Category: Blog

A steep driveway can be difficult to drive up and down every day for both you and your car. Ideally, a driveway shouldn’t be any steeper than a 12-15% slope, but when you live in a place with lots of hills, that’s not always possible. When your driveway is steeper than that, it can be difficult to maintain — and when your driveway is tough to maintain, that’s even harder on you and your car.

Luckily, there are some easy ways you can fix the problem without spending a ton of money. Your car is sure to thank you for it.

#1. Add Gravel

If you have a steep incline, a gravel driveway is going to work better than a paved one. It will provide more traction, especially in rain and slippery conditions. If you’re building a house and starting from scratch, gravel is the way you want to go.

If you already have a paved driveway in front of your home, installing a gravel one may be your best option. It’s not as attractive, but it’s better than having your car slip down the driveway.

Though gravel can erode as time goes on, this is a problem that’s easily remedied. Simply add more gravel when needed and smooth it out with a Driveway Scraper. If there are any low spots, the Driveway Scraper can easily smooth them out.

Considering it’s one of the cheapest driveway materials, gravel is the best way to go for those on a budget as well.

#2. Add Curves to Your Steep Driveway

Redesigning your existing driveway can also work if you’re dealing with a particularly steep one. You will have to do some significant reconfiguring, so it’s not always the cheapest option, but it is one of the most effective way to make a steep driveway more manageable, and longer-lasting. 

Redesigning your driveway to have more curves can make descending to the street much more gradual and not such a steep drop. When you’re driving in the dark or during a storm, you’ll feel a whole lot better going up or down your driveway when it has a few more curves.

#3. Add Safety Barriers

If you’re worried about skidding off your driveway because of how steep it is, consider adding a safety barrier on either side of the path. If you happen to slide, the barriers can stop you before you slide too far and end up sliding into oncoming traffic. 

You don’t necessarily have to have barriers along the edge of the whole path either. You can put them in the spots that make you the most nervous.

These barriers can be made of just about anything including stone, wood, brick, or even bushes. Whatever material you choose, this option is much cheaper than redoing your whole driveway.

#4. Add a Ramp

To reduce the steepness in different areas of your driveway, you can also add a ramp. Whether your driveway has gradually eroded over the years or there’s simply a natural dip that you don’t like, adding a ramp (or a gap ramp) can help fill in that space and make the drive a lot more manageable.

These ramps can be made of concrete, wood, or steel and you can either buy a premade one or hire someone to make one for you. It really depends on how much you want to pay.

You’ll also want to make sure there is a tread plate on the ramp so it doesn’t become too slippery.

#5. Invest in the Right Tools

No matter what, proper maintenance of a steep driveway is what will keep it as safe as possible. A steep driveway that no one has cared for is much more dangerous than one that is regularly maintained to remove potholes and ensure that the grade is as low as it possibly can be. 

If you have a steep gravel driveway, the best tool available to you is the Driveway Scraper. Available in multiple sizes, it is easily attached to your tractor or mower to maintain that steep gravel driveway safely. 

Fix your steep gravel driveway in no time. The Driveway Scraper from Agritek offers the robust, easy-to-use solution you need to get your driveway back in shape. Give us a call or contact us online to learn more. 

The material and information contained on this website is for general information purposes only. You should not rely upon the material or information on the website as a basis for making business, legal or other decisions.

Many people use tractors as part of their everyday lives. Homeowners, ranchers, farmers, and landscapers all use tractors for numerous jobs and chores. But if you’re using a tractor and not using any attachments, you may be missing out on all the ways a tractor can support those many daily tasks. Let’s take a look at a few of the most useful tractor attachments that will lighten up your workload, and even make your time outdoors more efficient. 

1. Rotary Tiller

Whether you have a large vegetable garden or you need to till a field to put in new crops, the rotary tiller attachment is one of the best tools you can use for this job. It cuts deep into the soil and turns it up so you can have a fresh layer that’s perfect to lay down seeds.

It can also be used to mulch organic matter, blend fertilizer into the soil, or mix gravel.

The rotary tiller has curved forks that are attached to a rotating shaft and it’s all powered by the tractor itself. They also come in sizes from very compact to quite large. And the larger the rotary tiller, the deeper it goes into the soil.

2. Spreader

The spreader attachment is one of the most useful tractor attachments available. Whether you are spreading seeds across a field or salt on an icy road, the job doesn’t get much easier when you have a spreader. 

You simply fill the hopper with whatever material you’re looking to spread and then, once you get going, it spreads the material evenly over the land behind the tractor. It certainly makes it much easier than trying to do it by hand!

