By Bennett's Concrete and Excavation, Norwich, NY. Updated October 2026.
1. Dig out the soft stuff
Topsoil and organic material compress and hold water. Strip them and get down to firm ground.
2. Fabric on soft or wet ground
On clay or wet soil, a geotextile fabric keeps the stone from pushing down into the mud over time.
3. Base course
A layer of larger crushed stone, compacted. Around here, suppliers sell products like 2 inch crusher run and NYSDOT Item 304 subbase for driveway bases.
4. Top course
A finer crushed stone with fines, like 1 1/2 inch crusher run, that packs tight and gives a smooth surface. Round stone rolls and ruts. Crushed, angular stone locks together.
5. Crown and drainage
A crown down the middle or a cross slope sheds water to the sides. Add ditches and culverts where water crosses. Water is what ruins gravel driveways.
6. Maintain it
Regrade and add top stone every so often, and fix potholes before they grow. We can do that, and deliver stone with our dump truck.
