I tried something similar last summer—did a coarse base layer with finer gravel on top. Honestly didn't notice a huge difference, maybe slightly less shifting... but not sure it was worth the extra hassle and cost. Might stick to just crushed stone next time.
"Honestly didn't notice a huge difference, maybe slightly less shifting... but not sure it was worth the extra hassle and cost."
Interesting you say that—I actually found the opposite to be true when I did something similar for my patio foundation. Initially, I was tempted to skip the finer gravel layer too, thinking it wouldn't matter much. But after chatting with a friend who's into high-end landscaping, he convinced me to give it a shot. Honestly, the difference surprised me. It wasn't just about shifting; the finer gravel seemed to compact better and created a smoother, more stable surface overall.
Maybe it's partly about how you compacted it or the specific gravel you used? I know it can feel like extra hassle and expense at first, but in my experience, investing a bit more upfront often pays off in longevity and quality. Plus, there's something satisfying about knowing you've done things thoroughly from the ground up—literally!
That's interesting, because I've tried both ways on different projects and honestly didn't notice a huge difference either. Maybe climate or soil type plays a bigger role than we think... or I'm just lucky? Curious if others had similar experiences.
"Maybe climate or soil type plays a bigger role than we think... or I'm just lucky?"
Interesting thought—I recently tackled my first DIY concrete foundation for our custom home, and I spent weeks stressing over methods and materials. After reading countless forums, I decided on one particular approach that everyone swore was superior. But honestly, when chatting with neighbors who've built similarly in our area (mostly clay-heavy soil here), everyone seems to have done it differently, and yet no one seems to have had any real issues either way. It's making me wonder if I didn't need to spend all those sleepless nights researching after all, haha. Could it really just come down to local conditions or maybe even luck? Curious if anyone else noticed that the "best method" might not always be so clear-cut.
I totally get where you're coming from with this. When we built our small workshop a couple years back, I obsessed over foundation details—watched endless YouTube videos, read every forum thread imaginable, and even called up a local builder friend for advice. Funny thing is, after all that prep, the guy down the road just winged it with minimal research and his shed's still standing perfectly fine. It made me realize that sometimes the "perfect" method might be a bit overrated. Local soil and climate definitely seem to matter more than some universal best practice. And honestly, a bit of luck probably doesn't hurt either. At least you can rest easy knowing your foundation is solid—literally and figuratively.
