HawkinsHollow
Veteran Member
DISCLAIMER: I understand I am over thinking this.
So as most of you know I am filling in a small area in my mothers back yard to build a shed. The area is about 20x30 and it goes from 0" deep to about 14" from 2 sides to the back corner. The back corner is blocked in by a RR tie retaining wall. Needless to say we have had a DRY fall and the half a tandem load of dirt I had dumped a month or so ago has just gotten drier and drier. I took this dry as pile and spread it into this area today with my Branson 3015 that weights in at 5190 lbs. (yes I just ran it across the scales today). I thought about having my mom spray it with the hose as I was running it in, but I didn't have time to mess with it. The dirt seemed really nice, the guy who I got it from said it was good dirt. It was a REALLY dense compact cherty clay, it kinda broke off in rectangles with lots of right angles. 1cm pieces all the way up to chunks the size of your head, more small than big stuff though. It seemed to pack in really nice. I ran it in in a couple different directions pretty well, but not like crazy. In hindsight I wish I would have hit it a little more
The reason I am over thinking this is because I will be building a 12'x14' shed in the middle of this spot in the next couple of months. My dad insists it is on a concrete slab, who am I to argue? But I need to make sure settling of this dirt is not an issue for that slab.
Here is my question(s) (yes I know I am over thinking it):
1) Tomorrow is going to be our first appreciable rain in quite some time (1/4" if we are lucky). How is this rain going to impact this new fill? I think it is going to be a positive thing as water filters into this area, moisture and compaction seem to work together, to a point.
2). Monday-Tuesday we are supposed to get another round of rain that could be in the 1" range. What would you do to this area over the weekend to aid in compaction before the big rains come? Did I mention I am overthinking this? But part of me is worried if working in the smaller rain event I could just seal the surface of the fill and keeping the further moisture from permeating deeper.
I am thinking about getting one of those walking foot tampers from HD this weekend. With that I feel like regardless if it seals that surface it will still tamp that dirt down enough to where it doesn't matter. Remember it is only 14" at the deepest.
What says ye?
So as most of you know I am filling in a small area in my mothers back yard to build a shed. The area is about 20x30 and it goes from 0" deep to about 14" from 2 sides to the back corner. The back corner is blocked in by a RR tie retaining wall. Needless to say we have had a DRY fall and the half a tandem load of dirt I had dumped a month or so ago has just gotten drier and drier. I took this dry as pile and spread it into this area today with my Branson 3015 that weights in at 5190 lbs. (yes I just ran it across the scales today). I thought about having my mom spray it with the hose as I was running it in, but I didn't have time to mess with it. The dirt seemed really nice, the guy who I got it from said it was good dirt. It was a REALLY dense compact cherty clay, it kinda broke off in rectangles with lots of right angles. 1cm pieces all the way up to chunks the size of your head, more small than big stuff though. It seemed to pack in really nice. I ran it in in a couple different directions pretty well, but not like crazy. In hindsight I wish I would have hit it a little more
The reason I am over thinking this is because I will be building a 12'x14' shed in the middle of this spot in the next couple of months. My dad insists it is on a concrete slab, who am I to argue? But I need to make sure settling of this dirt is not an issue for that slab.
Here is my question(s) (yes I know I am over thinking it):
1) Tomorrow is going to be our first appreciable rain in quite some time (1/4" if we are lucky). How is this rain going to impact this new fill? I think it is going to be a positive thing as water filters into this area, moisture and compaction seem to work together, to a point.
2). Monday-Tuesday we are supposed to get another round of rain that could be in the 1" range. What would you do to this area over the weekend to aid in compaction before the big rains come? Did I mention I am overthinking this? But part of me is worried if working in the smaller rain event I could just seal the surface of the fill and keeping the further moisture from permeating deeper.
I am thinking about getting one of those walking foot tampers from HD this weekend. With that I feel like regardless if it seals that surface it will still tamp that dirt down enough to where it doesn't matter. Remember it is only 14" at the deepest.
What says ye?