Driveway Fabric

Driveway fabric helps prevent ruts and potholes and greatly reduces the need to replace the majority of the rock surface of your driveway every few years. It also helps prolong the life of your asphalt or cement driveway by reducing cracking.

US 200 is the fabric we recommend for the typical residential driveway application. Some unique job site or traffic conditions may require utilizing a heavier stabilization fabric. However, US 200 is a COMMERCIAL GRADE construction fabric and has high tensile strength. US Fabrics will be happy to assist you with making the proper choice for your product.

"I just wanted to thank US Fabrics, and especially Dan, for their assistance in selecting the right product for my driveway application.  Dan was very helpful in guiding me to the right product and my sincere appreciation is extended to him for his professionalism and helpfullness." -William Lively, West Virginia

Woven or Nonwoven?

US 200 is a woven stabilization fabric. Some companies promote a nonwoven such as Typar® for driveways. A nonwoven's primary function is as a filter fabric and not a stabilizer.

Woven stabilization fabrics provide this crucial function while also allowing water to pass. Also, nonwovens have much greater elongation, meaning they stretch much more, thereby making them less appealing for driveway applications.

Furthermore, to achieve the strength equal to US 200 requires a medium to heavy weight nonwoven that will cost at least 25% more. Typar® Driveway Fabric is nearly 1/2 the strength of US 200.

"That stuff is wonderful!" -Arnie Gentile, Saratoga Springs, NY (3x purchaser of US 200)
 

How Easy Is It to Use?

The typical residential driveway fabric application is simple and straight forward.

Prepare Surface

Remove any protruding objects, such as stumps and rocks that could result in tearing or puncturing the driveway fabric. Level the surface without excavating too deeply and creating a "bathtub" effect that will hold water. If there are any areas that consistently hold water, the water will need to be removed via pipe, drain tile, or other means.

Place The Driveway Fabric

Place the stabilization fabric directly on the prepared surface. Roll it out flat in the roll direction, trying to minimize folds and creases. When required, overlaps should be 1'-3'. Pins or staples can be used for convenience, but are not required to hold the fabric in place. If necessary, a pile of stone, dirt, or other piece of material on the corners is enough to hold it in place during the dumping of the aggregate.

Place the Gravel

Place and compact the gravel in 6"-8" lifts. Dump trucks and loaders can be driven directly on the fabric if needed. However, avoid quick stops, starts and turns. The preferred method is to dump the stone onto the stabilization fabric and then push it out onto the fabric to provide some protection. Make sure to create a slight crown to your driveway to facilitate water draining to the sides.

What Type of Aggregate (Rock) Should I use?

Aggregate should be crushed, angular, 1" minus in size (diameter) with about 10% dust (or fines). Limestone is a good option, but other stone will work fine. Some names for this type of stone are "dense grade aggregate (DGA)" or "crusher run." Driveway Fabric eliminates the need to utilize stone larger than 1" in size. Avoid using rounded stone.

Installation Video

Please click here or go to our "videos" tab at the top of this site to see an installation video for this product.

 

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Q & A
How long will this fabric last?
This geotextile is made from 100% polypropylene. Polypropylene is inert to just about everything on earth and resists biological deterioration, rotting, naturally encountered basics and acids. Polypropylene is stable within a pH range of 2 to 13. The biggest threats to this product are sunlight/ultraviolet radiation (UV), abrasion and soil pH outside 2 to 13. Sufficient cover material will solve the UV and abrasion issue. Studies of PP geotextiles have demonstrated that in stable soils and when sufficiently covered you can expect in excess of 25 years of service life.
Will this geotextile fabric pass water?
Yes. This construction fabric passes 5 gallons per minute per square foot in laboratory testing. The permeability of the soil is the bigger issue. A fabric will not make a soil drain. If standing water is an issue, re-grading the area, and/or installing a drain tile or culvert should be considered to remove the problem water from the area.
What is sufficient cover for this fabric?
Typically 6" to 8" of crushed stone.
What type of stone is reccomended?
Aggregate should be crushed, angular, 1" minus in size (diameter) with about 10% dust (or fines). Limestone is a good option, but other stone will work fine. Some names for this type of stone are "dense grade aggregate (DGA)" or "crusher run." Driveway Fabric eliminates the need to utilize stone larger than 1" in size. Avoid using rounded stone.
Do I need to use pins or staples with a driveway fabric?
Pins or staples can be used for convenience, but are not required to hold the fabric in place.
Should I overlap the driveway fabric?
Yes. Overlaps should be 1'-3'.
My contractor says I should use a geogrid! Why use a fabric?
US Fabrics sells geogrids, but we do not recommend them for this application. Woven geotextiles offer superior strength, lower cost, and an added advantage over any geogrid: separation. Geogrids rely on "interlock," a process whereby the soil particles or aggregate "lock" into place within the geogrid's open structure or apertures. Often, the actual particle size is not known and/or varies widely, so the amount of interlock provided can be in question. In fact, geogrids often require the use of geotextile as part of a separation/stabilization system. If it is our driveway, we are using US 200 every time!
Should I use a geotextile under a paved driveway?
Absolutely! It will increase the life of the pavement and help reduce cracking of the pavement. Place it between the subgrade and the road base material.
Links
Product Data Sheets: 
US 200
Related Product Sections: 
Woven Stabilization and Separation Geotextiles
Product Applications: 
Driveway Fabrics
Haul Road Fabric
Paved or Unpaved Roads & Parking Lots
Separation & Stabilization
Helpful References: 
Equivalent Products: Geotextiles
Installation Guideline: Woven Separation/Stabilization Geofabric
Use Woven Geotextiles Instead of Geogrids