I would like to put in a path over to the side of our house where we keep t he garbage cans. I like the look of decomposed granite, but I'm afraid that the weight of the cans (sometimes as much as 75 lbs) on 1" wide hard plast ic wheels will quickly leave ruts, whether I stabilize it or not. What do y ou think?
Will decomposed granite hold up to wheeled garbage can traffic?
Jan 26, 2014
28 Replies
Sounds as if you are in So Cal and you are using the large bins from waste management.
DG is good as a foot path as long as you put down a weed barrier. However, I would probably put down DG and then put in some flagstone, asphalt, or just pour some concrete.
How long of path?
75 lbs a week?
Yard waste.
75 lbs. in one can - admittedly a worst-case scenario, but 40-50 lbs is common.
p the garbage cans. I like the look of decomposed granite, but I'm afraid t hat the weight of the cans (sometimes as much as 75 lbs) on 1" wide hard pl astic wheels will quickly leave ruts, whether I stabilize it or not. What d o you think?
30 feet.Google does mention heavy duty uses.
Google mentions heavy duty uses or sites found by Google mention heavy duty uses?
Well, if you make it thick enough and mechanically compact it, I am sure it would work ok. My personal preference would be to add flagstone or inexpensive pavers.
where I live yard waste isn't allowed in the garbage can, but if it were
75 lbs a week?
We have special yard waste bins. They are picked up by a truck with an automated lifting arm. 75 lbs. wouldn't be uncommon for my place.
At our Alibamistan house, yard waste is picked up by the city. Just put it by the street and it's gone. Same goes with household trash. It's picked up on Thursdays (garbage is on Wednesdays), unless there is a holiday that week. They'll take everything, free, except stuff with CFCs, and then with a sticker (on sale for something like $5).
Here, it's just garbage and recycles (which other than cardboard, I don't separate). I have enough land that any yard waste just gets dumped in the corner of the lot. I don't bag grass, so it's not a problem.
per pickup (once or twice a month)?
A lot dends upon the size of the property the OP has, with a couple of acres he could do 75 pounds a month easily
What I've seen of those bins, UGLY. Glad I don't have them in my neighborhood.
Greg
Weekly
Snicker. I have yet to see a garbage container I consider to be attractive. I grew up with those steel cans from Wheeling PA. After a month of use they were all dented and banged up but everyone kept using them for years and years.
At least these bins have wheels and are replaced at no cost when they become damaged.
Or a lot of palm trees and a wife that loves to garden.
Decomposed granite is fragile. Breaks down. As you said, pavers, flagstone, bricks all look good and won't disintegrate. Rolls easy too.
Yes, but some folks like to do it the easier cheaper way and are not as concerned with permanence. It isn't the way you and I think, that is for sure. I only want to do the job once.
What I did was to have the wife plant some shrubs conveniently between the door of the house and the gate to the driveway. I hide the garbage cans inside the shrub enclosure, the cans are close enough so that taking out the trash isn't a chore and putting the cans out for collection is a piece of cake. I always try to find the easiest, longest term solution. Aesthetics is always a secondary priority, way below practicality.
Obviously, there are many different situations.
Join the Discussion
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Didn't find your answer?
Ask the community — no account required