A gravel parking lot is a cheap alternative to paved parking spaces. They can easily be implemented on your own with the right approach. Above all, good planning is important.

In a nutshell

  • Be sure to check legal regulations before construction
  • when determining the required amount of ballast, take compaction into account
  • Mark out the desired place beforehand and mark it with a guide line
  • Properly dispose of construction waste after construction

Legal Provisions

Before you can start building, you need to plan it. One of the most important aspects during planning are the legal regulations that must be observed for the project. Even for a gravel parking lot, you need to be aware of three specific points: planning permission, zoning plan, and neighbors. The building permit is essential and must be applied for prior to construction. Whether you need a building permit depends on where you live. Each federal state requires a building permit including a building application for a car park with a different area. A brief overview of the differences between three federal states shows the area from which a building permit is required:

  • Bavaria: from 50 m²
  • Berlin: from 30 m²
  • North Rhine-Westphalia: Building permit not dependent on area

As you can see, you should find out beforehand to avoid additional costs. The same applies to the development plan of your municipality. It provides insight into the possible spaces on your property that are permitted for the gravel parking lot. Also, as a precaution, talk to your neighbor if you want the parking lot to be on the property line to avoid future problems. As a precaution, plan the minimum distance to the property line, which varies depending on the municipality. Furthermore, you must observe the minimum dimensions for the parking lot prescribed by the special building regulations. They are limited to the size of a single vehicle. If you want to build a larger parking lot, you definitely need to choose double the size. The following are the minimum dimensions:

  • Width: 2.5m
  • limited on one side (e.g. by hedge, wall): 2.70 m
  • limited on both sides (e.g. by hedge, wall): 2.90 m
  • Width for people with disabilities: 3.5 m
  • Length (parallel to the road): 6.5 m
  • Length (perpendicular to the road): 5 m

Notice: When creating the parking lot, be sure to consider the size of your vehicles. Modern automobiles are usually larger than the specified minimum dimensions, which can lead to a lack of space.

Gravel: determine costs

Once the planning for the gravel parking lot has been completed, you will of course need the gravel for the construction, which you must order in the required quantity. For this purpose, be sure to choose a gravel for your gravel parking lot that is coarse enough. This is the only way the stones can interlock to provide sufficient support for the vehicles. The sizes 0/32 and 0/45 are well suited. If you want to use frost-proof, water-permeable gravel, use KFT gravel of the same size. To determine the need for materials, you need the volume of the excavated pit. The following formula is used for this:

Length in m x width in m x depth in m = volume in m³

You should plan a depth of 80 centimeters for the pit to ensure frost protection. For a parking space measuring 5 meters x 3 meters, the values are used as follows:

5 x 3 x 0.8 = 12

The pit has a volume of 12 cubic meters. In order to determine the need for gravel for the gravel parking lot and thus the costs for the material, you have to multiply this value by a factor of 1.5. This gives you the weight in tons. From the tons you can then determine the cost of the gravel. Note that these may vary from region to region and gravel to gravel. The following example is based on the determined volume of 12 cubic meters and a KFT gravel size 0/32:

  • 12 x 1.5 = 18 tons of gravel
  • Add 3% more material
  • The reason is the compression of the material
  • Material requirement is therefore 18.54 t
  • KFT price per ton: 16 to 20 euros
  • Material requirements x price = material costs
  • 18.54 x 16 or 20 euros = 296.64 to 370.8 euros
  • Include shipping costs

materials and tools

In addition to the gravel, you need suitable tools to realize the gravel parking lot. The following list gives you an overview of the necessary utensils. Do not worry. If you do not have the devices in the list available yourself, you can borrow them from hardware stores or companies for a certain period of time. Especially with larger projects, you should book the devices long enough. You also need something to secure the excavated earth and the gravel delivery. Traffic cones or barrier tapes are ideal for this.

  • spade
  • shovel
  • alternatively: mini excavator
  • Garden hoe (compacted or rocky soil)
  • Tape measure, tape measure or folding rule
  • hammer
  • vibratory plate for compaction
  • wheelbarrow
  • 4 x wooden stake, ground anchor or pegs
  • guideline
  • ruler
  • street broom
  • optional: container for waste such as turf
  • optional: vehicle with trailer (if gravel is picked up)

Tip: If you are struggling with a lot of weeds, you happen to bet on a so-called geotextile. It is installed between the ground and the bulk material as a protective layer from weeds.

preparation

In order to make the construction of the parking lot as effective as possible, you need to prepare the site. Days without uncomfortable weather are ideal for this, as otherwise the measurements could be strongly influenced. This is especially the case with freshly moist soil, as the soil can still move without any problems. To prepare, do the following:

  • set the first vertex
  • Use ground anchors, stakes or similar for this
  • alternatively, orient yourself to a wall or obstacle
  • measure from the corner of the first side
  • set right angles by eye
  • set second vertex
  • repeat until all corner points are set
  • tighten the line
  • Check right angles across diagonals
  • optionally apply 3-4-5 rule
  • place a tarpaulin for excavation if necessary
  • ideally deploy next to the construction site
  • weigh down the corners of the tarpaulin when it is windy

Structure: instructions

The construction of your new parking space can be managed very quickly on a small scale. The effort, like the costs, remains quite low. Be sure to keep roads and sidewalks clear as much as possible throughout the project. Places such as your material store are cordoned off by traffic cones or tapes. This way you can work in a relaxed manner. The following approach explains exactly how to build the gravel parking lot:

  • Dig a pit for the parking space
  • Remove any grass sods at the start
  • store separately from excavation
  • cut along the line with a spade
  • dig a pit with a shovel
  • Remove stones or roots with a hoe
  • Thoroughly compact the soil with a vibrating plate
  • 1. Fill in the gravel layer and compact
  • Layer thickness: 10 to 20 cm
  • 2. Fill in the gravel layer and compact
  • Layer thickness: 30 cm
  • repeat until pit is completely full
  • straighten the top layer (straightener)
  • condense
  • top up with crushed stone if necessary
  • condense
  • now the gravel parking lot is complete
  • Dispose of excavated soil or use in the garden
  • Dispose of construction waste
  • Finish sweeping streets and sidewalks
  • this will avoid possible problems

Notice: Sort any waste such as sods or stones well before they are taken to landfill or disposed of in containers. This avoids unnecessary additional costs.

frequently asked Questions

How are gravel parking lots maintained?

Gravel parking lot maintenance begins with weeds and leaves. Remove weeds as soon as possible to prevent further spread. Leaves and plant debris leave a residue that also causes contamination and should therefore be swept away. Otherwise, gravel is very easy to care for and does not even have to be rinsed off.

How are distortions prevented?

Warping can be a major problem as the weight of the vehicles pushes apart and moves the loose material. This often results in ruts. To prevent this problem, you can also lay floor honeycomb. The ballast is fixed by the structure and even permanent loads do not pose a problem for the created parking lot. Do not choose the honeycombs of the grid too small.

What materials are suitable for edge attachment?

If you also want to equip the parking lot with an edge attachment, you have several materials available. The classics include lawn edging, natural or paving stones. If necessary, you can even concrete them in, which increases the effort and costs. You could also use edge strips if the parking lot is to be separated from the lawn or a bed.

Category:

Garden design