Thread: Decomposed granite Driveway disaster

I might be wrong but I'd be inclined to wait until it dries out and sets.

All the ultra fines are probably causing the muddy mess, but when they float away its Very likely it'll come right, but if you fiddle with it ......

Let it dry a bit then run a compactor over it.
Should be fine.

cement mixed through would have been better, but if it is still level, just let it dry out out, all going well it will set nice and stable.

A few years ago I did some lilydale topping paths around here, couple of days later it rained 'cats & dogs' , step on the path and sink 3 inches, a week later, after it had all dried out, paths are rock hard (and no, further rainfall does not soften them)

This material is a pain in the bum, it can be hard as a rock when dry but still go soft after rain.

He shouldn't of installed it if it was wet- I have found the best time to run the compacter over it is when it still has some of the natural moisture in it. If it's too dry it just spreads around and if wet it stick to the whacker plate and turns to crap.

I would be letting it dry too, then loosen the whole lot up, and put either off white cement (won't show up as much) or soil bond through it...however mixing it through is very important as if some patches have more cement than others, the looser parts on either side of it will wash away. If there is a slope, all the fine pebbles will run away too. It's also great for weeds to grow in, which are a bugger to pull out.

I tend to avoid it now, I'de rather use a brown coloured toppings similar in texture to crushed rock, comes up 10 times better.

When dry remoisten with a 6:1 bondcrete/water mix from a sprayer, let it soak in and compact. This will help seal the top.

If you mess with it he will leave yoy on your own.

If you leave it and cann him back, make him fix it (if needed)

"you said you knew what you were doing...."

Nothing to contribute other than to point out that the Bondcrete will just re-emulsify again when wet.


Cheers.................Sean

Originally Posted by Planned LScape

I tend to avoid it now, I'de rather use a brown coloured toppings similar in texture to crushed rock, comes up 10 times better.

Castella Toppings ? That stuff goes rock hard

Also Castella screenings (pink 14/10 I think it was called. not really pink though) , nice product to use for path ways, doesn't move around like blue metal.

Sounds like the weight of opinion is that we should let it dry.

Then....

We need to decide whether to:

a) Just run a compactor over it and it should stick OK

or

b) Rake some off-white cement through thoroughly (after loosening it).

Any other opinions on which of these would be sensible? If we go for b) how do we work our how much cement we should be raking through?

Originally Posted by Terrian

Castella Toppings ? That stuff goes rock hard

Also Castella screenings (pink 14/10 I think it was called. not really pink though) , nice product to use for path ways, doesn't move around like blue metal.

I think the product name and colour differs from area to area. Up my way there is Creswick Topppings, which is a light browny/orange colour, or even Lilydale Toppings, both pack down very well if done right.

Trick is with gravel is provide a good base and compact it in layers