Gravel

[dragonrouge]

I have searched the archives and I know this has been covered before but before I make a huge mistake both financially and otherwise please can someone help on this question.

We have demolished a large hangar at the rear of the house and which the old proprietor used to use for his coach and taxi business.  Thus there is some 24m x 18m of absolute hard standing.  Around the edge of the area have been placed treated boards so to prevent slippage.

Basically part is going to be used for the car and the rest with hard landscaping gardening and leisure areas only in the summer.

If I went to a depth that Cassis suggests of 4/5cm how much in metric tonnes do I need please.

We have seen some is it calcaire which looks good but I am told it will not take the usage of our car.  Again the area covered in grey gravel would make it look pretty dull do you not think?

Would really appreciate help before I commit to ordering.

[pachapapa]

...We have seen some is it calcaire which looks good but I am told it will not take the usage of our car...

Strange I would have thought that having supported buses for several years it would have coped adequately with your car; I base my opinion on the design of haul roads on inclined ramps in open pit mines in the north of chile using 500 metric tonne trucks; if you intend to do 0-60 standing starts with a 24 metre initial run then sorry, no idea.

24metres X 18 metres is 482 square metres in area; if you cover this with 1 centimetre of gravel you will require 482 X 0.01 cubic metres; id est 4.82 cubic metres. 2 centimetres thick just double it etc, etc, This sort of material is sold by the cubic metre as weight would be problematic; a cubic metre of wet sand weighs more than a cubic metre of dry sand. In principle the relative density of a material will decrease with reduction of particle size. If I were you I would take cognisance of the cost contribution of the delivery of the material vis-à-vis trucks used for delivery. An extra 1 centimetre depth may require a second delivery at an enormous incremental unit cost.[:D]

[Gardian]

Dragonrouge ..............

Around here, a lot of people use crushed stone called concasse, which is a nice yellowish colour, but has the properties you describe. It gets very compacted though and the weeds break through all the time.

We decided to go for a 2.5cm down shingle, which (to us) looks quite nice and is very weed-resistant. The stones are mixed in colour, so not "dull". I guess the answer is to get as many samples as you can before settling on your choice.

Re weights, no idea, but from the dimensions given, it sounds like 20-25 cu3.  That's a few lorryloads! 

 

[dragonrouge]

Thanks I am so grateful to you

 

best wishes

[splishsplash]

Our local quarry were very helpful & after we gave them the dimensions, they took us on a tour of the quarry & then worked out how much gravel we would need.

[dragonrouge]

Dear Pachapapa

Sorry I did not make myself clear and do apologize.  Of course the hard standing will support my car having supported lots of buses over the years.  Not a problem but I am informed that calcaire will crumble under the weight of my car not the hardstanding.  Indeed I can make it disintergrate by just the weight of a shoe.

As you can see it is a relatively large area and the prices vary enormously and thus I would wish to get it right.  The rest of the area is simply for leisure so that is not the problem its the continuing use of the car .

[Chancer]

Given that it must take the weight what is most important to you, cost or looks?

I would recommend "tout venant" but it really depends on what is available in your area, it is the equivalent of "hoggin" or MOT type 2, iin my area it is mainly road planings and once wackered down looks like tarmac.

It is not intended for heavy frequent traffic but many people use it as their drive base for 10-20 years as they never quite get together the money to pay the fairy tale price of tarmac in France. I paid around €25 per tonne yesterday for a small quantity, actually about 1/2 that as they always use the oversize godet where I go so you get twice as much for your money.

[dragonrouge]

Thanks J.R we are now going around various brico's plus the local quarry and collecting plastic coffee cups with samples and prices.  Tout venant I have seen that sign in the dechetterie, what does it mean please

 

kind regards and thanks for your help

[dragonrouge]

Sorry I forgot to mention that it is a combination of  looks and cost that way around.  However we may not be here for ever and may indeed be now leaving for the UK where I have just been awarded a contract legal wise and thus its going to be an aid in the future whenever that will be to sell the house.

[thunderhorse]

If you're looking at 5cm depth, then the volume rounded up is 22 cu.m. I've always been advised when dealing with gravels to allow approx. 1.6tonnes/cu.m.

So you'll need 35 tonnes. That's 7 tonnes per cm. depth over that area.