3. Front-End Loader

One of the more popular tractor attachments is the front-end loader. While it can certainly scoop up dirt or gravel, it can also do a whole lot more than that. The attachment can haul rocks, move manure or plant materials, and even carry firewood.

A front-end loader usually comes with a general-sized bucket but you can also connect a grapple bucket, a rock and root bucket, a manure fork, or blades. You can also connect it to a pallet loader and pull pallets off a trailer.

4. Landscape Rake

Landscape rakes look exactly like you think they would. They look like a massive rake that you attach to your tractor. They are also known as rock rakes or york rakes and are used to scrape through dirt, grass, rocks, or other types of soil. 

Unlike a tiller, they do not go too deep into the soil. They barely break through the surface. They are typically used if you want to clear away rocks, roots, or debris from the area you’re working on. They also do a great job breaking up clumps of dirt. They leave the soil perfect for laying down seeds.

5. Finish Mower

The finish mower attachment has three blades and you can control the mowing height with four gauge wheels. There are also usually belts that move the blades.

This attachment is built for mowing open areas and for cutting your lawn short but without scalping it. It’s perfect for sporting fields. 

It works well for fine and groomed mowing and will have your grass looking like it should be in a landscaping magazine. And it’s a whole lot easier than taking a regular lawn mower over a big expanse of land.

6. Grading Blade

A grading blade does exactly what it says it does. It’s great for grading a driveway, preparing the ground for plants, and even removing snow after a big storm. 

When purchasing a grading blade, you want to look for one that is the same width as your tractor. Choosing one wider and your tractor may not have enough power to operate it. If it’s too narrow, the blade won’t cover as great a distance and it will take you much more time to get the job done. Grading blades usually range anywhere from 5-8 feet.

7. Driveway Scrapers and Graders

A driveway grading tool is the ultimate tool for any tractor, as it has multiple uses across different property types. The Driveway Scraper, for example, can smooth out your dirt or gravel driveway as the name suggests, but it also works on any job where gravel needs to be leveled out, from parking lots to golf courses.

The Driveway Scraper attaches to the 3-point hookup on your tractor and uses its front blades to smooth out high spots while the rear blade uses the material from those high spots to fill in any low spots ensuring everything is even once you’re done. It also works on both flat and contour surfaces.

Beyond gravel and driveways, it can also level out topsoil for planting and landscaping.

At Rapidtek, we do grading blades like nobody else in the industry. Our DS Series Driveway Scrapers can be easily attached to your tractor, then used to level dirt and gravel driveways, parking lots, playing surfaces, and more. If you’re looking to purchase one of your own, contact our team for more information. We’re happy to find the product that suits your application best. 

The material and information contained on this website is for general information purposes only. You should not rely upon the material or information on the website as a basis for making business, legal or other decisions.

Regularly grading your driveway is key to keeping it in good condition and preventing damage to vehicles that drive on it. But having a driveway graded professionally on a regular basis can be costly, especially if you have a long driveway, or have a series of gravel drives on your property. In such cases, doing it yourself can be a great option. But first, you need to know how to grade a driveway.

Why grade your driveway?

Gravel and dirt driveways (and parking lots and roads) degrade over time. Rain, snow, and ice can all affect the surface of the driveway, as can dry conditions and poor drainage. Even just driving on dirt and gravel driveways can cause compaction and settling of the materials, altering the driving surface.

If you don’t grade your driveway, you may experience

• Washouts during heavy rain
• Washboard ruts
• Potholes
• Compaction of the dirt or gravel

These can pose problems for your vehicle, as ruts and potholes can wreak havoc on your suspension or bend your rims. It can also mean that you’ll have to replace the lost soil or gravel to make the surface safe and driveable. Regularly grading your driveway can prevent or mitigate these issues, saving you damage to your vehicle and the cost of replacing lost gravel.

How do you grade a driveway?

Grading a driveway is relatively simple, provided you have the right tools, and a solid understanding of how to complete the task. Let’s take a closer look at what you need to grade a driveway. 

