Hello,
we are planning to cover our yard with gravel and are considering whether to lay it loose directly on the base, loose on a geotextile fabric, or on stabilization honeycomb grid mats.
I checked out the honeycomb grids at a building materials store, and it definitely seems like a better solution since it prevents ruts in the gravel from bicycles, the trash bin, strollers, etc., and there is no longer a visible difference between the areas where cars drive and the pure pedestrian zones.
The question is whether it is really worth it at a cost of 13 euros per square meter, compared to the other options. The fact is that this will be a long-term project with the gravel, since for several reasons we do not want to pave.
Does anyone know how weed growth compares to loose laying? I have noticed that weeds tend to grow more where the gravel layer becomes thinner, for example from driving or from uneven spreading, compared to areas with a thicker layer.
we are planning to cover our yard with gravel and are considering whether to lay it loose directly on the base, loose on a geotextile fabric, or on stabilization honeycomb grid mats.
I checked out the honeycomb grids at a building materials store, and it definitely seems like a better solution since it prevents ruts in the gravel from bicycles, the trash bin, strollers, etc., and there is no longer a visible difference between the areas where cars drive and the pure pedestrian zones.
The question is whether it is really worth it at a cost of 13 euros per square meter, compared to the other options. The fact is that this will be a long-term project with the gravel, since for several reasons we do not want to pave.
Does anyone know how weed growth compares to loose laying? I have noticed that weeds tend to grow more where the gravel layer becomes thinner, for example from driving or from uneven spreading, compared to areas with a thicker layer.
We looked into it and made some plans. However, our landscaping contractor advised against it.
In hindsight, I'm glad: I don’t want to cover my garden or driveway area with plastic (I also avoid the currently popular weed barrier fabric in the flower beds). Additionally, you need to lay down a weed membrane as well – which adds to the cost!
Yes, you might not see tire tracks at first, but if a child plays there, I guarantee that gradually more plastic will become visible because the gravel can shift – of course, this depends on the thickness of the gravel layer and its compaction. That wouldn’t be very nice – personally, I prefer tire tracks over visible plastic grids.
I also wouldn’t use fine gravel: it gets into the tread of shoes and then into the house or places where you don’t want it. Plus, with finer gravel, there’s a higher chance of sinking, so the tracks will be deeper.
Coarser gravel isn’t really intended for plastic grids anyway, because it’s not necessary: tire tracks are barely visible, and the surface is only slightly flattened where cars drive.
You can use a weed membrane to prevent weeds, but seeds and soil still collect in the gravel surfaces and gaps, so sooner or later, plants will grow there as well.
Regards,
Yvonne
In hindsight, I'm glad: I don’t want to cover my garden or driveway area with plastic (I also avoid the currently popular weed barrier fabric in the flower beds). Additionally, you need to lay down a weed membrane as well – which adds to the cost!
Yes, you might not see tire tracks at first, but if a child plays there, I guarantee that gradually more plastic will become visible because the gravel can shift – of course, this depends on the thickness of the gravel layer and its compaction. That wouldn’t be very nice – personally, I prefer tire tracks over visible plastic grids.
I also wouldn’t use fine gravel: it gets into the tread of shoes and then into the house or places where you don’t want it. Plus, with finer gravel, there’s a higher chance of sinking, so the tracks will be deeper.
Coarser gravel isn’t really intended for plastic grids anyway, because it’s not necessary: tire tracks are barely visible, and the surface is only slightly flattened where cars drive.
You can use a weed membrane to prevent weeds, but seeds and soil still collect in the gravel surfaces and gaps, so sooner or later, plants will grow there as well.
Regards,
Yvonne
It’s like with everything—what value do you assign to something?
The gravel itself hardly costs anything, and the preparatory work, installation, and maintenance are relatively inexpensive compared to paving or asphalt...
The GroundGrid costs about 11 euros per square meter (based on 100 square meters at the building materials store) plus a filter fleece for 1 euro per square meter, but it requires more gravel material.
