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RRTom's avatar
RRTom
Explorer
Aug 30, 2019

Parking motor home on pavers

We park our 30' motor home on a gravel driveway at home. We are thinking about putting down pavers of some sort. My main concern is if the pavers are suitable for that much weight. GVWR is 18,000 and we do keep fuel and fresh water tanks full, and we keep it ready to go except for food. Any advice, suggestions, "gotcha's" to watch out for?

16 Replies

  • To limit cost one could build 3'X 3'forms where the wheels sit when parked and use plenty rebar and pour your own pavers as thick as you desire to support any weight. Leave the rest of the area with gravel. Mine parking area is washed decorative gravel and I use 3/4 treated plywood cut in half, both directions, and placed at areas where the wheels rest. I painted the plywood with good quality exterior oil base paint...last for years.
  • Full thickness pavers in our area are IIRC, 2 3/8" thick, and are used for driveways as well as walkways.

    Beyond the thickness and quality of pavers, the most important factor is the substrate preparation. When contractors install them for vehicle traffic, if done correctly, they install a fairly thick layer of ABC (mix of dirt, sand and rocks that is used for base for roads), don't recall the thickness, maybe 8"? Not sure, I would suggest you research that).

    Next they pack the ABC with a vibrating packer and then a heavy roller machine, then they screed several inches of find sand on top, then lay the pavers. Next, spread fine sand or preferably silica sand on the pavers and broom in around so it fills in the designed narrow gaps between pavers to lock them in. Then they run the vibrating packer all over the pavers to settle the pavers and the sand between them.

    For walkways and patios only, some contractors put some ABC down first, then fine sand. But some just level the ground, then run the vibrator over it to pack it, then apply fine sand and screed it and lay pavers and don't bother with the ABC.

    I would be very careful with picking a contractor for this, since you plan to park a motor home on it.
  • We parked our fifth wheel and truck on our pavers, and although the pavers did not break, after a few years they did sink a bit under pressure.
  • This website says that pavers can withstand 8,000 pounds per square inch before materal failure.

    https://www.installitdirect.com/learn/top-paver-misconceptions/

    This website says use 4 inch minimum thickness pavers for busses:

    https://www.belgardcommercial.com/resources/design_solutions/designing_the_pavement_system
  • IF.....you think you are likely to keep an RV for a fairly long time.....I think that pouring a reinforced concrete pad would be a much better option.
  • There are variations in quality, some pavers are cheap and easily crack. Get some rated for vehicle use, not just walkway cheap stuff from the home improvement store.

    Biggest is the underlying foundation plenty of gravel and rock dust well compacted is called for. The right preparation depends a lot on local soil conditions, I’d seek out some professionals and get quotes and recommendations on the job. Measure twice, cut once. You don’t want to do this job over.

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