Packing Soil

[Spiffy]

I posted this on PT as some PT attachments have special idiosyncracies [many good, some bad], but seems I have an oddball question here.

What tool, would be best for lightly packing soil? I'm looking at a job where all the rocks [many large; plenty small too] are to be removed a couple inches below surface. The ground leveled and then lightly packed so it can be covered in an inch of sand. The desired end product is a barn addition that will serve as a pen for observing [i.e. sick, foaling, whatever else requiring separation from the others] 1 or 2 horses.

For packing: I'm thinking couple the hydrualics back together [thus free turning] on the power rake [about an 18" cylinder with several rows of square knobs (maybe 1X1X1")]. Any ideas about that or the entire project?

Thanks!

 

[inveresk]

You mentioned soil. If you're referring to topsoil, it's normal to remove all topsoil from below any structural element and to upfill where needed with suitable, non-organic matter such as type 1 fill. Normal machine for consolidating material under a slab or building is a vibrating plate, commonly known as a whacker. You can usually pick up used ones pretty cheap. I can't think why you would want to pack material lightly. It's normal practice to pack this as tight as it will go so there's no risk of settlement or further consolidation through use which might cause movement.

 

[CTyler]

I would think a large lawn roller or cultipacker would do what you want.

IF the drums will be free rolling that would do it as well. The sheep foot will pack it a little more than what I mentioned.

 

[Farwell]

I have about a half acre of land that I keep worked up so I don't have to mow it. I usually disk and drag it a few times during the weed growing season and in the Fall I disc it one last time and roll it with a lawn roller a day or so before I know a good rain is on the way. The soil is a mixture of top soil and sand. It sets up quite firm, in fact so firm that the deer tracks just barely make an imprint. The reason I compact the soil is to slow down the erosion a little and help direct the run off to where I want it to go. If I was going to build on it I would rent a heavy duty soil compactor.
I eventually am going to plant a good nitrogen bearing plant and turn it under to revitalize the soil a little prior to planting some berries.
Farwell

 

[Spiffy]

Inveresk, I was oringinally thinkng the same as you.

She wants a soft bed even below her sand layer (no concrete, just the sand) for ease on the hoofs. I don't have enough knowledge on this to argue either way, but I'm thinkinking in less than a year, the sand will be well stomped into the soil regarless of hard packing, light packing, or none. With this combined with urin etc., I'm thinking the floor may wind up hard as concrete anyway. In and of itself not my problem, but I hate to do anything that doesn't make sense.

I could rent a vibratory packer and pack it hard, maybe the sand would stay on top better.

The rake was reminding me of a small sheep'sfoot packer too /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif thats how I starting thinking I could get anywhere from a soft to medium packing from it. I still may be way off base on this too though. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Spiffy]

Oh, I forgot to mention: the addition is pole construction; the original is traditional.

Thanks guys! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Egon]

have you considered adding a slight slope and then a larger hole filled with gravel to accumulate liquid wastes?

for you situation I'd be tempted to remove the topsoil and then put in a layer of crushed gravel that is sloped. The sand on top of this. Vibratory plate packers will work very well.

Pack the gravel, leave the sand loose so it can be raked and kept smooth and try and maintain a daily cleaning schedule.

Egon

 

[inveresk]

For a sand floor, I'd still use a whacker then probably introduce a geotextile membrane to stop the sand mixing with whatever bottoming is used. The bottoming should be free draining to prevent ponding - urine and the like would then dry out pretty quick. I would think a reasonable depth of sand, 3 - 4 inches, as a topping would be needed to prevent exposure of the geotextile by hooves.

 

[gabby]

Hey Spiffy,

Sounds like you are preparing a large stall, right?

The horses will stir up whatever you put in there, and as the manure is mucked out you will slowly but surely lose the dirt. Packed clay is the customary base material for stalls, with shavings on top for bedding, but it invariably gets uneven and dug out in spots.

After trying many types of fill dirt, I have concluded that stall mats are the best answer by far even though they are expensive.
gabby

 

[Spiffy]

All kinds of great ideas!!! Thanks!

Someday [in the long future] when my wife talks me into a similar project, I'm thinking mats are the way to go - even on a dirt floor.

The lady I'm doing this for kind of liked the fabric idea; still might go with just sand, but at least she understands the mess she might have in a year.

I'm thinking the vibe packer may be the only way too do it right, but I'm going to try to get the slope right and a medium pack just with the rake; then if they start constructing the walls, I can still pack it further if need be.

Thanks again! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif