getting kicked around. If you're tired of gravel bits getting tracked all over your yard, don't worry. You can easily lock your driveway into place by yourself with just a sprayer and some glue.

For this DIY project, you need to purchase a form of mulch glue. If you're not a big gardener, you may be wondering what mulch glue is. As the name suggests, this adhesive is used on mulch, gravel, and other materials to keep them in place. You can easily find non-toxic options that are safe to use around your pets, kids, and plants.

Before applying mulch glue to your driveway, you need to prepare it first. You can use a rake on a gravel driveway to remove any debris and smooth everything out. Once that's done, mix your adhesive with water. Generally, you'll use one part glue with two parts water, but you should check the manufacturer's instructions. After, place your mixture in a garden sprayer and spray. Since driveways see a lot of traffic, you'll want to apply a thick coat, wait an hour, and then add a second, final coat.

To pick the best adhesive for your driveway, you need to research what works best with the type of gravel you have, as some may have size limitations. For example, Landscape Loc Mulch & Rock Bond works best on rocks that are 1/2 inch or smaller, so it works for pea gravel but less so for larger gravels like river rock. You also want to ensure that your glue will still allow your driveway to be permeable, as you want water to be able to pass through. 

Some other options are DOMINATOR Mulch Anchor, which is available for $46 per gallon, and PetraMax Rock Glue, available for $35.99 per gallon. You can also use Gravel-Lok, which is a polyurethane (one of the more common forms of resin) binder that is specifically designed for gravel. With this, you'll want to double-check the manufacturer's instructions, as its application may differ from that of mulch glues. 

You can expect many adhesives to last at least a couple of years before you need to reapply. However, that can change depending on factors like the specific glue you picked, your climate, and how much use your driveway sees. But ultimately, this is a quick and easy way to keep your driveway neat with minimal maintenance.