How To Repair a Pothole in Your Gravel Driveway

Total Time:Varies

Complexity:Beginner

Cost:$100 to $500

By Robert Maxwell

Family Handyman's Editorial Process

Updated on Jun. 08, 2023

Gravel driveway potholes cause spilled coffee and rattled nerves. Luckily, the fix is easy with this simple method.

Time

Varies

Complexity

Beginner

Cost

$100 to $500

Introduction

When my wife and I decided to build a house in the forest nearly a decade ago, we needed to create a route to the build site. That meant judiciously cutting a few trees, then installing a gravel driveway.

I phoned the local construction and landscaping company, explaining I needed something that would pack down firmly, drain well and remain drivable at all times of year. They suggested an underlying base of palm-sized limestone chunks, topped by a layer of fine limestone screenings.

I chose a grade of screenings that maxed out around 1/4-in., with plenty of smaller material smaller, too. The new driveway performed great for several years, but eventually developed potholes. That's when I realized I had to learn pothole repair.

If you've got a gravel driveway that's developed potholes, keep reading. Pothole repair isn't complicated. And we'll show you a few tricks to make the end result considerably better.

Robert Maxwell For Family Handyman

Tools Required

Shovel
Steel rake
Tamper tool
Vehicle
Wheelbarrow

Materials Required

Enough limestone screenings (or other gravel material matching your driveway) to fill all potholes

Watch How To Repair a Pothole in Your Gravel Driveway

Project step-by-step (6)

Step 1

Identify and Prepare the Pothole

Scout the potholes and pick out the largest one.
With the steel rake, remove any twigs, dead leaves and other debris from inside the pothole.
Examine the edges of your driveway near the pothole for gravel displaced by rain and melting snow. If there’s standing water in the pothole, let it dry out before proceeding to avoid a muddy mess.
Rake any loose gravel that washed off the driveway back into the hole. Be sure not to rake in leaves or organic matter along with it.

How To Repair A Pothole 1 Prepare Pothole Robert Maxwell For Fhm Jvedit — Robert Maxwell For Family Handyman

Step 2

Add First Layer of Material

Fill your wheelbarrow with enough screenings or gravel from your dump site to fill the pothole. Wheel into place.
With the shovel, fill the pothole a little over halfway with loosely packed screenings.
Compact this layer with repeated blows from your tamper tool.

How To Repair A Pothole 2 Add First Layer Robert Maxwell For Fhm Jvedit — Robert Maxwell For Family Handyman

Step 3

Add Second Layer of Material

Shovel more screenings into the pothole until it’s full and slightly overflowing.
Rake and distribute the fresh screenings evenly.
Pack the new stuff down with your tamper tool.

adding a second layer of filling wit ha shovel — Robert Maxwell For Family Handyman

Step 4

Level and Smooth the Surrounding Area

Examine the areas surrounding the pothole for any low spots. Add more screenings as needed.
Rake the fresh screenings smooth, then compact them with the tamper tool.

How To Repair A Pothole 4 Smooth And Level Robert Maxwell For Fhm Jvedit — Robert Maxwell For Family Handyman

Step 5

Drive Over the Pothole

Drive your vehicle slowly over the newly-repaired pothole.
Back up over the pothole, then drive back and forth over it several more times.
Park your vehicle a short distance from the pothole.

using a vehicle to drive over the newly filled pot hole — Robert Maxwell For Family Handyman

Step 6

Do Final Touch-Ups

Examine the repaired pothole. Look for any high or low spots.
Use your rake to level any high spots.
Add small scoops of fresh screenings to fill any low spots. Rake until smooth.

repaired gravel driveway that used to have pot holes — Robert Maxwell For Family Handyman