Gravel drive - Whether to use a geo weed fabric ?

[mikeyjo]

In need of help ..we are in the process of having a gravel drive laid ...the existing drive was old gravel and never maintained to the extent the drive was almost grass and weeds the top layer has been removed some months ago some areas have had more removed than others ...would anyone recommend laying a geo membrane down first then a sub base then gravel ? Im a bit at logger heads with builder who is resistant to weed barrier ...any suggestions PLEASE ..just to add weeds are already trying to grow even in this weather ..

[Carberry]

Putting it down under your sub base will not prevent weeds. If the weeds are the kind that will grow through 100-150mm of type 1 then they are the type of weeds that will easily burst a membrane.
What it will do is help prevent your sub base mixing with your sub grade. At a cost of £20-30 for an average driveway it is a no brainer using it.

A gravel driveway does not mean that it is maintenance free or a weed free solution. Weeds can and will grow in the gravel. They will take root in the gravel though rather than your sub base (unless you get really lazy and leave them too long).

[mikeyjo]

thanks for reply ....i had wanted more of the top layer taken off these weedy areas hoping that what ever grows back would be only what had self seeded over time as opposed to what had not been removed .
i understand that gravel is not maintenance free but had hoped that a membrane may have hampered re growth ..
just to clarify do you think a membrane overall is a good idea ? taking into account re growth etc

[Dave_L]

Have you tried controlling the weeds with a suitable weedkiller?

[mikeyjo]

yes we tried that and they have returned but perhaps its a case of spraying on a regular basis
Just thought the geo fabric would be of some benefit to both weeds and sub base

[r896neo]

if you have scraped off the old gravel and intend to just put fresh 50mm of new gravel then a membrane would be a bad idea i think. It will help the gravel move around by creating a slip plane between the sub base and gravel.

[mikeyjo]

it was our intention to put membrane down then sub base then gravel ..otherwise i think you would be right the membrane would come through