Grass reinforcement mesh

[Adrian]

We've got a back gate, with about 20-25m of grass leading to tarmac at the back of the house and across to a garage door. Over this winter, we've had various bits of equipment - up to JCB Fastrac size - coming in and out of there, and - predictably - it's turned into a bit of a rutted quagmire.

Once it's dried out a bit, I'm thinking of somehow flattening it, re- seeding it, and putting reinforcement in there - National Trust overflow- carpark kinda stuff. A quick google suggests it's often referred to as "Grass reinforcement mesh". GrassProtecta seems to be one of the more common products.

Anybody got any experience of it? It's not going to be a high-traffic area, but it'd be nice if we can rely on being able to use it, going up to largish van size. There's a low but present possibility of stuff as big as JCBs/tractors coming in/out that way irregularly, but a full-size flatbed truck won't quite get through the gate anyway.

Any thoughts or experiences? If it's badly rutted now, how would you flatten it out first?

[Andy Burns]

Sounds like you want something a bit heavier duty than mesh, grasscrete?

Free gorilla with every 50m^2

[Adrian]

The JCBs were a one-off - I sincerely hope - since we've had the power people in replacing poles and transformer. Without those, I can't see anything over 3.5t coming in other than every blue moon. I suspect 90% of vehicular traffic'll be the lawnmower.

Umm, lovely.

[Rick Hughes]

Council car parks locally use this 'hollow' squares with grass planted in hollows. I worked a fair bit in Netherlands and it very common there.

[Bob Minchin]

Look for "Grass Grid" they are concrete blocks with through holes which you fill with earth and grow grass in. you end up seeing just a grid of concrete pads abut 40mm square on about a 100mm pitch. The rest is grass and you can just mow over the lot. you need a good sub base whacked into a surface and then lay the blocks on a little grit. whack down and then fill with topsoil and seed.

[Bob Minchin]

Made by Charcon

[Nthkentman]

We've got a back gate, with about 20-25m of grass leading to tarmac at the back of the house and across to a garage door. Over this winter, we've had various bits of equipment - up to JCB Fastrac size - coming in and out of there, and - predictably - it's turned into a bit of a rutted quagmire.

Once it's dried out a bit, I'm thinking of somehow flattening it, re- seeding it, and putting reinforcement in there - National Trust overflow- carpark kinda stuff. A quick google suggests it's often referred to as "Grass reinforcement mesh". GrassProtecta seems to be one of the more common products.

Anybody got any experience of it? It's not going to be a high-traffic area, but it'd be nice if we can rely on being able to use it, going up to largish van size. There's a low but present possibility of stuff as big as JCBs/tractors coming in/out that way irregularly, but a full-size flatbed truck won't quite get through the gate anyway.

Any thoughts or experiences? If it's badly rutted now, how would you flatten it out first?

As you suggest the local power company have destroyed your property get them involved to recompense...

Look at eBay item 221387029566

We used a similar product at the golf course I was engineer at and it's damn hard wearing, easy to lay, easy to handle and stands regular tractor weight traffic easily. Wait until the ground is friable, break up the surface with whatever tools/machinery you have and level generally. Set the grids into the top surface and dress with a mix of 50% soil, 40% sand and 10% grass seed and gently tamp down with a wacker plate. Water gently for a day, then re-compact once more... Leave to dry and watch the grasss grow. Can be mowed over as well

[bert]

In message , Adrian writes

You'll need a sub base for anything over a car.

[The Natural Philosopher]

I actually found that digging out the mud and filling with limestone and then putting topsoil on THAT worked.

you get a bit of surface scarring with the traffic, but no massive gouges

[Adrian]

The various manufacturers say not. GrassProtecta's a mat that you unroll, then peg down - and they reckon that's good up to 8t axle loads, once the grass has grown through it.

[bert]

My son who is a professional landscaping contractor says yes you do, and I believe him because I did some myself a few years back and with regular use without a sub base it has sunk. Your choice.

[The Natural Philosopher]

I think the key is 'regular use'

here

[Adrian]

I suspect so.

We're talking about a back gate that - currently - hasn't had more than foot traffic for two months. It's a public footpath (albeit VERY lightly used), so I do feel a bit bad about the current ankle-hazards. When we moved in, last May, the previous owner had removed the mortal remains of an ancient pickup from just inside the gate using a twin-rear-wheel Transit. Which got stuck and had to be towed with a tractor. We drove in that way without great issue with a VW camper and car trailer, but that didn't much help.

Our drive is the main way in and out, but has low overhanging trees, and

- depending on where you want to go, a very tricky corner round the house for anything much bigger than a SWB Transit.

The "fleet" here contains nothing bigger than a LWB Shogun and a VW camper.

So, basically, infrequent domestic traffic with the VERY odd (mebbe a couple of times a year on average) tractor or 3.5-7.5t

[Tim Lamb]

In message , Adrian writes

You may find the tractor is the least of your problem as the tyre footprint generally gives a lower ground pressure than a road vehicle.

[newshound]

I have some of those "lock together" plastic panels which are about 900 mm square and 75 mm deep, with square cells in them about 75 mm square which are rated for "car" use. I usually part a Fourtrak on them which is about 2.3 tons. Mine are just on topsoil and don't seem to have settled significantly (but it is only occasional traffic). I suspect that they would be OK up to 3.5 tons.

[The Natural Philosopher]

I would in that case hire a minidigger and get a few tonnes of crunch'n'go delivered and simply spread it all round. then spread a thin layer of topsoil over it]

by the end of the year you will be mowing the grass on it.