Road planings v's type 1 - Best choice for farm access road

[Middleton Farmer]

HI there. I have a choice between using road planings (tar scalpings) and Type 1 for relaying the top surface layer of my farm access road - intent being somewhere down the line to resurface with tarmac but that is at least 3 years away as the frost heave on the road wrecked it.

We have put down Terram, followed by 250-300mm of rock, crushed and levelled using a 140 vibrating roller. Now I have to decide whether to use Type 1 or Tar Scalpings (the latter being about 50p a tonne cheaper) as the surface layer which I was thinking should be 75mm to 100mm in thickness, again compacted and rolled.

Would welcome advice as to which route and what depth would be appropriate - we have installed field drains and replaced culverts as required but money is tight and the farm track is around 700m long by 3m wide.

Thanks in anticipation.

Hamish.

[GB_Groundworks]

type 1 any day of the week, and you can get road plannings for free rd our way, if your the middleton near manchester that is.

if you've got a good layer like you say of well compacted crushed rock, is this virgin rock out of a quarry or brick hardcore thats been through the crusher once?

i'd just blind it off with 100mm type 1 and compact again on a dry day with the vibro roller

rough calculation being 700x3x0.1 = 210m3 x 2.2(mot is on average 2.2 ton per m3) = 420 tons @ £11.75 a ton (good price inc vat) = £4935 in mot but it is a long drive. you might get a better prices for a bulk order but that about as good as it gets for us.



Edited By GB_Groundworks on 1265564229

[Middleton Farmer]

I'm Dollar, Scotland as opposed to Manchester!

Thanks for the prompt response - I'm getting my Type 1 for around 8.80 a tonne in 18 tonne loads; but was being persuaded that the scalpings would compact to give a more permanent tarmac like solution - including the option of spraying and chipping later.

The rock was virgin from a quarry and has compacted well admittedly after days and days of rolling - was hoping that I could get away with a thinner top layer to save costs - although am keen to avoid a solution that only lasts a couple of months.

Have to pay for the scalpings, being offered those at I think it is 8.30 a tonne. On both I'll have to carry the VAT cost.

Again thanks for your prompt and clear advice - much appreciated.

H.

[GB_Groundworks]

i would also go with the virgin type 1, we do a lot of farm and agricultural work and there is a lot of myth and bollocks around sraying with diesel etc to re bind them, the only real way is to use a wirtigen recycler with bitumen foam but your looking at 500k for one of those machines so only the big motorway lads have them,

all roads and motorways are laid on top of mot type 1, type 1 is a superior product to planings. planings ok for a farm track or field gateway but if your got milk tanker coming in 4 times a week or feed deliveries or even running your tractor and trailer up it you want mot type 1, laid in 100mm and very well compacted not just one pass.

[DNgroundworks]

ive heard the same myths GB, regarding sprayin with diesel, ive actually seen a farmer pouring it all over his planings!! i was of the understanding that is dissolved the bitumen?!

Id use Type 1, but nearly all access tracks round our way seem to be planings farmers love em
:p

[Middleton Farmer]

Thanks - I appreciate the clarity - presumably there is nothing I can do to "seal" the surface other than eventually tarring the damned thing? I think this was why my contractor was wanting me to go with tar scalpings.

For sure the Type 1 is a better sub-layer but is it definitely a better top layer (for 3 years or so until we can afford full tarmac) ?

We're putting in adequate drainage to prevent the surface water damage that rutted the road in the past and we have also tackled all the soft spots and wet spots that were below the road surface previously and tidied up the ditches; so I am hoping that we will be able to keep moving on it in the future!

Just to add I'm now a dab hand at the multiple passes with my big vibrating roller!!!

[GB_Groundworks]

well yeah it was you dan that said that, you seen a farmer doing that.

diesel dissolves bitumen that binds bitmac together, i properly compacted and drained type 1 top will last longer than a road plainings one, rd our way dan you can get plainings free if they are working nearby and can tip easily, thats why farmer have them cheap haha.

[Dave_L]

Road planings would be ok if they are 'fresh' and have an amount of tar in them - once the hot weather gets here they will heat up and bind to an extent.