Pad site for travel trailer on rural property?

[jinman]

Maybe I'm in the minority this time, but having owned 6 RVs and having been a full timer for nearly 6 years, I guess my opinion is different. The gravel pad will work, and you may or may not be reasonably happy with it in the long term but I'm bettin' the day will come that you'll regret it, while if you can afford a concrete pad, you'll never regret it.

I agree, Bird; however, probably for a different reason. I think I'd go with grass or concrete because every time I have to get down on my knees in gravel around my portable building, I pay for having made that bad decision. If I had to use gravel, I'd sure use something with round corners like pea gravel instead of crushed limestone.

 

[npaden]

I called and got a quote on a concrete truck with 2,500 psi concrete and it was going to be right at $900 turn key including delivery at 25 miles one way.

That would work for a 20' x 40' X 4" thick slab. That would give me 12' out in front of the trailer for a patio. This would give me plenty of options down the road if I switched out for a different trailer, etc.

I was planning on working the cement myself with some help (I didn't think it would matter that much if I didn't get it perfect). Any tips or advice on a slab like this?

 

[patrick_g]

I agree with Bird, concrete is hard to fault. If it is a $ issue then reserve the crete for the tires, and jacks AND a patio area but use plenty of gravel over a vapor barrier with a slight slope for drainage. Build a raised pad, don't just dump some gravel on grade.

If you do elect to do a complete concrete solution get the concrete sufficiently above grade so it can drain well and resist silt washing in when it rains.

Enjoy!

Pat

 

[California]

And for still another opinion: Around here the gophers will push up dirt under anything that is a few inches off the ground. In a year or so the trailer would be touching moist earth, in five years it would be resting on its own hill. Some sort of solid barrier would be essential. Hopefully you don't have this problem in your location!

 

[wushaw]

My trailer/house sits on a 20X40 concrete pad with a cover. It works just fine.

 

[patrick_g]

I was planning on working the cement myself with some help (I didn't think it would matter that much if I didn't get it perfect). Any tips or advice on a slab like this?

Tip #1, if you are not an experienced concrete finisher at least one of your help should be.

Tip #2, do put in "expansion joints"

Tip#3, don't skimp on steel.

Concrete cracks but that doesn't have to be a problem if you plan on it. Control the cracks with steel and they remain cosmetic rather than being structural.

Tip#4, save a little "mud" off to one side, probably under water in a wheel barrow or a couple large plastic buckets.

When you are finishing the concrete and find low spots (it happens to the best of them) you will have something to add to bring it up to level. Poorly finished slabs frequently have low spots which collect and hold rain water and any dirt and dust and are treacherously slippery when wet. In winter they are miniature ice rinks that can surprise you.

Tip #5, thicken the slab where the loading will be such as under the path of the tow vehicle and trailer. I like to thicken the slab all the way around the edges. This gives several benefits including strength-resistance to breaking down where the truck or trailer tires go beween the approach and the slab and helps keep the dirt under the pad, under the pad.

Pat

 

[Egon]

Have you considered paving blocks?

 

[HappyCPE]

Since you aren't in NJ this may not matter, But, placing concrete in an area that is considered wetlands or in a wetlands buffer area is not permitted. You are allowed to park a trailer in those areas though. So, depending on your site and DEP regs you might want to consider that.

If you go with concrete, I want to second the opinion about making the highly loaded areas thicker. Under the wheels, jackstands, etc should be at least 8" thick and have some supplemental rebar in them. Wire isn't enough. Also, once you do this, you might find that 10 cubic yards of concrete isn't enough. I figure the pad you suggest will take 11 or 12, which might require another truck.

You also might want to consider setting anchor bolts in the thickened parts of the concrete. That will help keep the trailer down in high winds or [heaven forbid] tornadoes. That's also a building code thing up here.

 

[RobJ]

Tip #1, if you are not an experienced concrete finisher at least one of your help should be.

Read this as you will need to rent a trowl machine. If you broom it or just bull float it then what's the use, it'l be rough to walk on bare foot. Trowl machines are not that hard to run once you learn how to move them...like an old floor buffing machine. But the key is when to start trowling. To soon and you make a mess, to late the stuff is to hard. I went over my garage 3 times and it is nice and smooth. But I still like walking on a deck better.

Rob

 

[patrick_g]

Rob, Excellent suggestion! I have lots of hours in my log book running floor buffers (USAF where everything has to be shined no matter what your actual job was, instrument flying instructor on computerized flight sim) and found that the skills developed, like riding a bike are not easily forgotten and do transfer to similar devices. My concrete guy let me try my hand with his big unit. Beats trying to do in on your knees, especially when there is very much to do.

Pat