How to lay down crushed rock for a car park?

[stanalive]

Hi all, there's an area at the front of my property which currently has mulch and out of control weeds. I would like lay down crushed rock so that I can park a few cars on it instead. Can someone please advise the best way to go about this? Would I need to remove the mulch and lay weed mat to prior to putting crushed rock? How deep would the crushed rock need to be to park cars? There's a slight incline so would I need a small retaining wall? Any help is appreciated!

   

[EricL]

Hi @stanalive 

If you are planning on using this gravel parking lot for long term use, I propose using sleepers as retaining borders to prevent the gravel from spreading. I suggest digging 100mm into the soil and putting a layer of road base and compressing it with a compactor. You then place weedmat over the road base and then put gravel on top. 

Before you compress the gravel, I suggest putting a layer of crusher dust over the gravel to lock everything in place. Wet the surface slightly and then compress the surface again.  

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1 and @homeinmelbourne for their recommendations. 

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[Dave-1]

Good Evening @stanalive 

That will be a nice arae to park some vechicles when you are finished.

A question about the incline you mentioned, how much dopes the ground drop over that 8.5m? I am thinking of how to stabilise the gravel so it dosnt drift down the slope mainly.

I like the depth that @EricL has mentioned as it was the first thought I had. I never know if I like weedmat or not I must admit. I dont like the idea of putting plastic into the ground for any reason and the stuff I have used that isnt plastic I am not confidant of. The layers tho are what I would do for sure.

As to the retaining wall or edge Id say a definite yes one is needed. Sleepers would be nice, a low gabion wall or concrete sleepers would be good. Something heavy to stop the gravel if it moves from impacting the neighbourse fence and you front fence. Id possibly put in some socked ag pipe diagonally across the area (in trenches with gravel on top) to capture rain water so it dosnt create gullys during downpours. Always thinking the water will flow the easiest way and match the drains locations to that. I am not sure what is at the bottom of the yard but the water runoff will need to go somewhere.

Dave

[stanalive]

This is great @EricL  and @Dave-1 . Thanks for the advice, very helpful! Will start looking into the materials that I need.