Wet wood roads

[eyi]

I am getting tired of my wet wood roads. I cut plenty of wood on each side to allow the sun to dry them but it’s like if they never dry out. It seems there is too much black earth accumulated on top of them.

What should I do with it ?

I thought about using my back blade to drag it out and spread new material after. Or spread material over it ? What do you think ? I have about half a mile of road to deal with.

TKS for your time

 

[Jerry/MT]

I am getting tired of my wet wood roads. I cut plenty of wood on each side to allow the sun to dry them but it’s like if they never dry out. It seems there is too much black earth accumulated on top of them.

What should I do with it ?

I thought about using my back blade to drag it out and spread new material after. Or spread material over it ? What do you think ? I have about half a mile of road to deal with.

TKS for your time

You can't expect dirt to dry out just because you have opened it to sunlight! How much is your yearly average rainfall and what is the water capacity of your soils? Ever notice how forest roads are graveled? You might want to consider following suit.

 

[Fishin-4-a-Livin]

I would lay down some geotextile fabric before you put down new material.

I am currently building roads through some very wet, swampy terrain. The fabric makes a huge difference in keeping the new material from sinking into the muddy mess.

 

[MF243RedTop]

You can't expect dirt to dry out just because you have opened it to sunlight! How much is your yearly average rainfall and what is the water capacity of your soils? Ever notice how forest roads are graveled? You might want to consider following suit.

Good suggestions above...
Also what type of soil are you working with?
Do you have them crowned?
Good crowned dirt road sheds water way better .

 

[loggin]

Also consider ditches as a way of routing water away from your road to a low spot on your property,

 

[mikester]

Wet wood roads? This is what I was picturing in my mind reading your post. Corduroy roads

 

[eyi]

Thanks all,

I forgot to mention this road has a ditch on the side the water is coming from. It is really looking like as if the surface is now composed of too many composted material and it becomes Jello like with very little rain on it.

 

[MF243RedTop]

I see your from Quebec that's sounding a lot like swamp/bog ground,.
Did the dirt from the ditch get put in the road?

 

[Fishin-4-a-Livin]

i’m building a road through a swamp right now. The top layer of the ground is like a soufflé, and if you break through the top layer, you are going to be stuck in a bottomless pit.


This is all new to me, so it’s been some trial and error. But the road fabric has been the answer so far.

 

[eyi]

I see your from Quebec that's sounding a lot like swamp/bog ground,.
Did the dirt from the ditch get put in the road?

I don’t think so, my guess is it’s coming from the air: yearly leaves fall, small twigs, and so on over many years.

 

[nyone]

View attachment 770222

Wet wood roads? This is what I was picturing in my mind reading your post. Corduroy roads

I built one of these for our only driveway through a swamp on a piece of land I own. You wouldnt believe what proper drainage can do to swampy ground.

I did logs, dug becids and covered the logs in dirt then road fabric and 4-8in of stone. I had 20klb of stone truck driving over it within a month.

 

[stephenh]

View attachment 770222

Wet wood roads? This is what I was picturing in my mind reading your post. Corduroy roads

Yep, reads as roads made out of wet wood.

 

[Little Red Tractor]

You already have a bunch of good advice. Just remember that when talking drainage, drain as low as you possibly can get. A couple hundred feed of tile, or a few hundred feed of open trenching my cost $ or time, but will be well worth the trouble and investment.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Thanks all,

I forgot to mention this road has a ditch on the side the water is coming from. It is really looking like as if the surface is now composed of too many composted material and it becomes Jello like with very little rain on it.

I think most folks miss understood the issue ....

If I understand correctly there is organic dirt on the road due to the accumulation of organic matter on the road?? what is underneath? if there is organic soil on the road and good material underneath, I would scrape what I can off, grade the road to eliminate potholes and ruts, then create a nice crown add new material like sand or gravel (preferably gravel).

do you have a picture ? ... other than becoming muddy when its raining is the road foundation solid or soft what type of soil is the road built on? other things to improve, if necessary, would be get rid of the water and lower the water table, that can be done by deepen the ditch's, adding ditch run off and culverts.

 

[Rockbadchild]

''woodland road doesn't dry up'' would be a more suitable title and explanation of the issue.

 

[Jchonline]

Thanks all,

I forgot to mention this road has a ditch on the side the water is coming from. It is really looking like as if the surface is now composed of too many composted material and it becomes Jello like with very little rain on it.

Just leaves decomposing year over year can have an impact. Truthfully the only way is to put down proper base, and keep it cleared of additional organics year after year. If you have water draining into it, that also needs to be solved.

 

[BackRoad]

i’m building a road through a swamp right now. The top layer of the ground is like a soufflé, and if you break through the top layer, you are going to be stuck in a bottomless pit.


This is all new to me, so it’s been some trial and error. But the road fabric has been the answer so far.

Mr. Fishin, can I kindly ask what are the details on your road fabric?

Interested in Brand, product description and size of the material rolls, if you have it handy.

Thanks,
Terry

 

[eyi]

I think most folks miss understood the issue ....

If I understand correctly there is organic dirt on the road due to the accumulation of organic matter on the road?? what is underneath? if there is organic soil on the road and good material underneath, I would scrape what I can off, grade the road to eliminate potholes and ruts, then create a nice crown add new material like sand or gravel (preferably gravel).

do you have a picture ? ... other than becoming muddy when its raining is the road foundation solid or soft what type of soil is the road built on? other things to improve, if necessary, would be get rid of the water and lower the water table, that can be done by deepen the ditch's, adding ditch run off and culverts.

This is my guess, drainage can be improved for sure but years ago this road wasn’t becoming that slusshy after minimal rain like today. I’m actually wondering what the impact of a back blade would be. Once you beging and create a mess you have to handle it !!

 

[Rockbadchild]

This is my guess, drainage can be improved for sure but years ago this road wasn’t becoming that slusshy after minimal rain like today. I’m actually wondering what the impact of a back blade would be. Once you beging and create a mess you have to handle it !!

it’s too late to do anything now, next spring once it dry up then you could try to scrape it off … by back blade do you mean a 3 point hitch back blade ? that would work after multiple pass …

 

[jonsstihl]

approximately where in quebec are you? how deep are you sinking in with the tractor. If it didn't used to be like that chances are that it is just organic material built up like you think. I would start by scraping a small section and seeing how thick the organic matter is. and if you get to any gravel down below.