How To Plow a Gravel Driveway

There are many benefits to installing gravel in your driveway. The main advantage is that it is low-cost and requires low maintenance during non-winter months, especially for houses with longer driveways.

It is also aesthetically pleasing and can be paired with various stone, wood, cement, or metal materials. However, what happens when the snow comes?

This article discusses different ways of plowing snow from a gravel driveway, including its pros and cons.

Ways To Plow a Gravel Driveway

Keeping the driveway clear from snow is essential to minimize the risks of accidents and injuries. How do you remove snow from a gravel driveway while keeping the gravel on the driveway?

It is essential to understand that you cannot completely keep all the gravel in place, especially when plowing snow.

One of the factors you need to consider in getting a gravel driveway is that it needs to be replaced after a few years as part of the maintenance routine.

You can also add new layers of gravel if it gets thinner. However, there are still effective methods to keep your gravel from scattering.

We’re here to go over different ways to plow snow from a gravel driveway and their pros and cons, so you can decide which fits you!

Manual Plowing

The first thing to consider about this method is the total distance of your driveway. If you have a short gravel driveway, you can manually plow it using a rake or a snow shovel.

This is a better option when it comes to wet snow. However, manually plowing snow over long distances is exhausting, and using larger machines may be more efficient.

Step-by-step instructions on how to manually plow snow from a gravel driveway:

1. Get a shovel and rake. You can use a conventional shovel or a snow shovel.
2. Shovel a 1-inch layer of snow from the top of the driveway toward an outlet or downhill.
3. Repeat the process until only a thin layer of snow is left on the gravel.
4. Using a rake, beak the thin layer of leftover snow.
5. Optional: You can add a salt-and-sand mixture to help the snow melt. However, there are risks in using salt, which we will also discuss.

Leafblower

Leafblowers are not just useful during autumn.

You can also use a leaf blower when dealing with fresh and lightweight snow. It is advantageous to use a leafblower on bigger driveways. It’s less manual labor than shoveling, but it will still accomplish the task.

Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to use a leaf blower to remove snow on a gravel driveway:

1. Using the leafblower, blow the snow layer by layer. Start from the top of the driveway downhill.
2. Repeat the process until only a thin layer of snow is left on the gravel.
3. Using a rake, beak the thin layer of leftover snow.
4. Optional: Apply a mixture of salt and sand to help it melt and avoid mud.

Snowblower

Snowblowers are machines specifically designed to remove snow.

It’s easy to operate on pavements, but the problem is using it in gravel driveways. The main concern is to prevent gravel from scattering. Fortunately, there is a solution for this—add skid shoes.

Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to use a snow blower on a gravel driveway:

1. Put some gas on your snowblower. If it’s electric-powered, make sure it is charged before using it.
2. Refer to the manufacturer’s manual for installing skid shoes on your snow blower.
3. Start in the opposite direction where the wind is blowing.
4. Once the snow is removed from your driveway, clean the snow blower.

Snowplow With PVC Pipe

Snow plows are great heavy-duty tools you can attach to your vehicle to plow the thick snow accumulation on your driveway. If you live in a location where snow depth reaches 5 inches, it’s more efficient to use a snow plow.

The main challenge is choosing the right blade to fit your car and efficiently plow snow from your driveway. If the blade is too small, it will damage the plow. If the blade is too big, it can damage your car.

So, choosing the right one is a must. Many types of snow plow blades are available today, from various materials such as metal or plastic. Some of them are the following:

• Straight plows are perfect for clearing snow from vast, open spaces.
• V-plows are ideal for unconventional spaces that require versatility.
• Box plows are for heavy-duty and construction purposes. It is ideally attached to construction machinery such as compact tractors.

If you’re planning to use your car, you can choose a snowplow with a detachable mounting system to remove it after using it. Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to use a snow plow on a gravel driveway:

1. Ensure the compatibility of your car and snow plow mounting system. This is important to avoid damage.
2. Install a PVC pipe at the bottom of your blade to avoid damage when it hits the gravel.
3. Attach the mounting system to your vehicle.
4. Refer to the manufacturer about how much snow depth your snow plow can carry.
5. Consider the height and angle of the blade, and decide which angle is the best to carry the snow.
6. Attach the blade to the mounting system.
7. If your snow plow comes with an operating system, switch it on using the remote control.
8. Start plowing from the middle if you have a large driveway.
9. Optional: Using a rake, break the thin layer of leftover snow on walkways.

Does Salt Work on Gravel Driveways?

Salt is hardly ever associated with technology. However, this all-around product has been used to melt snow on pavements since the 1930s.

In fact, according to sources, the United States uses an estimated 20 million tons of road salt annually. However, is it okay to apply salt on a gravel driveway?

Generally, water freezes when the temperature hits 32 °F (0 °C) or lower, but salt changes its freezing point to about 15 °F (-9.4 °C). This certain characteristic of salt produces ice-melting properties.

However, it may not always work, especially if the road is too cold. Always consider the temperature before opting for the salt method to ensure efficiency. When using salt as a preventive measure, getting the right timing is a huge consideration.

Applying rock salt on your driveway should be done before snowfall hits because it limits the amount of snow accumulation in that area. However, you must ensure that salt application should be even to avoid uneven spots. This is where it gets tricky.

Advantages: Salt is a versatile ingredient and can easily be found in your home, most supermarkets, or hardware stores.

Disadvantages: Salt’s melting speed slows as the temperature drops. Furthermore, the colder it gets, the more salt is needed to accomplish a certain amount of ice-melting action.

Salt and Sand

Rock salt is a cheap product to use when melting snow. It’s also simple to melt ice from flat pavements, but gravel driveways require more care.

There are risks in applying too much salt on a gravel driveway, and many online sources do not advise the application of rock salt on gravel driveways.

Gravels are porous, and when salt melts the ice, it creates a mixture of salt and water that drains down through the gravel and directly into the base, creating soft, messy mud.

Applying salt alone on gravel driveways creates soft mud and lessens the traction, which is not good for car tires. However, this can be minimized with a salt and sand mixture. The sand adds traction to your tires, and the salt will help melt the ice.

Conclusion

The method you can choose for snow removal depends on the size of your driveway.

For small gravel driveways, manual plowing is enough to accomplish the job. However, shoveling can be too much work on long driveways. Using a snow plow is more efficient.