concrete pad vs gravel for winter

I put in a gravel pad and I keep the tires on treated lumber. Never a problem for me either. You might consider a couple od two foot wide concrete runners about thirty feet long that you can back on and off and tear out a lot easier if need be. It would not be full eight or ten foot wide, so maybe they won't complain.

Don't forget, when it snows the trailer will cover the pad and not much snow gets on it. Just clear a path to the door - not much mud because the stuff is frozen. It will be worse during the thaw, but you can work that. Mine is parked in the backyard with grass next to the 'pad' and I lift the bottom step so sun can keep the grass green under the step, which is about 4 inches above the grass.

The concrete or gravel (granite, not garnet - LOL!) will not suck any heat out of the trailer that is quantifiable...the wind blowing under the trailer will suck the heat out, so think trailer skirt of some kind.

Mine sits on dirt in my backyard all winter long - the grass all died underneath as it blocks the sun...I have one side of the trailer on a 2 X 10 and the other side on dirt so it is level, and I leave the slides out most of the time. I bring them in if snow is in the forecast (if I don't forget) and I have slide toppers. Been doing this since my first trailer in '98, the current trailer since 2012.

We get snow and cold here from time to time...I live in a suburb of Denver.

Be careful - being a mile closer to the sun is ferocious! As well as altitude sickness, seeing your loved one with wrong-side-out lips from sunburn is a sight to behold! Oh! Drink lots of water - it is easy to get dehydrated up here.

All this is easy and common sense will see you through, and don't forget to ask your high altitude neighbors for tips!

Tim

I spent three months in the late winter on a gravel pad in Ontario with no problems. I did have my tires on treated wood 2"X8"'s.

I think a concrete pad will stay colder than gravel. More mass.
Be careful using salt it can damage the concrete.
Get something safe for concrete, or use sand on the ice. Wipe your feet well and remove your shoes once inside.
Sweep the salt/sand away when the ice melts.
Winter is miserable. :(

Sorry I wasn't clear about this post. As someone new to full timing in the 5th wheel I am curious as to any significant difference in living in our unit thru the winter over on a concrete pad vs a crushed granite pad. Is there more loss of heat thru convection on a concrete pad? If I have to use salt on the concrete pad when it ices over is there anything I can do to reduce tracking the salt into the trailer? Is there more of a problem with humidity when wintering over a mostly dirt with a lot of rock pad? What are the pros and cons of each? Thanks.

I poured concrete and put up a carport type structure for the RV. My seasonal sits on gravel in the weather year round.

I use gravel. It's fairly cheap and easy. Plus, I don't have to be concerned with it cracking or being damaged from the winter freeze/thaw cycles.

Pouring a concrete RV pad at your house could make it less desirable if you decide to sell.
Like a swimming pool, it's not for everyone.

I have gravel because I could get it for free if I provided the transportation and my son has a commercial dump trailer.

If I had an "in" with a concrete contractor I would have had concrete.

I put down a gravel pad for the same reason listed above -it's not permanent. I repurposed some smaller concrete pads to go under the wheels. Never an issue with the gravel.

I really don't think it matters. But for resale value of your home, the concrete pad is better. Don't know where you live, but before pouring a concrete pad, make sure you are compliant with any zoning or HOA laws/rules.

We lived in town, and I wanted to pour a concrete pad. The spot was very muddy and slippery anyway. I thought it would be a great cure and provide a spot for the camper. I DID talk to the zoning office people and they said to pour a concrete pad would take all kinds of permits and design plans and all of that and a bunch of money to file everything. Then it would have to be inspected, meet all the city guidelines and by the time I got done just listening to what I had to do, I was exhausted and hadn't even left their office yet!

Then she said, but you can put down gravel anywhere on your property and don't have to have any permits or anything. The only rule was, the gravel could not spill on the neighbor's property.

I asked, what's the difference between the concrete and the gravel. She said, the gravel is temporary and can be removed! OH.... I learned something that day.

I went with gravel.

I put the gravel in, had a great spot to park the camper, and the mud was never a problem again. I always kept the tires on treated lumber. Never a problem.

When we moved to the country, our camper then parked on asphalt. As far as the camper goes, it made no difference.

If you can afford it, and you'll have no repercussions from zoning, concrete is the way to go. But your crushed garnet will work just as well (as far as a place to park your camper.) You won't have weeds growing in the concrete, and you can easily sweep of leaves and shovel snow (if you get any). Gravel, or stone is not so easy.