"Had to redo half the thing next spring... not fun."
Yeah, learned that lesson myself the hard way. With clay soil, it's all about managing water flow. One thing I'd add—don't underestimate drainage around the perimeter either. I've found that even with perfect overlaps, if you don't give water somewhere else to go, it'll still find a way under your slab eventually. A simple French drain or gravel trench around the edges can save you from another "fun" weekend project down the line...
Good points on drainage, especially around clay soil. A French drain saved me headaches too—wish I'd put it in sooner.
"if you don't give water somewhere else to go, it'll still find a way under your slab eventually."
Ever tried adding landscape fabric under the gravel? Curious if others found it helpful or overkill...
Landscape fabric under gravel can be helpful, but honestly, it depends on your soil and drainage situation. I've used it a couple times—once it worked great, kept the gravel clean and prevented silt buildup. Another time, though, it seemed to clog up faster than expected and slowed drainage down. If your clay is really heavy, fabric might actually trap fine particles and cause issues later. I'd say it's not overkill exactly...just something to weigh carefully based on your specific conditions.
I totally get what you're saying about the fabric—it really can be hit or miss depending on your soil. I've had a similar experience myself. One thing that worked well for me, especially in heavier clay areas, was adding a thicker layer of larger gravel or crushed stone first before laying down the fabric. It created a bit more breathing room for water to drain through, and seemed to reduce clogging issues.
Also, if you're worried about fine particles clogging things up, you might consider skipping the fabric altogether and just going with a deeper gravel base. I've seen that approach work surprisingly well in some tricky drainage spots. Just make sure to compact each layer as you go—makes a huge difference in stability later on.
Either way, sounds like you're already thinking things through carefully...which is half the battle with DIY projects like this. Good luck!
"Also, if you're worried about fine particles clogging things up, you might consider skipping the fabric altogether and just going with a deeper gravel base."
Interesting point about skipping the fabric—I’ve seen that work well too, especially in areas prone to heavy rainfall. Personally, I lean towards using permeable materials whenever possible to keep things eco-friendly and sustainable. Have you ever experimented with recycled concrete or other reclaimed materials for your gravel base? Curious how that might affect drainage and stability...
