How to Add Color to a Gravel Driveway
While gravel serves a driveway well, it often lacks pizzazz. Adding color to a gravel driveway can liven up your landscaping and create interest. One of the benefits of this project is that it doesn't have to break your budget. Instead, you can utilize a few household items you already have on hand, and instantly add color and original style to your bland gravel driveway without spending money.
Place the plate or piece of pottery on 1/2 of a towel. Pull the other half of the towel over the top.
Hit the item with a hammer to break it. Hit the item continuously until it breaks into gravel-size pieces. Lift the towel periodically to monitor your progress.
- While gravel serves a driveway well, it often lacks pizzazz.
- Instead, you can utilize a few household items you already have on hand, and instantly add color and original style to your bland gravel driveway without spending money.
Pick up the broken pieces in the towel and dump them into a bucket. Break up other plates or pottery into pieces until you have filled the bucket.
Scatter the contents of the bucket evenly onto your gravel driveway to add color.
Care For A Gravel Driveway
Repair potholes by making the opening wider and deeper, going all the way to the base of the driveway, if possible. Add large coarse gravel into the bottom of the pothole with a shovel. Pack it down with a hand tamper. Add more gravel, as necessary, to raise low spots. Scrape gravel away from any areas on the driveway that may be creating a dam to hold water on the gravel. Water should also run off the gravel driveway. Direct water to the side of the driveway by making a crown down the center with the grader blade. Try to establish a half-inch of crown per foot of width. For example, a 12-foot wide driveway should approximately 6 inches higher in the middle. Compact the rock into position with a roller attachment. Remove any debris that inhibits water from flowing away from the driveway.
- Pick up the broken pieces in the towel and dump them into a bucket.
- Repair potholes by making the opening wider and deeper, going all the way to the base of the driveway, if possible.
Tip
Ask friends and relative for their old, broken or chipped dishes or pottery. You can also visit a discount store for cheap, colorful plates or pottery pieces.
Warning
Wear safety goggles and gloves to protect your eyes and hands from flying pieces of plates or pottery.
Don't hit the broken pieces of the pottery or plate too hard with the hammer or you will crush the pieces into tiny bits.
References
- Sensational Color: Recycle Dishes into Driveways
- Mosaic Tile Guide: Broken China Plates, Cups, Saucers, Teapots, Serving Dishes
- Gaver’s Pavers Inc.: How to Maintain Your Gravel Driveway
- Home Addition Plus: Maintaining a Gravel Driveway
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Section 1: Routine Maintenance and Rehabilitation
Tips
- Ask friends and relative for their old, broken or chipped dishes or pottery. You can also visit a discount store for cheap, colorful plates or pottery pieces.
Warnings
- Wear safety goggles and gloves to protect your eyes and hands from flying pieces of plates or pottery.
- Don't hit the broken pieces of the pottery or plate too hard with the hammer or you will crush the pieces into tiny bits.
Writer Bio
Based in Texas, Cynthia Measom has been writing various parenting, business and finance and education articles since 2011. Her articles have appeared on websites such as The Bump and Motley Fool. Measom received a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Texas at Austin.