Subject: Gravel surfaces?

From: [email-masked] (Kevin W. Tucker)
Date: Fri, 23 Aug 96 13:30:10 GMT

Many thanks for the responses regarding my creosote toxicity question.

I have another question that I cannot find addressed in the "do it 
yourself"-type books.  I am building a piste - a petanque (French "lawn" 
bowling) playing surface, that needs to have a fine (1/4 to dust), well-packed 
surface and no grass.

I have planned to excavate the field to 6 inches and was planning to fill 4" 
with crush and run and the top 2" with screened 1/4" and finer.  To save money 
(on multiple deliveries), could I just fill with 2-4" of the screened over my 
dirt base, or is this a bad idea for a hard-packed surface?  I expect drainage 
will be more of an issue if I take this route.

Thanks,
Kevin
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (EJGOLD)
Date: 29 Aug 1996 20:09:11 -0400

(reference post below)

You refer to two differant materials: "crush" and "screened 1/4" and
finer".  I am a little confused by your terminology but can say this:

Even 1" of well compacted 1/4" Minus Crushed Rock will not drain freely,
so any material you put under it to "drain" will likely be a waste of
time.  The only thing it will do is prevent capillary draw of sub-surface
water.  If your existing sub-grade soils are already fairly well drained,
do not bother installing the seperate lifts of material as you described.

You can probably count on a 4" compacted depth of the 1/4" Minus Crushed
Rock doing the job, but you should probably provide some slope (1/4" per
foot, perhaps) to allow for surface run-off.  This might be pretty tricky
over a large, expansive area, but then again, getting it perfectly level
would be just as tricky.  
Good Luck!

======================================================
Subject: Gravel surfaces?
From: [email-masked] (Kevin W. Tucker)
Date: Fri, 23 Aug 96 13:30:10 GMT
I have another question that I cannot find addressed in the "do it 
yourself"-type books.  I am building a piste - a petanque (French "lawn" 
bowling) playing surface, that needs to have a fine (1/4 to dust),
well-packed 
surface and no grass.
I have planned to excavate the field to 6 inches and was planning to fill
4" 
with crush and run and the top 2" with screened 1/4" and finer.  To save
money 
(on multiple deliveries), could I just fill with 2-4" of the screened over
my 
dirt base, or is this a bad idea for a hard-packed surface?  I expect
drainage 
will be more of an issue if I take this route.

Thanks,
Kevin
[email-masked]