Road Base Installation

Homeowners, developers, and commercial property owners in Texas can choose from an assortment of materials to construct driveways, streets, and parking lots. No matter which material they choose, it is important to provide a stable base to provide a well-supported surface. For many people, a road base installation can provide a cost-effective solution. Juniors Materials regularly handles road base installations for customers in Austin and surrounding communities, including Bastrop, Belton, Elgin, Hutto, Lago Vista, and Round Rock.

What Is a Road Base Installation?

As you might infer from the name, a road base is the foundation on which roadways are built. However, it can also function as a stand-alone substitute for concrete or asphalt paving. Basically, road base is constructed of one or more crushed aggregates that are compacted for strength. For Austin road base installations, the most common aggregates are limestone, caliche, recycled concrete or asphalt paving, decomposed granite, river rock, and granite.

What Types of Pavements Can Be Constructed With Just a Road Base Installation?

Depending on your specific goals and needs, road base installation can be an ideal choice for creating economical parking areas, driveways, footpaths, and rural roads. However, you need to hire an experienced contractor to ensure proper installation.

How Is Road Base Installed?

Generally, a road base installation begins with a preliminary grading of the site. The soil will be compacted, and it may need to be amended if it is too unstable to compact properly. Next, the crushed aggregate is placed, which typically requires the use of a backhoe or skid steer. After spreading the material, a compactor or roller will compress the aggregate to make it denser and stronger. For projects that will support passenger vehicles, the aggregate should be at least four inches deep; a minimum of six inches is needed to support commercial vehicles. On most projects, a gentle cross slope will be created to facilitate runoff. The material will be wet down and allowed to dry for a minimum of two days. If desired, weed guard can be applied on top, then two to four inches of clean rock can be applied.

What Else Should People Know About a Road Base Installation?

There are several important points to consider before committing to a gravel road base installation, including the following.

1. The material used needs to contain rock dust as well as larger pieces of crushed rock. The rock dust plays an important role in binding the crushed rock or other aggregates together.
2. In general, the more material used, the fewer repairs the road base will need. This can save you money, but it can also prolong its life.
3. If the road base will receive a high volume of cars or heavy vehicles, the traffic can leave ruts or chip away the material. This is more common during wet seasons. It can also be more common with certain types of soil.
4. Once the road base hardens, it is quite durable. Depending on the weather and other factors, hardening will require a minimum of two days, but it may take up to two weeks in some cases. However, over time, the surface can begin to unravel. If this happens, it is typically possible to add a small amount of new crushed aggregate and work it into the existing material.

If you are interested in an Austin road base installation, contact the experts at Juniors Materials. In addition to being a road base installation contractor, we are also an Austin grading contractor, skid-steer contractor, concrete demolition contractor, water or soil sinking contractor, and excavation contractor. Furthermore, we offer Austin trash pickup, decomposed granite delivery, dump truck hauling, landscape material delivery, and Austin truck pickup. We have a great reputation, highly competitive rates, and excellent references. To request a free quote, use our online form, or call our office at 512-924-6887.