[
attachment=5119]We are trying to decide on what type of surfaces for the sites.. this is not a money issue as much as a choice of what is best.. stamped stained concrete is an obvious choice. But there is a new product out there from a company called true grid, their product is permeable pavers . It is a plastic grating that is filled with the aggregate of your choice.. has been used in many parking lots for heavy trucks so I am not concerned about the ability to hold up to coaches. Another advantage is it drains almost instantly and reduces the need to control storm water run off. It is also super environmentally friendly. When installed it becomes like a very dense gravel pad.. what is everyone's opinion on this.
Marc: We have had stamp stained concrete sidewalks for about 20 years. They have remained very attractive but do require re-coating at least every 2 years. Also rain water does not totally drain off and that requires power washing yearly as those areas turn to a green scum. It remains very attractive even though there are stress cracks in a few places. They aren't very noticeable because the sidewalk is narrow, but a neighbor has a stamped driveway and the cracks are very noticeable. When we tore our deck out we went with pavers with porous sand and it remains very attractive with very little maintenance. IMOP I would use some type of paver.
It may be dependent on geography, but the parks with pavers that we have visited seems to have more problems controlling ants because they come up between the pavers, than the full concrete pads.
(10-20-2017, 06:37 PM)Land Yacht Wrote: [ -> ]It may be dependent on geography, but the parks with pavers that we have visited seems to have more problems controlling ants because they come up between the pavers, than the full concrete pads.
The storage lot I was keeping my coach at had that type of surface , after a couple of months of use it started to push the gravel out and made grooves so deep that my step would rub.
I suspect that the base was giving way and was not properly installed. Paul
If you decide to use the permeable pavers, the base will be the key to longevity.
I looked at them when I was building a paver pad here in Florida.
Let me tell you about a redneck technique that I stumbled into for prepping the base. I went through all the compaction techniqes, gravel, and crushed limestone when I first installed the pavers, yet when the coach weight hit the pavers some of them, actually a lot of them, sank. Not too big of a surprise since it is Florida and sand all the way to China.
When I ripped up sections for rework, I simply mixed dry portland cement in with the sand and limestone to make what I nicknamed redneck concrete. After screeding to level, I sprinkled it with water. Those sections haven't moved an inch with the coach driving on them.
The point is that I agree with Paul. You may find that when you add the cost of base preparement to the pavers that you are equivalent or higher than concrete.
My $0.02
Gravel bases, with the exception of placment over rock, should be placed on a Geotechnical fabric. All gravel bases should be compacted.
http://www.sitefabric.com