Start with the Right Equipment

• Driveway grader — a driveway grader (a.k.a. a box grader or motor grader) is a tow-behind tool that grades (i.e., smooths) dirt and gravel surfaces. Graders have front blades or teeth that cut down material that has built up above the rest of the surface and side or back blades or teeth that push the excess material into dips, ruts, or holes in the surface.
• Lawnmower, tractor, or truck with towing capabilities
• Quick-tach adapter, if using a larger tractor with Class 2 hookups or with a quick-tach system
• Gravel rake
• Gravel, if it’s necessary to replace missing gravel

Follow these 6 Steps to Properly Grade Your Driveway

1. Attach your driveway grader to your towing vehicle.
2. Set your driveway grader to the deepest possible grading setting to loosen the gravel or dirt, possibly adding weight to the grader.
3. Perform two or three passes over each section of the driveway to ensure that the gravel is de-compacted
4. Sweep any gravel that has moved off the driveway and into the yard back onto the driveway and fill in any washed-out areas.
5. Set your driveway grader to a shallower setting.
6. Perform another two or three passes over each section of the driveway. This should evenly distribute the gravel over the surface of the driveway.

How often should you grade a driveway?

Professionally maintained gravel and dirt roads are generally graded twice per year, once in the fall and once in the spring. This is generally to help prevent and mitigate damage that will happen to the road in the high precipitation and cold temperatures of the winter months, and then to repair some of that damage in the spring.

For a driveway, semiannual grading in the fall and spring is a good place to start. You may find that you need to grade your particular driveway with greater frequency, depending on your soil and weather conditions and the amount of weight and traffic your driveway sees. You may also find that you need to grade your driveway after large storm events or when significant ruts or potholes appear.

As a general rule, a driveway should be graded when its crown—the higher part in the middle—is no longer maintained. This is because the crown aids in effectively draining the driveway, ameliorating some of the effects of stormwater and runoff. When the crown of the driveway is flattened, potholes and ruts are more likely to develop.

If you need to grade a driveway, parking lot, or other dirt or gravel surface, look to the DS Series Driveway Scrapers. Available in three different sizes and with a couple of optional accessories, it’s a versatile tool that can help you get the job done easily and effectively. If you have any questions, contact our team online.

The material and information contained on this website is for general information purposes only. You should not rely upon the material or information on the website as a basis for making business, legal or other decisions.

Choosing the right gravel for your driveway is an important, yet often overlooked task. While it may seem fairly straightforward, it’s imperative to do a bit of research before making a selection. 

Let’s take a closer look at the different types of gravel, and which may be the best one for your driveway. 

Why Choose a Gravel Driveway?

But first, what makes gravel a good driveway material in the first place? With other options, like concrete, out there, what makes it desirable? 

Simply put, it’s the perfect choice for a person or business with a long driveway and a cost-conscious budget. It compacts well and sheds water easily, while also being relatively simple to maintain. 

On top of that, there are plenty of different types of gravel to choose from, with different rocks, stones, colors, shapes, and performance capabilities. In fact, there are so many choices — all with their own strengths and weaknesses — that the decision can get a bit overwhelming. You want a driveway that looks as nice as possible, but also one that performs well and won’t wash or roll away before you can even start to enjoy it. 

Gravel for Driveways: Which Is the Best Option? 

Which leads us back to our original question: what really is the best gravel for a driveway? It depends on your unique wants and needs. We know that’s not the most straightforward answer, but it really can vary based on a few different factors, such as your land, your climate, your aesthetic preferences, and more. 

But while we can’t quite make that decision for you, we can point you to some good options to start your search. Here are some of our favorites. 

2 Main Categories of Gravel for Driveways

First thing’s first — there are two overarching categories of gravel that each type can be sorted into: crushed stone and naturally formed gravel. There are several differences between these two, though they’re easily distinguishable based on appearance. 

• Crushed stone has a jagged edge due to the manual crushing process. 
• Naturally formed gravel has a smoother look due to natural weathering over time. 

4 Best Types of Gravel for Driveways

Within those two categories are many subtypes of gravel. Here are four that we’ve found to be the best types of gravel for driveways — along with some of their unique features, advantages, and disadvantages. 

1. #3 Gravel 

#3 gravel is a type of crushed stone, and it’s perfect for the base layer of a driveway. It’s made up of larger stone to create a solid base, and it encourages the draining process. It’s also one of the most affordable options. 

Since #3 gravel works well as a base layer, it can be combined with other types of gravels to complete a more aesthetically pleasing look. 

2. Crushed Stone #57

As the name suggests, this is a crushed stone. It’s a popular gravel for the middle layer of a driveway, but can complete a full driveway as well. It’s smaller than #3 gravel, it’s great for drainage, and the rocks don’t stick together the way some other gravel options do.

3. Pea Gravel

Pea gravel is a type of naturally formed gravel, measuring about ⅜ to ½ of an inch in size. It’s more aesthetically pleasing than most other gravels, and it’s a great choice for dressing up the top layer of a driveway. It also comes in many color options based on personal preference.

That said, pea gravel is a bit more expensive due to its visual appeal. In addition, due to its small size and inability to lock together like other gravels, it can migrate to other areas of the property over time after it’s been driven over. Proper upkeep is key with a pea gravel driveway.

4. Quarry Process (or Crusher Run

Quarry process is a type of crushed stone, measuring about a ¾ of an inch in size. It contains different rocks such as granite, limestone, trap rock, etc.

Quarry process can be used for driveways, but there are some things you should be aware of. It has more dust than other gravels, and as the dust settles between the rocks, it creates a smooth, solid surface. As a result, this type of gravel doesn’t drain as well as others if not installed properly. In order for it to not be washed away, it must be higher on the sides than in the middle, and must be put together by a skilled worker. 

Keep Your Gravel Driveway Compact & Level with the Driveway Scraper

No matter what kind of gravel you choose, you’ll likely need a tool to level it. For that, choose our award-winning Driveway Scraper (DS). Our DS Series is available in three sizes and includes both rigid and flat modes for flat or contoured surfaces. Contact our team for more information.

The material and information contained on this website is for general information purposes only. You should not rely upon the material or information on the website as a basis for making business, legal or other decisions.

If you have a gravel driveway or road on your property, you are probably aware of the problems that come with them. Ruts can develop which become uncomfortable or even dangerous to drive a vehicle over, and the gravel can become compacted and may need to be replaced after a few years. 

Sure, you can try to fix these issues by hand, but be aware that this is a short-term solution. To fix these problems and prevent them from happening in the future, you need to grade your driveway regularly using a driveway grader.

What is a Driveway Grader?

Also called box graders or motor graders, driveway graders are tools that you tow behind a truck or lawn tractor to smooth, or grade, a driveway or gravel roadway. Driveway graders rely on a straight-leveling blade and sometimes metal teeth to dig into the gravel and decompact it. 

The front blades of the grader cut down any high spots of dirt or gravel and move and mix that material to the sides. The wings then collect the excess material and push it into any dips and ruts on your path or surface area.

3 Types of Driveway Graders, Designed to Suit Your Application

Owning a driveway grader will save you money in the long run since you won’t have to continue to buy gravel to fill in potholes or replace areas that have been washed out. There is more than one option, however, when looking to buy a grader. Driveway Scrapers come in three different sizes to meet the needs of every customer.

DS-72

At 6 feet wide and 400 pounds, the DS-72 is perfect for use on golf courses or for customers who are looking for a more compact scraper than our most popular — the DS-96. The DS-72 has the added benefit of being able to leave it attached to your tractor when transporting to and from a location.

DS-96

Our most popular grader, the DS-96 is best suited for parking lots, gravel and dirt driveways, and playing area surfaces. With a width of 8 feet, this grader will make quick work of any unlevel areas on your property.

DS-120

Containing all of the same unique features as the DS-96, our 10-foot wide DS-120 allows you to grade larger areas that our smaller models are not suited for.

Key Features of the Driveway Scraper

All of the DS Series Driveway Scrapers have these particular features:

• Grader can attach to a standard 3-point hookup.
• They fill in ruts, removing the “washboard effect”
• Front and rear blades are 1/2″ thick and are reversible
• Do not create dips, swells, or gouging
• Rigid mode (default mode) for flat surfaces
• Float mode for contoured surfaces
• Extra weight can easily be added to the center frame for added cutting power
• Ideal for two-tracks & weed control in pastures
• Leveling fill & topsoil in landscaping
• Tractor pulls

Optional accessories to make your grading job even easier include the DS Quick-Tatch Adapter and the DS Ripper Blades. The Quick-Tatch Adapter bolts onto the frame of the DS Series Driveway Scrapers and provides easy access to hook-up to tractors with a Class 1 or 2 quick-attach system. It is adjustable to work with your existing system. The DS Ripper Blades offer a more aggressive cutting edge for your grading surface.

Looking to buy a driveway grader of your own? Check out the selection at Driveway Scraper! In business since 1987, our mission is to provide innovative solutions in engineered metal components, maintaining the flexibility to serve emerging needs in changing markets. 

Our award-winning DS Series Driveway Scrapers are perfect for leveling dirt and gravel driveways, as well as parking lots and playing surfaces. Available in three sizes, you’re sure to find one that suits your needs. Contact our team to learn more.

The material and information contained on this website is for general information purposes only. You should not rely upon the material or information on the website as a basis for making business, legal or other decisions.