Need to fill in area.....will this work???

[leeinmemphis]

I am building a new barn/garage that is going to need to be brought up around 9" on one end so that would amount to quite a bit of dirt to bring in. I was wondering if it were possible to backfill with sand and then put gravel on top of it? I didn't know how the gravel would work with sand underneath it? I'm going to need quite a bit of dirt to bring it up to where I would want to start the gravel and didn't really want to spend alot of money hauling in dirt. I can get clean sand for a fairly reasonable price and believe it would probably take somewhere in the 40-45 yard range to handle my surface area.

 

[cmhyland]

Lee,
When you say gravel I assume my mean bank run gravel not stone.

Sand should be fine under bank run gravel.

Regards,
Chris

 

[leeinmemphis]

I believe what I have been purchasing is a limestone gravel 33c which is a crushed limestone and packs very tight.

 

[EddieWalker]

Sand is one of the best fill materials you can get. The corser the better, but just about any sand is ideal. Sand is the only material that will self compact. Just spread it out, and your ready to build on it.

I'm curious why you want to put gravel over the sand?

Eddie

 

[leeinmemphis]

Sand is one of the best fill materials you can get. The corser the better, but just about any sand is ideal. Sand is the only material that will self compact. Just spread it out, and your ready to build on it.

I'm curious why you want to put gravel over the sand?

Eddie

Eddie,

This area will be a higher traffic area since I will be backing up in there probably a few times a month to hook up a trailer. So I figure gravel would be better during the winter months when the soil is usually wet and the vehicles will need more traction and hopefully won't rut up quite as bad either. I've used gravel over dirt in areas that I needed to do this type of situation and it has worked great. I just didn't know how sand would react below the gravel.

 

[EddieWalker]

Sorry, I misunderstood.

For the building, sand is a great base material to pour concrete over. It compacts easier than any other fill material out there. For roads or parking spaces, then it's questionable.

The problem with sand and roads is that water erodes and undercuts it. Most roads have drainage along the sides of them. They also drain water off the top of them. In arid climates, it's not as bad, but there will always be more erosion on sand then on dirt during heavy rains.

If sand is your only option for a road, be sure to use fabric. I'm not a fabric user since I have good clay and don't need it, but you'll find that in allot of areas, people have to have it. In other areas they just like to put it down as an added measure of insuring there road lasts as long as possible.

From seeing your pictures, I'd build up the road with dirt. Compact it and crown it, then cover with rock.

Eddie

 

[LBrown59]

I am building a new barn/garage that is going to need to be brought up around 9" on one end so that would amount to quite a bit of dirt to bring in. I was wondering if it were possible to backfill with sand and then put gravel on top of it? I didn't know how the gravel would work with sand underneath it? I'm going to need quite a bit of dirt to bring it up to where I would want to start the gravel and didn't really want to spend alot of money hauling in dirt. I can get clean sand for a fairly reasonable price and believe it would probably take somewhere in the 40-45 yard range to handle my surface area.

I like free fill dirt.

 

[AndyM]

I like free fill dirt.

Trouble with free dirt is it's rarely offered to you when you need it.

 

[LBrown59]

Trouble with free dirt is it's rarely offered to you when you need it.

Andy that's rite.
But I still take it when it's available need it or not cause sooner or later I can use it.

 

[LBrown59]

I am building a new barn/garage that is going to need to be brought up around 9" on one end so that would amount to quite a bit of dirt to bring in. I was wondering if it were possible to backfill with sand and then put gravel on top of it? I didn't know how the gravel would work with sand underneath it? I'm going to need quite a bit of dirt to bring it up to where I would want to start the gravel and didn't really want to spend alot of money hauling in dirt. I can get clean sand for a fairly reasonable price and believe it would probably take somewhere in the 40-45 yard range to handle my surface area.

I have a building that's 3 feet lower on one end that needs brought up 2 feet .Talk about a lot of fill .