Questions about pole barn

Mar 14, 2005 12 Replies

I am the one asking about leveling the lot and wanting to "box in" with



2x6's with gravel and park on it for awhile till I can afford to build everything. Is it ok to ly black plastic down before putting the rock down to keep weeds, etc, from growing through?

Also, what size rick should I use. I plan on getting it myself and shoveling by hand. I want something that is easy to rake etc, to make level but will last too and not be too expensive.



Yes, and recommended

I would recommend road planings - don't know if you have tarmac/asphalt roads where you are?

Failing that, a three layered approach - crushed brick rubble (about 3 inches and smaller), then 2 inch gravel, then pea gravel.

You could probably get away with just brick rubble, depending on how pretty you want it. - If you level with sand, put 3x2 on top and fill with concrete, you have a ready made solid standing that should take pretty much anything road legal.

-- BigEgg

Something that really works well, but absolutely MUST be properly and thoroughly compacted is "washout". Many governments now use concrete washout as road base. If it's properly compacted, it will eventually turn back to weak concrete. You should top it with a finer, more dense pavement for permanence -- it tends to abrade some, and become quite dusty when it's dry.

Asphalt or concrete tops it well.

Washout is cheap.

Washout is easy to rake and shovel into place.

Washout is easy to level.

Washout is hard to fully compact. A roller or plate compactor is necessary.

LLoyd

I'd put a layer of 2" egg sized or so, followed by a layer of 2B sinze followed up with a top of crush and run (also called tailings or screenings depending on where your from)..... that is if you have the limestone type aggragate in your area.

Around here the old asphalt that is removed by those large gr>===I am the one asking about leveling the lot and wanting to "box in" with

============================================== Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!

I can get that crush and run. SHould I just use it completely?

I plan on hauling it myself in my dual axel trailer.

============================================== Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!

On 14 Mar 2005 10:56:38 -0800, snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

please try to reply to more replies so people feel they are getting through to you, and why do you keep starting new topics

Most pea gravel will roll around under traffic forever. I suggest that you ask for graded base course material from a local aggregate supplier, preferably one that is supplying material for highway construction. It is designed to attain maximum density with the proper moisture content and wheel or vibratory compaction. Heavy rain will wash out the fines and degrade the stability, but it is ideal as a base for concrete or asphalt. Bugs

Do the layered approach. Follow with a layer of washout/"crush and run" on top. You don't need much, just enough to fill all the gaps from the previous level plus a little.

If you wet it and roll it out, you can get a very solid, reasonably smooth surface.

If you drive over this for a few years and then lay down some cement on top of it, you will have a floor that isn't going to shift anytime in your lifetime.

Not sure what "Till" means - is it like ploughing? or rotovating?

Definitely don't - you are softening the ground, when what you really need is it to be as solid possible.

-- BigEgg

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