How to layer crusher run?

[Wade Lippman]

I have a fence at the top of a retaining wall. The weeds and grass are tough to deal with. The town was giving away crusher run today; I picked up 9 totes of fine and 9 of coarse.
I was planning on putting the coarse down first with fine on top. My wife thinks it should be the other way around. Any opinions?

A photo of the fence/wall is below:
fence.jpg

[Jim Becker]

I mulch with 3/8" red crushed stone instead of anything organic, so for me, I'd take your route and put in the coarse stone first and finish off with the finer crusher which will compact nicely. It will provide a more finished look. Add a little Preen to it and it will help keep weeds at bay. And the nice thing with stone in there...you can use a flame weeder for anything that doesn't cooperate with the Preen.

[Matt Day]

Jim, when you say Preen you mean landscape fabric right? That’s what I was going to suggest putting down first.

[Steve Jenkins]

Preen is a pre-emergent granular that you sprinkle on. I agree large on bottom fines on top

[Lee Schierer]

I would put a good quality landscape cloth down first, then the coarse and then the fines. Preen requires annual application, landscape cloth prevents weeds longer.

[Mark Bolton]

The coarse down first with the fine over top is the conventional method for walkways and roadways because the fines are used to lock the coarse material. They filter down into the coarse base for stability. If your putting this in an area that doesnt see any traffic and its just acting as mulch it really wouldnt matter. If you want a finer/smoother finished surface, fines on top, if you'd rather create a barrier below and dont mind the coarse material being up top the fines on the bottom would likely make a far better barrier for weeds. Its really splitting hairs. I would agree thought, landscape fabric, or even several (like 10 or 20) layers of old news papers, then the gravel, then treat periodically with weed prevention.

Several layers of newspaper are often times just as good as most affordable fabrics. The layers of paper quickly breakdown and form "Glay" or "gley". Its like a thick organic film that nothing can penetrate. We mulched miles of beds and row crops with it followed by grass clippings and it works phenomenally, amends soil, and saves the paper going through the recycling process.

Just an option

[Jim Becker]

I was remiss in mentioning the landscape cloth...absolutely worth putting under it as it keeps soil from migrating up through the stone, etc. The reason I recommended the Preen is that even with the cloth, stuff will still try to grow as seeds fall into the stone. Preen helps keep those seeds from germinating.