Featheredge Property Solutions lays gravel driveways in Falkirk, decorative gravel in Alloa and across Clackmannanshire, and bark borders for gardens throughout our area. Every job starts with clearing and levelling the ground and laying a proper weed membrane, so the finish stays neat and low maintenance. If your gravel has gone tired and weedy, or you want a new drive or border, ask us for a free quote.
Gravel for driveways and gravel for borders
Not all gravel does the same job. A gravel driveway in Falkirk has to carry the weight of a car and stay put under turning tyres. Decorative gravel in a border only has to look good and keep weeds down. The stone and the depth change to suit.
| Driveway gravel | Decorative gravel | |
|---|---|---|
| Stone | Angular, around 20mm | Decorative chips, around 10 to 14mm |
| Depth | About 40 to 50mm | About 40 to 50mm |
| Underneath | 100 to 150mm of compacted sub-base | Firm, level soil and membrane |
| Why | Angular stone locks together and resists rutting | Smaller stone is easier to walk on and rake level |
Round pea gravel looks attractive but rolls underfoot and under tyres, so it suits borders and features better than drives. It is also worth seeing a stone wet as well as dry before you choose. In Central Scotland it will spend a lot of time wet, and most gravel looks quite different after rain.
What goes under a gravel driveway
A gravel driveway is only as good as the base underneath it. Soft soil is dug out and replaced with crushed stone sub-base, such as MOT Type 1, laid and compacted in layers until it is firm enough to drive on without rutting. The base is shaped so rain runs off the surface rather than towards the house.
A membrane goes between the sub-base and the gravel to stop the two mixing. Strong edging along each side holds the stone in place, and on a slope or a busy drive, plastic cellular grids filled with gravel can stop it drifting downhill or gathering in wheel tracks.
Gravel also lets rain soak through. The RHS guide to front gardens and permeable paving points to gravel as a simple permeable option, which helps where a front garden is being turned into parking. On ground that already holds water, garden drainage may be needed first.
Weed membrane and edging
The weed membrane does the hard work. We lay a water-permeable fabric, overlapped at the joins and pinned down so weeds cannot push through the gaps. Rain still drains through, but weeds from below are kept in the dark.
Before that, the ground needs attention. Weeds come out by the root, stones and debris are cleared, and the surface is raked and firmed so it is even. Skipping this is why so many gravel areas end up bumpy and weedy within a year or two.
Old gravel is rarely worth rescuing. Over the years it thins out, mixes with soil and leaf litter, and becomes a seedbed for weeds, so topping it up just buries the problem. Clearing it back to the ground, laying a fresh membrane and spreading new stone gives a clean start that stays tidy for much longer.
Edging keeps everything in place. Timber, metal or stone edging stops gravel spreading onto the lawn and bark washing onto paths, and gives borders and driveways a crisp line.
Bark borders
Bark is a good choice for planted beds. It holds moisture in the soil through dry spells, keeps weeds down and gives a soft, natural finish around shrubs and trees.
The RHS advice on mulches recommends a layer at least 5cm thick, and ideally 7.5cm, laid over moist, weeded soil. Chunkier bark lasts longer and is less likely to blow or wash about. Finer bark gives a neater look in small front gardens.
Under bark, a membrane helps where a border is mainly established shrubs. Where you plan to add and move plants often, bark on its own is usually easier to live with.
Recent job in Falkirk
On a recent job in Falkirk, the slabs on a front path and driveway were lifted and relaid. The old gravel across the front garden was cleared out, a weed membrane went down, and fresh chips were spread and raked level.
You can see the stage-by-stage photos on the Falkirk path and driveway project page. It shows how gravel often goes hand in hand with other work: renewing it while slabs are up means the whole front is finished at once. For the slab side of that job, see patios and paths.
Gravel and bark across our areas
We are based in Alloa and lay gravel and bark across Clackmannanshire, Stirling and North Lanarkshire, and throughout the Falkirk area, including Larbert, Grangemouth and Polmont. Gravel and bark are often part of a wider garden makeover. For a gravel driveway in Falkirk, decorative gravel in Alloa or new bark borders, get in touch for a free quote.
