Yeah, I agree gravel can work pretty well if you prep it right. The key is definitely getting that solid base layer down and compacting it thoroughly. I've found that using a geotextile fabric underneath helps a ton with stability and drainage, keeps weeds from popping through too. It does shift occasionally, but honestly, it's easy enough to rake back into place every now and then... beats having to patch cracks in asphalt any day.
Gravel definitely has its perks, especially with the fabric underneath. Have you had any issues with heavier vehicles causing deeper ruts or shifting more than usual? I've seen that happen occasionally, but maybe it's just a prep issue on my end...
I've dealt with gravel driveways quite a bit, and honestly, heavier vehicles can definitely cause some headaches if the prep isn't spot-on. A few years back, we had a client who regularly had delivery trucks coming through, and despite using fabric underneath, they still ended up with some pretty deep ruts. Turned out the issue was mostly due to insufficient compaction and drainage prep beforehand. Once we beefed up the base layer with a thicker, well-compacted sub-base and improved drainage along the sides, things held up way better—even with heavy trucks rolling through regularly.
So yeah, fabric helps, but it's not a magic fix. If you're seeing shifting or rutting, I'd double-check your base prep and drainage setup. Might save you some headaches down the road...literally.
Yeah, good points about the prep work. Makes me wonder though—have you considered how often your neighbor plans to use this driveway? If they're regularly bringing heavy vehicles through, even the best prep might need ongoing maintenance. Had a similar situation once, and it turned into a bit of a headache figuring out who was responsible for upkeep. Just something to think about before agreeing to anything...
"Had a similar situation once, and it turned into a bit of a headache figuring out who was responsible for upkeep."
Yeah, that's a good point about the upkeep responsibility—definitely something to put clearly in writing. Have you thought about drainage as well? Depending on slope and materials, heavy vehicles might lead to water pooling or erosion issues down the line. Might be worth considering how that'll be handled, especially if your neighbor plans to pave or gravel the driveway...
