The Brew Cabin

I suspect I may have done something very stupid.

I am presently completing a small car park (approx. 70 square metres), which is divided into five bays by lines of granite setts. Very nice it should look, too.

Anyway, at one side of the site, there is a nice hardcore sub-grade and I intend to add about 150mmDoT Type I and compact before adding 25mm or so of pea shingle. Alas, at the other side, the ground is quite heavy and poorly drained, and I've had to dig out to a depth of 200mm to find something not too spongy.

I thought it would be a good idea to put down a layer of Terram 1000 to stop the clay pumping up into the Type I at this end. I duly cut out lengths and laid them in, but then I noticed, this afternoon as it started to rain, that the Terram is not porous !

For some reason I had always thought it would be, so, since there is no dedicated drainage on the site, I have effectively created 5 little swimming pools out of my parking bays) !

The Type I is due to be delivered tomorrow. Am I right in thinking that the Terram is useless on this site and I should take it up ?

Thanks,

Barry.

The Terram is porous - it just takes time for the water to finds its way through, and it always seems to be somewhat hydrophobic when new.

Don't panic! You can place your DTp1 over the Terram and all will be well, eventually. Honest!! :)

You are indeed correct. When I arrived on site this morning, the "waxy" appearance of the membrane had gone and, after a night of torrential rain, there was very little surface water. The Type I is now in and the job on its way to completion.

Thanks for your help, Tony.

Barry.

Good! I hope you didn't lose too much sleep, Barry! :)

Barry did you peel the plastic protective coating off the terran before you laid it,:) ( only joking mate, i bet that made you go cold though dident it)