How to fix mud?

EddinKY · Nov 8, 2021

As someone else said: $400 invested in geo cloth will save you a $1000 in gravel.

Smitty62 · Nov 8, 2021

Not sure if it's available in your area but I've found using 1 - 1/4" processed concrete is the best deal in my area. It's only $300 for a full tri-axle load. It's a little soft at first but once it gets a couple of heavy rains on it packs hard.

JWR · Nov 9, 2021

There have to be a few good ideas in the last 31 posts... I'll add my opinions to the pile.

By the way pictures always help in order for us peanut gallery occupants to pontificate.
1/4 acre means approx. 105 ft square or the equivalent. 105ft square is not that big so...

1) Grass won't work forget it. You said the space had a lot of concrete chunk fill, etc. Not good for grass growth.
2) You said you use the space for storage and wood cutting. Not good for grass growth either. Sod would be nice but you have at least 2 strikes against it. Also said it is sloped but no idea how much.
3) Your topping was 'nice clay' which people have already made enough fun of. Wood chips and anything organic and cheap would work. There are several 'good' helpers like the free mulch from the county dump suggested by someone, etc. Still not great.

If you really want to do it right for your stated usage, find a few loads of asphalt millings as another guy said. It will imbed nicely in your clay and defeat the stickiness. Put a couple inches on at least and roll over it with any handy vehicles and pack it down. Hunt around -- I have seen places where the local county road people were looking for a place to dump millings. Hopefully you can use your tractor to smooth it out.

dec4trax · Nov 9, 2021

Clay soil can be stabilized by the addition of small percentages, by weight, of lime, thereby enhancing many of the engineering properties of the soil and producing an improved construction material. You will need to mix the soil and lime with a Tiller and then recompact the grade. It will add strength to the soil and reduce rutting. Success is not guaranteed. There are plenty of engineering publications and case studies on-line that explain the process, mix, and hydration requirements for soil stabilization with lime.

I would use run-of-quarry aggregate or waste rockfill (what ever you can find cheap in your area) to make some travel routes and staging areas to keep you and your tractor out of the mud and put your firewood on more wood chips since turf grass will not do well in clay.

After fighting the mud in my work area for several years, I was able to find a contractor trying to get rid of waste rock and he gladly dumped it on my property for free. I had some lunkers I had to push to the sides, but most was suitable for my road base needs.

Good luck !

Creamer · Nov 11, 2021

Wyobuckaroo said:
Considering our ground..... If I had that kind of issue in that size area.... Like said.. I would put in a base of 3-4" maximum pit run.. Spread and pack as well as I could then overlay with about 3" of compaction gravel.. I would NOT put down 1" of gravel then try to use it.. I would take the time as money allows to cover with the full 3" and only use the sections that I could cover at that thickness..

My 5 cents of opinion..

When I looked at where you are from I have to question your advice - it is frozen nine months out of the year there and so mud is not an issue.

Cougsfan · Nov 12, 2021

I remember my dad telling me that they used to lay down corncobs to make roads when he was a kid back in Kansas, and he said it would work pretty good for several years.

lennyzx11 · Nov 12, 2021

Cougsfan said:
I remember my dad telling me that they used to lay down corncobs to make roads when he was a kid back in Kansas, and he said it would work pretty good for several years.

Reminds me of corduroy roads I’ve found in old logging areas.