The Nidagravel is around 15 euros per square meter without additional fleece and requires less gravel.
Affordable paving is similarly priced, but the installation is much more expensive, and if you have the substructure done according to DIN standards, it becomes even more costly... Also, you have to consider drains for rainwater and the corresponding fees for sealed surfaces unless you allow infiltration with a soakaway system (which also costs money).
For a long-term gravel solution, I definitely think it’s an investment worth making... If someone only wants a simple, quick driveway surface for a few years right after building their new home, it probably isn’t for them...
What I also like is that if work needs to be done on the surface—like accessing a pipe, repairing spots due to oil damage from a car, etc.—with gravel (even with the grids) it’s much easier and cheaper, and afterwards, you can’t see the repairs.
Long-term experience to follow.
The gravel itself hardly costs anything, and the preparatory work, installation, and maintenance are relatively inexpensive compared to paving or asphalt...
The GroundGrid costs about 11 euros per square meter (based on 100 square meters at the building materials store) plus a filter fleece for 1 euro per square meter, but it requires more gravel material.
The Nidagravel is around 15 euros per square meter without additional fleece and requires less gravel.
Affordable paving is similarly priced, but the installation is much more expensive, and if you have the substructure done according to DIN standards, it becomes even more costly... Also, you have to consider drains for rainwater and the corresponding fees for sealed surfaces unless you allow infiltration with a soakaway system (which also costs money).
For a long-term gravel solution, I definitely think it’s an investment worth making... If someone only wants a simple, quick driveway surface for a few years right after building their new home, it probably isn’t for them...
What I also like is that if work needs to be done on the surface—like accessing a pipe, repairing spots due to oil damage from a car, etc.—with gravel (even with the grids) it’s much easier and cheaper, and afterwards, you can’t see the repairs.
Long-term experience to follow.
A small update: We will probably only install the actual driving lane and lay geotextile fabric on the left and right sides where there will be foot traffic only. Since the slabs measure 1.20 x 2.40 meters (4 x 8 feet), this will cover the driving lane well. This cuts the costs in half.
One more addition...
We found another supplier, the company Securatek, which offers the Secu K3, which in my opinion is the best solution in this category. A big drawback of using a fleece underneath is that over time it clogs up with sediment, no matter how coarse or fine the pores are, preventing water from seeping through. At the same time, water can’t drain sideways because the honeycomb structure is sealed.
The K3 has a plastic grid at the bottom with openings of 5mm (0.2 inches), similar to a geogrid (used, for example, in road construction but with larger grid sizes). This design prevents the filter layer from becoming clogged. We ordered a sample panel and were very satisfied, especially since water can also drain sideways...
For instance, we received unwashed gravel, and after the first rain showers washed the gravel, the fleece became clogged and sealed off. Of course, this doesn’t happen with washed gravel, but dirt that settles there from the air, shoes, car tires (especially in winter from dirty snow clumps on the car), or from work being done on the property will eventually cause the fleece to clog with sediment...
We found another supplier, the company Securatek, which offers the Secu K3, which in my opinion is the best solution in this category. A big drawback of using a fleece underneath is that over time it clogs up with sediment, no matter how coarse or fine the pores are, preventing water from seeping through. At the same time, water can’t drain sideways because the honeycomb structure is sealed.
The K3 has a plastic grid at the bottom with openings of 5mm (0.2 inches), similar to a geogrid (used, for example, in road construction but with larger grid sizes). This design prevents the filter layer from becoming clogged. We ordered a sample panel and were very satisfied, especially since water can also drain sideways...
For instance, we received unwashed gravel, and after the first rain showers washed the gravel, the fleece became clogged and sealed off. Of course, this doesn’t happen with washed gravel, but dirt that settles there from the air, shoes, car tires (especially in winter from dirty snow clumps on the car), or from work being done on the property will eventually cause the fleece to clog with sediment...
Similar topics