New Tarmac drive (1 Viewer)

Jerrymjj

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Apr 3, 2014
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I've just had a beautiful new tarmac drive laid. It's been a bit hot lately... and have discovered that my Autotrail Tracker has left 2" deep holes for each wheel where it has been parked. I hope it will sort itself out again over time but any thoughts on what I might use to spread the load? Two 12 foot long builders planks might do I suppose but wouldn't look too good. Could paint them perhaps? Ideas?
Many thanks, Jerry
 
Jan 3, 2008
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How about contacting the people who layed the drive and asking them to put it right, or explain why it sank, or explain why they didn't tell you to keep your van off it for a while.
 
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Jerrymjj

Jerrymjj

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I think 3 and a half tons is bound to do this. It is hot and it's been laid about 3 weeks now. I need something to spread the load.

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lorger

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I'm with Iandsm on this one, first think I'd do is contact who ever laid it. I'm sure if you parked on the road on a hot day it wouldn't sink.

If no joy from them I'd go with your idea maybe a couple of scaffold planks would do the job.
 
Apr 9, 2014
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We had ours newly laid about 2 months ago, we put some plywood sheets under each wheel (about 2 ft x 1ft), thinking to spread the load. partially worked but not 100%. As there is a slight slope we put some cut down scaffolding planks on top of the plywood on the driver's side this side virtually no visible impression on the tarmac, but just the ply wood there is a slight impression. Unfortunately the MH is parked on the section with the thickest tarmac.

The plywood definitely helped spread the load.
 

Vlad The Impaler

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Sounds to me like they have not done a propped job . A properly compacted sub base ,a base course ,then a top layer of Tarmac,should be good for 3.5 t
A lot of 4&4 weigh around this and as someone who's in that line of work I'd say they've skimped somewhere.
The way to check is to cut a small hole to check Tarmac thickness and stone depth.


Vlad

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Last edited:
Apr 13, 2012
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Have to agree with the others - job not done properly

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PP Bear

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Hopefully it was a reputable company who would want to stand by their good name and they'll sort if for you :)

Not Itinerant's I hope. Did they try to sell you a dog, arrive in a caravan and still wore wellies even at 30*C :eek:
 

rolandrat

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When I had the parking area for the motorhome relayed I specified reinforced concrete with thick steel mesh, it was quite expensive at the time but worth every penny. No more deep ruts and it's easy to maintain.

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Jerrymjj

Jerrymjj

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Apr 3, 2014
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Thanks to everyone for the helpful advice. It is a very good company and I have been in touch and the MD is coming out next week having promised to "sort it". I like the idea of the paving slabs I have to admit. Probably embed themselves in over time...
 

pappajohn

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Thanks to everyone for the helpful advice. It is a very good company and I have been in touch and the MD is coming out next week having promised to "sort it". I like the idea of the paving slabs I have to admit. Probably embed themselves in over time...
Save the wait......while the tarmac is still soft mark out the dimensions for the four slabs, carefully remove the tarmac and drop in the slabs.....or ask the tarmac guys to do it as recompense for a crap job originally.

That way they wont look out of place.
 

rolandrat

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If you are going to use paving slabs they need to be put on a solid base or they will definitely crack that's why I went for reinforced concrete. The weight of a motorhome being parked for any length of time on unsupported slabs or tarmac will cause cracks which rainwater can seep through and soften the ground further.

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Vlad The Impaler

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I have to disagree I've done a fair few driveways for better off folk who park horse-boxes on theirs!
Several years on no ruts or cracks.




Vlad
 
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A friend of mine had his drive tarmac by paddy who was doing a job up the road and had some materials left over. It looked so nice he thought he would clean his windows. He climbed 4 rungs of his ladder yet he was still at ground level. True story.....:)

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DBK

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If you are going to use paving slabs get "municipal" standard ones, which are much thicker than the things your local garden centre might sell.
 
Apr 13, 2012
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Using paving slabs is a bodge........shouldn't be needed, will look a mess and will probably crack and sink anyway
 

Scout

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whe I had mine drive bricked (differant I know) I had to have the lagwer deeper biricks used for lorry parks, 80mm? I seem to recall not the 50mm used for normal drives

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