Help needed!

[jamespels]

Not sure if this is the best place or not (mods - please feel free to move if there is a better place) but I need some help...

Does anybody have access to ground protection mats that we could put down to allow stabilise a grass surface in wet weather? This is for the Peak Star Party so we can have more camper vans and similar.

Might be coming down to rolls of lino at this stage so any CHEAP suggestions for anything better welcome! Have tried the usual suspects for hiring special-made mats but the prices are over the top.

Thanks in advance,

James.

[chemtom24]

do you want to drive over it or just walk/set up scopes on it? gonna get veyr slippery to drive and walk on if it gets even slighty damp, so i wuldnt recomend lino! if anything an old carpet.

even then, i wouldnt set up scopes on top of the 'floor' you lay, i doubt itl be very steady!

[jamespels]

Sorry, should have been clear - this is just to protect the grass from vehicles driving over it if it gets wet. The field is well drained and fine for normal use but campers coming and going will quickly ruin it if it rains.

It is just the track down the middle and the bits the campers will park on I'm worried about - the pitches are large with plenty of space for setting up scopes away from the track surface.

Thanks,

J.

[chemtom24]

ah ok. is it a long drive over the grass? cos maybe a few old scaffold boards or similar would do? obviously depends how far your track is tho, dont wanna be laying half a mile of boards down!

[trickytree]

Is this overkill??

LIDL

[jamespels]

say 5m x 2m for each pitch, with a track running down the middle, a bit like this:

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Say 6m central track required for each pair of pitches and we will probably need another 6 or 8 pitches.

Alternatively can make pairs of tracks for each wheel.

I think trawling the carpet sales & charity shops might be the best bet...

[chemtom24]

crikey your talking about a big area then. maybe think about just having the central run covered? once parked up the vans arent going anywhere r they? so each pitch shouldnt be a problem, just the main run? and running two narrow tracks eveyrwhere for the wheels will be alot easier than covering the entire thing. andwould actually presevre more grass of used properly ( think about dead yellow flattened damp grass under a paddling pool )

[iwatkins]

Driving over the grass shouldn't hurt it much as long as it isn't wet. If it is wet, then the damage isn't caused by driving over it, the damage is caused by wheelspin tearing up the surface. Do that with ten vehicles and you have a muddy rutted track.

Your best bet for this kind of area is a chicken wire (or similar) something with a 30mm - 50mm mesh size would work well. If it is going to be well travelled, double or triple up on the number of layers. Peg it down carefully and it shouldn't move. If you can source it the plastic version works well too.

Using a mesh will also allow light through to stop the grass from yellowing.

Cheers

Ian

[jamespels]

chemtom24 - I mostly agree but some people want to be able to come & go during the day. The other option is just to ban vehicle movements if the field is wet.

Ian - checkien wire is a cracking idea. Will see how much that costs...

Thanks both,

J.

[chemtom24]

chicken wire sounds perfect! hope you have a great time james, clear skies

[jamespels]

Looking at some PVC coated chain link fencing - a bit heavier duty and we can reuse it for PSP2012!

Thanks again,

J.