Looking at a piece of property near Cross Plains Texas that has very sandy soil. I will need to make a long driveway (1/2 mile approx) Would like opinions on materials to use (gravel, caliche, grass turf) for a all weather surface for a driveway. Crushed rock would seem to me to just get pushed into the sand. Am wondering if some clay mixed in would firm it up? What do you all do for an affordable driveway on that kind of dirt (more sand than dirt)
Road building on sand
- Thread starter bman4523
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
highgrit
Well-known member
3/4 rock works good here, I have even put it in some of the creek crossings.
backhoeboogie
Well-known member
Mine used to be about 6 inches of gravel raised across some pastures. 18 foot of sand on some of those pastures. It is now almost flush and the road is solid. At first it was cumbersome with just the raw gravel. It went in nice and firmed up everything. Make it wider and drive on all parts of the road.
I used caliche and crushed limestone for the house driveway years ago but it is not sandy soil there.
I used caliche and crushed limestone for the house driveway years ago but it is not sandy soil there.
Jogeephus
Well-known member
Is it sandy loam or is it sugar sand? Sugar sand is a tough one. Gravel will sink. Best bet on this type is to firm it up with clay. Once you have this done you can start adding other things. During dry times we unroll hay onto the sugar sand roads. This works well in the worst spots.
Most of the road material will all work it will just take more of it. You will have to build your own base.
Not sure if you have access to it in your area but there is a byproduct from coal plants that they use for road material. It can work very well in cases like this. We have put it down in some pretty loose areas. The grass will grown into it and you basically get left with two tracks like a pasture road but its not muddy. The best part of it is you get no splatter on your vehicles like caliche. I started using it around water troughs, in cattle pins and other areas like that. The grass will grow into it and hold it. Its easy on the animals feet but packs hard so they dont break thru.
Not sure if you have access to it in your area but there is a byproduct from coal plants that they use for road material. It can work very well in cases like this. We have put it down in some pretty loose areas. The grass will grown into it and you basically get left with two tracks like a pasture road but its not muddy. The best part of it is you get no splatter on your vehicles like caliche. I started using it around water troughs, in cattle pins and other areas like that. The grass will grow into it and hold it. Its easy on the animals feet but packs hard so they dont break thru.
Well the NRCS describes it as a Chaney-Demona series soil, 0-25 inches light brown-pale brown fine sand. It currently is growing some type of Bermuda grass I'm told. Seems relatively stable to drive on the grass but there are some areas where it appears that due to traffic corners and/or wind that the sand is collected (ie end of fence line) and there is very little clay, the sand not binding together at those spots. Any one know of suppliers near Cross Plains for truck delivery of what ever may be best for this type of ground?
Jogeephus
Well-known member
In my area rock is very expensive so we have to limit the use of this. The grass will hold it together well but with much traffic you will disturb this and end up breaking through. The biggest problem is during dry times. Incorporating clay by harrowing it in will help. Also, ask around and see if you don't have demolition company in your area. We have one that tears down buildings and stuff then runs the brick through a tub grinder and they sell this gravel for about half what rock will sell for. Washout from a concrete plant is also good since this sets up hard.
Texas PaPaw
Well-known member
Talk to your County Commissioner and his road foreman. They will know what is available and works for your area.
Texas PaPaw":mxxm4msn said:
You must have some good ones.... ours are the local rejects who couldn't find their rear with both hands. :bang:
Kingfisher
Well-known member
Hi. I just got a place over in Thrifty. Your down the road from me. I don't have that sort of soil but my buddy does around the corner. Call Vulcan Material. They have some rock that works good for what your doing I believe.bman4523":2bmpfaig said:
john250
Well-known member
I've used some geo-textile fabric with good success on silt-loam soils. Do they work on sand? Seems to me they would?
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
Here in East Texas in this sugar sand you have to come in with base of 2x4 rock and come back over with limestone.
If you don't I guess you could mash it down all the way to China. My driveway is about a 1000 feet I would hate to guess how much rock I had to haul in.
If you don't I guess you could mash it down all the way to China. My driveway is about a 1000 feet I would hate to guess how much rock I had to haul in.
A
Anonymous
Concrete washout works well. Have the truck dump it on the sides, let it dry up for a week or 2. Spread it, and finish it with your bucket. Its sets up pretty dang hard, and is cheap. If you want to be able to work it and recrown the road, run the teeth on a box blade over it after about a week. That will mix it with the sand and leaves it workable and not solid. Bit if you finish it nice with the bucket, I would leave that down for a base and the cap it with gravel or some of that 3/4 rock that can be worked. We did about 1 mile of road this way and although it needs maintenance like every other non paved road its the lowest maint we have come across
