Right now, our trailer spends the summer sitting in, and thus blocking, much of our driveway. I have an open area next to our drive that would fit our TT. It is grass at this point, and we don't want to put in a full pad in this area. If I were to use it for the trailer, are there reasons to turn the entire area into a gravel drive, or could I simply put in footings and a parking base at the tire and jack locations? I know such a set up would mean I'd need to look ahead and get the trailer onto pavement if we were going to be pulling out on wet/rainy days, but beyond that, are there other reasons this wouldn't work?

I park mine on 2"×12"×8's pressure treated lumber and it works fine. Soil is sandy, so rain isn't an issue,

When we put ours in the back yard it kills the grass in hot weather in about a month, we move it and the grass grows back. If you leave it in one place too long the grass will be gone.

I park mine on 4 patio stones. Doesnt do much for the grass after a while, but if its killing the grass, you need to get it out more.

Eventually the grass will die out. I have a full crushed stone pad about 6" thick and pavers for tires. The stone pad allows for good drainage and little moisture and don't have to trim grass around it.

I put crushed stone on the grass and patio blocks for the wheels, works great. I used the stone as I did not wand it on dirt or mud once the grass died. No issues with the rain this way. No need for anything for the corner jacks as you don't need them down.

Do I need a full parking pad? | Good Sam Community

24 Replies

Padlin
Explorer
Apr 04, 2014
I park on the same spot on the now long defunct grass, the only issue is you have to trim around it. I set 18" x 18" patio blocks into the ground under the tires and jack, takes a little finagling to hit the target.
2012Coleman
Explorer II
Apr 04, 2014
Like anothe poster, I poured a concrete pad beside the house and put in 50 amp service so I can run the AC. If you can afford it, its the way to go.
westend
Explorer
Apr 03, 2014
camperpaul wrote:
westend wrote:
pitch wrote:
I bought a couple of those military landing pads. Laid them out and the grass grew though the holes. 2nd summer and they weren't visible if you didn't know they were there. I mow right over them.
Hey Pitch, could you post what brand of pad you used, please? Maybe a link?
TIA

These things are used by the US military to construct temporary runways, roads, etc. in combat zones.

Here is a link to one company that makes them: Calumet Industries

However, they are available in the surplus market for about double the price of scrap steel.

Thanks, Paul. Gotta' love GI surplus!:)
camperpaul
Explorer
Apr 03, 2014
westend wrote:
pitch wrote:
I bought a couple of those military landing pads. Laid them out and the grass grew though the holes. 2nd summer and they weren't visible if you didn't know they were there. I mow right over them.
Hey Pitch, could you post what brand of pad you used, please? Maybe a link?
TIA

These things are used by the US military to construct temporary runways, roads, etc. in combat zones.

Here is a link to one company that makes them: Calumet Industries

However, they are available in the surplus market for about double the price of scrap steel.
westend
Explorer
Apr 03, 2014
pitch wrote:
I bought a couple of those military landing pads. Laid them out and the grass grew though the holes. 2nd summer and they weren't visible if you didn't know they were there. I mow right over them.
Hey Pitch, could you post what brand of pad you used, please? Maybe a link?
TIA
rfryer
Explorer
Apr 03, 2014
I’d check your zoning regs first, they may have requirements you’re not aware of. I parked mine for years in my side yard along the carport. It killed the grass and I wound up with a lot of dirt and I was considering graveling it when along came the city inspector. He informed me I had to have 4” of gravel, in essence a gravel driveway, to park a vehicle there. Otherwise it was equivalent to parking a vehicle in the front yard, a no no.
pitch
Explorer II
Apr 03, 2014
I bought a couple of those military landing pads. Laid them out and the grass grew though the holes. 2nd summer and they weren't visible if you didn't know they were there. I mow right over them.
camperpaul
Explorer
Apr 03, 2014
One of the features of my last S&B house was a 36' X 10' concrete pad for my camper. I installed a 50-30-20 Amp connection panel on the side of the house and a sewer connection using an existing "clean-out".

Google Maps Image

Just out of view on the right side of this photo is the pad of which I am talking.

I sold that house in 1999 and it looks like the new owners haven't been trimming the bushes.
johntank
Explorer
Apr 03, 2014
Mickeyfan0805 wrote:
Right now, our trailer spends the summer sitting in, and thus blocking, much of our driveway. I have an open area next to our drive that would fit our TT. It is grass at this point, and we don't want to put in a full pad in this area. If I were to use it for the trailer, are there reasons to turn the entire area into a gravel drive, or could I simply put in footings and a parking base at the tire and jack locations? I know such a set up would mean I'd need to look ahead and get the trailer onto pavement if we were going to be pulling out on wet/rainy days, but beyond that, are there other reasons this wouldn't work?

Nothing wrong with what you want except that after a long time the grass under the trailer will die. If you don't mine the bear ground under the trailer go for it, I did it this way for some 10 years.
GaryWT
Explorer
Apr 03, 2014
I put crushed stone on the grass and patio blocks for the wheels, works great. I used the stone as I did not wand it on dirt or mud once the grass died. No issues with the rain this way. No need for anything for the corner jacks as you don't need them down.

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Do I need a full parking pad?

24 Replies

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