How to build a tractor path out of cement?

[TOMDUALLY]

Why start at the top? If you started at the bottom, then they would be reasting on each other as you work your way up. Seems that if you start at the top of the hill, gravity will be pulling them apart.

Eddie; the reason for starting at the top is so you can lower you 3pt and using the cement plank grade a level spot for the plank to set on at the same time you are pushing up enough soil to fill in between the planks. Also by backing up the hill you’ll always have your load up hill of your tractor. As for making holes for rebar spikes--good idea.

zeuspaul; as noted above the ground would be graded fairly smooth for the plank to rest on and as far as cracking it would be easier to pull up a plank and replace it as to tear up a piece of solid concrete and try to repair it.

 

[rox]

I am leaning towards to cement planks idea, but not firm yet. The only reason for starting at the top is because our neighbor Claude said to start at the top. Whatever Claude says we more or less do, since his knowldege of all things mechanical/building/farming exceeds ours.

We do not have palelt forks for a 3PH. Claude has like a mini bobcat but I don't knwo if his machine will carry those heavy planks. We might just build one and see how it goes. Or maybe just go with bringng up buckets of cement, i don't know yet. I do like the idea of filling in with gravel instead of digging down to level out the ground. The concept there would be pick your highest spot and fill "up".

 

[Egon]

Chances are Claude was telling you to start at the top cause otherwise you would not be able to use the tractor to get the wet cement in place.

 

[EddieWalker]

The planks are an intersting idea, but in this case, I'm not sure it's the best route to take. Making the forms, pouring them, then transporting them to the location and then setting them in position is pretty labor intesive. It's also allot of steps that I'm not sure are neccesary.

Why not just build the forms where they need to be and pour the concret in place. She could make the forms as small as she can handle, but still have a tight fit without having to worry about filling in the voids.

If it's available, use sand to fill in the low spots. Build your forms and pour them in place.

I still don't see the advantage to starting at the top. It could be me, but it doesn't make any sense to me. If she starts at the bottom and does one pad at a time, then waits for it to dry before going on to the next, she can work from the pad and have a solid surface to build from. It will also give her a path to move material along since it's what it's being built for. If she starts at the top, then she needs another route just to get to the road she's building.

Rox,

How wide do you want the road? How wide is your tractor or anything else that will be driving on it? No need making it any wider than you need it.

I'd guess six feet is plenty.

Make your pours six feet wide by 8 feet long. Spend the day on it and then let it set for a week. Then do it again every week until your done.

Eddie

 

[TOMDUALLY]

I may have miss read but it was my understanding that the orchard was on top of the hill and she only had a couple hours a day after working the orchard to spend on this project therefore if she poured the slabs at the bottom her husband could drive over them immediately after setting them to work the orchard. and would not have the road cut off for a week waiting for the cement to dry.

 

[rox]

Tom,
We have stone terraces up two big hillsides. Some terraces are really wide, like 40ft wide, other terraces are really narrow, can't get a tractor through.

To get up and down these stone terraces we have tractor paths on the big hills. We also have big fields on flat ground, the valley in between the big hillsides.

Ont eh first tractor path paving project I want to do, we can reach the trees to spray without ahving to drive the tractor up because we have extra long hoses on our 3ph sprayer. So if we couldn't use the tractor path for a month while we were slowly building it we would be okay.

 

[5030tinkerer]

As previously mentioned, I would be tremendously concerned about the set in place planks cracking. Even a 1/2" void beneath an area of the plank would result in the rebar needing to act as a beam and increase the likelihood of a cracked plank. If the area is already graded fairly smooth, all that I would do is set the 2x4 forms and go. If there is concern about having to do too much in one day, set the forms narrower - perhaps 4 or 5 feet long at a time. Then, rather than having to use a concrete saw or other method to give the required control joints (to give the concrete a place to crack), you could use a filler board between these poured in place slabs to serve the same purpose. If you do end up pouring a larger slab at a time, you'll want to use your concrete saw to cut joints at least 1" deep (1/4 the depth of your slab) no more than once every 15 feet (concrete shrinks about 1/16th of an inch for every ten feet of length). I'd stick with using #4 (1/2") rebar in a 24" grid, ensuring that the ends of the each stick are bent with an 18" leg and that all bar is placed so that it is about 2" from the top of the finished slab - rebar "chairs" are the way to go to ensure this. A great writeup on sidewalks (similar topic) can be found at http://www.askthebuilder.com/613_Pouring_Concrete_Sidewalks.shtml. Another one on driveways and cracking is at http://www.askthebuilder.com/293_Concrete_Crack_Prevention.shtml.