underlayment for gravel parking area/soiltac

[JohnnyDark]

anyone used an underlayment fabric under gravel? i am going to be starting a parking area for my semi trailers. also anyone used soiltac? thanks, johnny

 

[inveresk]

I used fabric for my driveway. Here it's fairly heavy clay and it pumps through road base in time if fabric isn't used. I bought mine direct from Nilex (Geosynthetics - Nilex) which saved some money and they also helped with the spec. for the fabric.

Spec. for the road was gravel topping on about 4 inches of clean pit run over 8 or so inches of overs laid on the fabric. Needed about 8 - 10 inches of excavation to strip off topsoil before the fabric went down.

Road has performed great this past year - hasn't budged even though we've had a lot of construction traffic up it.

 

[Kays Supply]

I have worked on construction sites where you couldn't walk because the mud was so deep. They put down fabric and gravel. I drove my one ton truck on it as soon as the gravel truck pulled out.

 

[dirtworksequip]

The one thing to remember when putting down stone, whether its with or without fabric is to not skimp on the thickness of the stone. If you are going to be running semi's on it I would say a minimum of 8 inches. 10 to 12 inches would be even better.Anything less and you will have problems with mud pumping up thru the stone. Also your subgrade on the area that you are putting down the stone has to be graded to drain and not have low spots all over the place. Take the time to do the finish subgrade right and it will save you thousands of dollars down the road in more stone. Any low spots will trap water and cause soft spots. Spend some extra time and do it right the first time around and you will lessen your future expenses.

 

[EddieWalker]

My experience with clay and roads is that you have to get the water to drain first. If the water has a path to follow that will take it away from your road or parking area, you will illiminate most of your water issues. My red clay is fine to drive on a day after it rains because the water runs off of it. Clay is great for shedding water when built up and compacted. If it's a flat area where water will sit, then clay will also soak it up and you have a muddy mess. Trying to build up rock on top of a muddy mess puts you at a disadvantage from the begining. When dirt is worked and shaped properly, you can save thousands of dollars or more on materials.

We don't have snow or freezing issues here, so roads are 4 to 6 inches thick. Less then 4 inches and it won't hold together. 4 inches is what it takes for the fines to lock into the larger rocks to create a solid surface. 6 inches is just that much stronger and will wear better. Anything more then that is just spending money to make up for not enough time on the dirt.

Fabric isn't used here on a normal basis. I won't say it's never used because there's always the exception. I've never seen it used an I consider our roads here in Texas to be some of the best in the country.

Before you do anything, take a drive and look around. See how the dirt is prepaired and the water will drain. Watch for gravel trucks and follow them. I've done this quite a few times and learned allot by asking the guys working what they are doing and where they are getting there materials. It's how I saved over $2 a ton on gravel!!!

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[JohnnyDark]

there is a bit of a slope so the water drain should not be an issue.i am going to be backing my trailers off a paved road and using this lot as a drop yard. i have seen some places that used fabric and it seemed like it worked really well. the soiltac was going to be used on my drive as well (about 500 ft). the website says it stabilizes as well as controls dust. thanks for all the replies, johnny

 

[jeffinsgf]

That SoilTac stuff looks interesting. If that could knock down the dust and keep the gravel from scattering, it sure would be a lot less than asphalt. If you hear any reports or try it out, let me know. I am starting to rework my road this week.

 

[schiker]

I used fabric for my driveway. Here it's fairly heavy clay and it pumps through road base in time if fabric isn't used. I bought mine direct from Nilex (Geosynthetics - Nilex) which saved some money and they also helped with the spec. for the fabric.

Spec. for the road was gravel topping on about 4 inches of clean pit run over 8 or so inches of overs laid on the fabric. Needed about 8 - 10 inches of excavation to strip off topsoil before the fabric went down.

Road has performed great this past year - hasn't budged even though we've had a lot of construction traffic up it.

Anyone have a good source or company similar to this one in the Southeastern United States. SC or GA?

 

[schiker]

What about crushed or recycled concrete as opposed to crusher run / rock. I used some recycled concrete on part of my driveway and it seemed to "crust" better and not float or pump mud through.

 

[TonyS]

Try Jeff at this e mail address. i think he is in FL. I bought some fabric 8 oz from him, great price and wonderful service. Tell him i recommended him

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