Why do the potholes keep coming back?
Usually because water is sitting on the driveway or running across it, the surface has lost its shape, or the base underneath is weak. New stone fills the hole but leaves that cause in place. Check the driveway's drainage, shape, and base before ordering more gravel.
Match the symptom to the work
| What you see | What to investigate | Possible scope |
|---|---|---|
| A hole that holds water | Low surface, compacted rim, or blocked drainage | Reshape and compact the affected area; restore the outlet |
| Long wheel ruts | Soft subgrade, insufficient base, or heavier traffic | Assess the base before resurfacing |
| Stone washed downhill | Runoff crossing or following the driveway | Address the water route and then replace lost material |
| Mud working through the stone | Wet soil mixing into the aggregate | Review drainage, separation, and base reconstruction |
| Loose surface without deep ruts | Surface material, depth, and traffic movement | Regrade and assess the surface course |
These are things to check, and a photo alone cannot diagnose them. A short damaged section may need targeted work; a driveway failing along its full length may need rebuilding.
Look at it after rain
After a storm, from a safe spot, note where water pools, where it crosses the drive, and where it runs along the wheel tracks. Photograph those spots before they dry. A photo of the wet driveway tells a grading contractor more than a description of a hole you have already filled.
Water needs a route off the driving surface and a place to go. A low shoulder, blocked ditch, or badly placed discharge can keep sending it back onto the stone. FHWA's guidance on recognizing drainage problems treats ponding, rutting, and drainage condition as connected. A crown (a raised center) is one way to shed water, though slope, nearby buildings, the entrance, and the outlet all matter. Grading should never send water toward a neighbor or a building.
Does crusher run fix potholes?
It can be part of the repair. Crusher run is angular stone with fines that compact together, but it still needs a firm foundation, the right moisture, and deliberate compaction. Filling a waterlogged hole and driving over it does not rebuild a base.
A proper repair may mean loosening the damaged surface, removing unsuitable material, reshaping, and compacting new stone in manageable layers. Deep repairs need that layered work, more than one pile flattened from the top.
Clean #57 stone lets water pass through it, but it does not drain wet clay or fix a weak base. See our driveway material comparison when choosing base and surface stone.
When is another load enough?
A top-up makes sense when the base is firm, the driveway drains, and the surface has simply thinned. Confirm what stone is already there and how deep you plan to add.
With persistent wet spots, deep ruts, or repeated washouts, request driveway grading and base assessment along with the stone. A delivery quote covers the truck and load only. Make sure the estimate says whether it includes digging out, reshaping, spreading, and compaction.
How much stone for the repair?
Cubic yards = length (ft) x width (ft) x depth (in) / 324
Example: a 30 by 12 foot section at an average 4 inch depth is about 4.44 cubic yards. That is the raw volume, before any allowance for compaction, uneven holes, or the stone's weight.
Measure each problem area separately, and use the planned repair depth, not the depth of the worst hole. For a full resurfacing or base replacement, the driveway gravel calculator estimates each layer.
Send J1S the driveway dimensions, delivery address, photos after rain, and what vehicles use it. Mention a camper, loaded trailer, or construction traffic so the repair suits the load it will carry.
Sources
- FHWA, Maintenance of Drainage Features for Safety, Recognizing Drainage Problems: ponding, rutting, and drainage condition as connected signs of a drainage problem.