Mot1 as a final surface - Economical hardstanding construction?

[michaelc]

Hi,
I've looked back through 14 pages of archives, but haven't found info to answer a small query I have (though I've really enjoyed reading what I HAVE found!, great site!)

I've some space to use as a parking space, unsurfaced. It used to be a garage (earth-floor) a long time ago, which collapsed and then my late father had demolished (prob 10 years ago or more). Right now, there's an up and over garage door that leads into a plot walled on 4 sides, 5mx10m approx. I've recently gotten the vegetation cut off to ground level. Ground is pretty uneven, so some earth needs to be (re)moved, and some small (3in diameter) tree/shrub roots taken out.

What's the cheapest I can get a parkable surface (for normal cars) on this, where aesthetics don't matter at all? I'd like to be able to jack a car on this too. One day I may rebuild garage/carport, but not a clear plan yet and budget is tight.

My own thoughts/questions:
1) Dig out 200mm below reference all over, fill with MOT1, whack it. Can that be used as a final surface? can I jack a car on that?
2) Dig out 250mm below reference, perhaps not all of the area (could pile spoil elsewhere in plot). Put in 150mm of compacted MOT1. Pour pad of concrete 100mm thick on top of that.
3) With either of these, do I end up digging out much/all of the work if I wanted to put a basic garage/carport on later (needing at least to put some concrete foundations for corner posts to support a corrugated roof).

I want to do this economically, and will compromise completely on aesthetics if function is good. I don't, however, want to do things so cheap that I set things up for certain problems in the future. All pointers gratefully received!

[rxbren]

go for the concrete pad
type 1 wont be good enough to use a jack on without putting a board or a slab underneath the jack, dont get me wrong it will jack the car up but due to the pressure on the jack wheels they will dig in plus due to the nature of a jack when used it needs to move as the car rises

[seanandruby]

The dpt1 ( mot ) is the layer ( assuming the sub base is sound ) that takes the weight of the load and spreads it. For jacking a vehicle that would be a point load so you would need to put a pad under the jack, temporary or fixed. You see a lot of temporary car parks done in a sub base, example my one at work has been down 3 years using crush and run. Downside, you may get rutting and weed growth but is generally low maintainance. If you think a lot of drives are done with stone and all they have as s base is dtp1 :;):

[michaelc]

thanks for the pointers, and must excuse my use of MOT1 as the description! I know in the rest of the site folks' attachment to that archaic/obsolete term rather than the correct DPT1 (or in Ireland 804) designation is noted. Weeds less a worry to me than rutting as I'm happy enough to spray it off once or twice a season.

Will I end up tracking a lot of dirt into house from the surface? It's not directly at the front door, but 30m away (concrete footpath inbetween). If sub-base is left like this for (say) a year or 2, and assuming levels are correct, could I still put concrete or another material on top? How easy is it to dig out (e.g. to dig out a trench for a shed wall foundation, or a pit for a post?)?

[Dave_L]

You'll be just fine.

[msh paving]

good compacted type 1 will do the job just fine,its clean does not stick to shoes, if you want to jack a car up put a board under it, compact it well with a bit of moisture in the type 1 it will go hard MSH

[Kuts]

Tarmac scalpings might be better as the fines could wash out of the dtp1 over time.