Building Homes or Extensions/building a gravel driveway

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Question
I wish to build a driveway in an area where the water table is quite high. It is the only location available at my house. We put down 8 tons of 1/2 inch gravel, but when pulling my boat out of this area the wheels sank in to the axle. What should I use for a base to get this project started?

Answer
Start with a layer of geotextile cloth.  Follow that with coarse stone, 3" if you can work it.  Keep adding the coarsest stone you can work with until it holds up your vehicle.  Top off with "crusher run".

Do what you can to get surface water away from the area which seems a more likely candidate than ground water.  This can well take large quantities of material, but they do make corduroy roads in the swamp and bogs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corduroy_road

There is certainly more than you ever wanted to know here:
http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/gravelman.pdf  

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Dan Griffin

Expertise

I can answer almost all questions related to the total construction process. My expertise is in commercial construction, though I can field most any residential question. I have hands on experience in concrete, heavy equipment, masonry, all phases of carpentry, interior finishes, and I am fairly strong in mechanical and electrical.

Experience

I have over 20 years experience as a commercial carpenter and commercial construction superintendent. I have another 20 years experience in facility management for a major school district.

Organizations
My favorite hobby for he past 12 years has been singing bass in a The OkChorale men's barbershop chorus and the Mature Moments quartet.

Education/Credentials
I hold a Bachelor's degree in English and Math. I have completed many continuing education hours in the building trades. I hold a Master Carpenter card from the AGC, Associated General Contractors.

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