Ledge Pak vs Blue Stone Driveways

colesfamily · 07-03-2016, 07:24 PM

Regarding driveways, I am trying to decide between Blue Stone vs Ledge-Pak for a driveway.

I understand that Blue Stone has a blue hue to it and Ledge Pak is more like a gray color. However Blue Stone is about three times as expensive compared to Ledge-Pak.
I have two questions...
1-Will the Ledge-Pak look dressy enough or will it look like an unfinished road construction job?
2-Can the Forum members recommend a contractor for not only doing the driveway but for walkways and granite steps as well.

Descant · 07-04-2016, 04:18 PM

I have a mixture of 1/2-3/4" stone and decomposed granite. The supplier calls it "nit-pack". Perhaps the same as "Ledge-pak"?
Anyway, I'm in the house 39 years now. Every few years we add a couple of yards and re-grade. This is mostly because the snowplow scrapes it off. It is almost impossible to grade it so that the snowplow could leave the blade up a couple of inches, as there are two many variations in contour. Since what I envision as blue stone doesn't pack, I would expect the snowplow to remove much more blue stone every time they plow. So, more expensive to install, more expensive to maintain? What's your snow removal plan? Snowblower can toss some of this stuff quite a distance.

DesertDweller · 07-04-2016, 05:07 PM

I have a ledge pack driveway and while it may not be as pretty as a gravel driveway it's far less maintenance than a stone/gravel driveway. If you are going to have the driveway plowed during the winter and have stone expect to move a good portion of it back to where it started. Ledge pack stays very firm and I get minimal amounts at the end of the driveway in the spring. Make sure whatever route you go to ensure you have a proper base for drainage. I had to redo my entire driveway because it wouldn't drain right and was soft after rains. PM me and I will give you the name of the guy who did my driveway. As far as color ledge pack is typically gray but have seen some that has some brown in it as well.

BroadHopper · 07-05-2016, 06:23 AM

Why use crust stone and replace the stones every two years and use porous pavers and save a bundle on the long run? Gilbert Blocks out of Laconia did a number of my clients driveways and walks and they are quite please with the results.

rick35 · 07-05-2016, 07:38 AM

I use bluestone for my driveway extension and its a pain using a snowblower. I had to replace stone a couple of weeks ago because i had launched so many into the grass and woods. I have to use my shop vac to suck them out of the grass. Its not good for the snow blower either. Plowing makes a bigger mess.

07-03-2016, 07:24 PM	#1
colesfamily Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Meredith & Port Charlotte, Fl Posts: 38 Thanks: 6 Thanked 7 Times in 5 Posts	Ledge Pak vs Blue Stone Driveways Regarding driveways, I am trying to decide between Blue Stone vs Ledge-Pak for a driveway. I understand that Blue Stone has a blue hue to it and Ledge Pak is more like a gray color. However Blue Stone is about three times as expensive compared to Ledge-Pak. I have two questions... 1-Will the Ledge-Pak look dressy enough or will it look like an unfinished road construction job? 2-Can the Forum members recommend a contractor for not only doing the driveway but for walkways and granite steps as well.

07-04-2016, 04:18 PM	#2
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,039 Thanks: 1,212 Thanked 1,518 Times in 985 Posts	Nit pak = Ledge paK? I have a mixture of 1/2-3/4" stone and decomposed granite. The supplier calls it "nit-pack". Perhaps the same as "Ledge-pak"? Anyway, I'm in the house 39 years now. Every few years we add a couple of yards and re-grade. This is mostly because the snowplow scrapes it off. It is almost impossible to grade it so that the snowplow could leave the blade up a couple of inches, as there are two many variations in contour. Since what I envision as blue stone doesn't pack, I would expect the snowplow to remove much more blue stone every time they plow. So, more expensive to install, more expensive to maintain? What's your snow removal plan? Snowblower can toss some of this stuff quite a distance.

07-05-2016, 06:23 AM	#4
BroadHopper Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Laconia NH Posts: 5,512 Thanks: 3,118 Thanked 1,090 Times in 784 Posts	Porous pavers Why use crust stone and replace the stones every two years and use porous pavers and save a bundle on the long run? Gilbert Blocks out of Laconia did a number of my clients driveways and walks and they are quite please with the results. __________________ Someday may never be an actual day.

07-04-2016, 05:07 PM	#3
DesertDweller Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Las Vegas, NV and Moultonborough, NH Posts: 361 Thanks: 24 Thanked 84 Times in 70 Posts	I have a ledge pack driveway and while it may not be as pretty as a gravel driveway it's far less maintenance than a stone/gravel driveway. If you are going to have the driveway plowed during the winter and have stone expect to move a good portion of it back to where it started. Ledge pack stays very firm and I get minimal amounts at the end of the driveway in the spring. Make sure whatever route you go to ensure you have a proper base for drainage. I had to redo my entire driveway because it wouldn't drain right and was soft after rains. PM me and I will give you the name of the guy who did my driveway. As far as color ledge pack is typically gray but have seen some that has some brown in it as well.

07-05-2016, 07:38 AM	#5
rick35 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Bear Island/Merrimack Posts: 710 Thanks: 56 Thanked 170 Times in 104 Posts	I use bluestone for my driveway extension and its a pain using a snowblower. I had to replace stone a couple of weeks ago because i had launched so many into the grass and woods. I have to use my shop vac to suck them out of the grass. Its not good for the snow blower either. Plowing makes a bigger mess.