Gravel Driveway Grading and Pothole Repair — Re-Crowned, New Class 5
Your gravel driveway is full of potholes and washboard, the gravel has migrated into the grass, and water sits in the ruts instead of running off.
JMB Builders does gravel driveway grading and pothole repair on existing driveways in the north metro and out to St. Cloud. We cut the potholes and washboard down to solid base, pull the gravel back in from the edges, re-crown the driveway so water sheds to the sides, add new class 5 where it is thin, compact it and clean up the ditch edges. Priced per project, quoted from photos.
- Priced per project, quoted from photos
- Potholes, washboard, ruts and crown fixed
- New class 5 compacted where it is thin
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Potholes in a gravel driveway start with water. When the driveway loses its crown, rain sits on top, traffic pumps it into the base and a hole forms. Filling the hole with a bucket of rock only works until the next rain, because the water still has nowhere to go.
The fix is to cut the driveway down below the bottom of the potholes, pull the gravel that has spread into the grass back onto the driveway, and shape it with a crown so water sheds to both sides. Where the gravel is thin, new class 5 goes on and is compacted, so the surface binds instead of rolling loose.
The edges matter as much as the middle. Grass and sod built up along the sides act like a curb that traps water on the driveway, and a ditch filled with silt cannot carry water away. Both get cleaned up as part of the job.
What you supply
- Photos of the whole driveway, the worst potholes and the ditch or edges
- The length of the driveway, or a map pin at each end
- Where snow gets piled in winter and where water runs after a rain
- Marked private lines near the driveway: power to a gate, a sprinkler line, a buried propane line
What JMB supplies
- Potholes and washboard cut down to solid base with a grading box or land plane
- Gravel pulled back in from the edges and the driveway re-crowned
- New class 5 delivered, spread where thin and compacted
- Soft spots dug out and rebuilt with base material when they are found
- Built-up sod edges cut back and ditch edges cleaned so water leaves the driveway
- Gopher State One Call locate when the work cuts below the gravel
- Photos of the finished driveway in your job folder
How it is priced: per project
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Length and width of the driveway
- How much new class 5 is needed to bring it back to a solid surface
- Soft spots or failed base that have to be dug out and rebuilt
- Built-up sod edges and how much ditch cleanup is needed
- Hills, curves or a turnaround area at the house
- Whether a culvert under the driveway needs attention at the same time
Send photos from both ends of the driveway, close-ups of the potholes and the edges, and the approximate length. We quote from those and say if a site walk is needed.
How long it takes
A typical rural or acreage driveway: one day, sometimes two when a lot of new class 5 or ditch cleanup is involved.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Regrade and re-crown only
For driveways with enough gravel left: potholes and washboard cut off, material pulled in from the edges and reshaped with a crown, then compacted.
Regrade with new class 5
For driveways worn thin: after the regrade, new class 5 is spread and compacted to rebuild a surface that binds together and sheds water.
Soft spot repair
Spots that rut every spring are dug out, the wet soil removed and the hole rebuilt with base material and class 5 so it carries traffic.
Edges and ditches
Sod lip along the edges cut back and ditch bottoms cleaned so water can leave the driveway and run to the culvert or ditch.
Washout repair
A driveway that washes out after every rain gets re-crowned, water bars or dips cut across the steep part to turn the water off the side, the ditch cleaned, and the gravel that washed away replaced and compacted.
Gravel Driveway Grading and Pothole Repair — Re-Crowned, New Class 5: questions, answered
Why does my gravel driveway keep getting potholes?
Almost always because water sits on the surface. A driveway that has lost its crown, or has a lip of sod along the edges, holds water after rain, and traffic pushes it down into the base until a hole forms. Filling potholes without re-crowning just moves the problem.
How often should a gravel driveway be graded?
It depends on traffic, weather and how well the driveway drains. Many driveways need a light regrade every year or two and new class 5 every few years. A driveway with a good crown and clean edges goes much longer between regrades.
Should I add class 5 or crushed rock to my driveway?
Class 5 has fines mixed with the rock, so it packs hard and sheds water, which is why it is the usual driveway surface in Minnesota. Clean crushed rock drains well but stays loose on top and moves under tires. We use class 5 for the driving surface unless you ask otherwise.
Can you fix washboard on a gravel driveway?
Yes. Washboard is cut off by grading below the bottom of the ripples, then the material is reshaped and compacted. If the driveway is thin or the washboard comes back quickly, new class 5 and a better crown are usually part of the fix.
When is the best time to grade a gravel driveway?
Spring after the frost is out and the driveway has dried a little, or in fall before freeze-up. Gravel grades and compacts best when it is damp, not soaking wet or bone dry. Grading during spring thaw makes soft spots worse.
Can you also fix the culvert under my driveway?
A crushed, plugged or undersized culvert often causes the washouts that ruin a driveway. It can be cleaned out or replaced in the same visit; a new or replacement culvert usually needs approval from the road authority when it is in the road ditch. That work has its own page.
Why is my gravel driveway washing out after rain?
Water is running down the driveway instead of off it. A driveway that lost its crown, a slope with no way to turn the water, a plugged ditch or a crushed culvert all send rain down the tire tracks, and it carries the gravel with it. The fix is a new crown, water bars or a shallow dip across a steep stretch to kick the water off the side, a clean ditch, and a culvert that runs.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and for the builders and dealers we sub for. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 26, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All excavation pages
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