Harv here's the pic of that fabric I promised you

[Harv]

Peter -

I haven't actually seen or used the stuff yet, but it came up in various responses to my query about my muddy path.

From what I gather, it's a geotextile fabric which is used as a barrier between your installed roadbed and the underlying soil. It's a super-tough fabric weave that is impervious to mud and I think is permeable by water. What it does is it keeps the rocks/gravel/crush that you put down on top of it from being pushed into the mud and similarly keeps the mud from being "pumped" up to the surface.

Apparently it is commonly used, if not required in the construction of public roads.

Like I said, that's my understanding of it. I will now step back and wait to hear from the people who actually know what they're talking about. [img]/w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif[/img]

[cowboydoc]

Harv,
Yes you are exactly right! It is also permeable to water which makes the roads dry out rather quickly.

[gordon]

I've got a couple of links about fabrics that I'll post in the next couple of days.

My main concern was not for driveway use but for a couple of skidding trails. It seems that I already knew the answer but had to prove it to myself. The weight of the fabric versus load on the woven versus unwoven fabric.

No sense in buying the heavier fabric if it's not needed, or is it? Guess that is to be determined by road usage and the weight of the trucks and tractors. But reguardless the fabric still needs a proper covering of crush and run or stone for protection. Chunkwood can be used for temporary roads as a covering for the fabric.
Gordon

[gordon]

I've got a couple of links about fabrics that I'll post in the next couple of days.

My main concern was not for driveway use but for a couple of skidding trails. It seems that I already knew the answer but had to prove it to myself. The weight of the fabric versus load on the woven versus unwoven fabric.

No sense in buying the heavier fabric if it's not needed, or is it? Guess that is to be determined by road usage and the weight of the trucks and tractors. But reguardless the fabric still needs a proper covering of crush and run or stone for protection. Chunkwood can be used for temporary roads as a covering for the fabric.
Gordon

[hayden]

This is genuine magic. I want some. Where does one find this stuff and what is it called?

[Harv]

Peter -

As near as I can tell, it's called geotextile road fabric, and should be available through any roadworking type of supplier. I called the place I got my culvert pipes from (a plumbing supply place) and they knew of the stuff and said they could order it. I wish I was on friendly terms with some highway crew. Bet they could lead you to the stuff. [img]/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[70boss]

Here is a good explanation and reccomendation for the road fabric. Just follow the link.....
http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~ohioli...fact/0304.html

[Harv]

Great page! [img]/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Clears up a few details I was wondering about. For example, an entire roll of the stuff only weighs a couple hundred pounds. Interesting, too, about its susceptibility to UV light and the way it acts as a sponge in its rolled up state.

I'm printing it out for my upcoming road project.

Thanks!

[DONOTDELETE]

Just another suggestion about the geo fabric. I have been using it as a weed block in my landscape projects for the past year. It seems to work very well, and I think it will be more durable than the material I have used in the past

[gordon]

Here is a copy of the post in soupy roads that I just posted.
<font color=blue>Geotextile links</font color=blue>

Hope this helps
Gordon