parking pad for 38 Foot Neptune

[topher80]

So I bring the Neptune home, use the stabilizer jacks to level the rig and leave craters in the driveway. Happy to say I have two driveways )so this isn't the "main one"...but given that this may happen again, I am thinking that I might want to pour a concrete pad for the rig or sections for me to position it for the jacks.

Anyone spent that kind of money? We will probably leave it in the driveway when camping this summer....sort of a "break out another thousand" type question.

Thanks in advance for your indulgence.

[livingaboard]

I can tell you that the floor in the Everett Boeing building that supports the 747, 767, 777, and 787 isn't 24 inches thick. Of course weather isn't an issue or heaving....

[rgatijnet1]

Ivylog wrote:
Unfortunately the ground in NH will freeze well below 24" unless it gets covered with snow early in the season. 24" deep is not going to stop it from heaving if water gets in. For some reason if they heave, they go back down come summer.

You are right the ground will freeze below 24" and IF this was a foundation for a building or a wall, it would be dug down to 42", which is just below the frost line in NH.
This is also NOT a driveway or sidewalk, which are not 42" deep in NH. Driveways and sidewalks do heave and they do not always come back to the same level, which is why you see the highway crews repairing sections of concrete roads every Spring.
What I described was a pad to support a heavy weight and remain in place throughout the year. This is the same type of pad that would be used to support any piece of heavy equipment in NH, like a drive-up ATM machine, commercial compressors, etc.
The pad I described will stay in place, will not heave, and is based on my experience as a commercial contractor that has done work in many areas of the country that experience severe Winters.
For the cost of a yard of concrete, it is cheaper, and easier than gravel, and it can easily be cleared of snow/ice in the Winter. It also uses the existing driveway so nothing will change in the surrounding landscape, like doing a separate parking area just for the RV.

[Ivylog]

Unfortunately the ground in NH will freeze well below 24" unless it gets covered with snow early in the season. 24" deep is not going to stop it from heaving if water gets in. For some reason if they heave, they go back down come summer.

[Supercharged]

rgatijnet1 wrote:

Supercharged wrote:

rgatijnet1 wrote:

Ivylog wrote:
24" deep and two layers of rebar???????? It's not a 747. OP, after sawing the 24X24 pads (you can use a cheap blade on a circular saw) only dig down 6" and go get some bags of extra strength Sackrete form HD. Even on FL sand this is thick enough and no need for rebar. At least you will not have to measure where to put these pads. Might want to mark where you tires are to make it easier to reposition the MH.

That is why you are NOT a contractor. The OP is in New Hampshire and the ground does freeze up there from time to time. Pour it the way you are recommending and it will "heave" the first time the ground freezes.

I would just buy 4 stepping stones, should hold a 767 without any problem.

Stepping stones over a crater in the asphalt would probably break as soon as you started applying the weight.

On mine I just open up the door and drive it in plug it in.

[gbopp]

BillMFl wrote:
At home I used crushed concrete gravel to make two 5x10' pads that support the front and back wheels and jacks. It was much cheaper than concrete and 4 yds of gravel was less than $200 delivered. Next to my concrete driveway I dug out the sod and shoveled the gravel myself. No worries about cracking or settling. A few shovel loads will relevel whenever needed. I used free oak mulch from a tree service between the two gravel pads so the coach wouldn't sink into mud if it happened to rain hard just before I was leaving or returning. Nothing fancy but it works just fine. Total length of the mulch and gravel is about 50'. Rain perks thru both the mulch and gravel. No mud and no puddles.

x2. The gravel pad is easy, and cheap. It does not heave or crack from freezing and is easily repaired when a spot settles. It's also easy to remove if you no longer need it or want to change the location.
I park our Southwind on gravel, it works great.
But, it doesn't look as nice as concrete. JMO

[BillMFl]

At home I used crushed concrete gravel to make two 5x10' pads that support the front and back wheels and jacks. It was much cheaper than concrete and 4 yds of gravel was less than $200 delivered. Next to my concrete driveway I dug out the sod and shoveled the gravel myself. No worries about cracking or settling. A few shovel loads will relevel whenever needed. I used free oak mulch from a tree service between the two gravel pads so the coach wouldn't sink into mud if it happened to rain hard just before I was leaving or returning. Nothing fancy but it works just fine. Total length of the mulch and gravel is about 50'. Rain perks thru both the mulch and gravel. No mud and no puddles.

[rgatijnet1]

Supercharged wrote:

rgatijnet1 wrote:

Ivylog wrote:
24" deep and two layers of rebar???????? It's not a 747. OP, after sawing the 24X24 pads (you can use a cheap blade on a circular saw) only dig down 6" and go get some bags of extra strength Sackrete form HD. Even on FL sand this is thick enough and no need for rebar. At least you will not have to measure where to put these pads. Might want to mark where you tires are to make it easier to reposition the MH.

That is why you are NOT a contractor. The OP is in New Hampshire and the ground does freeze up there from time to time. Pour it the way you are recommending and it will "heave" the first time the ground freezes.

I would just buy 4 stepping stones, should hold a 767 without any problem.

Stepping stones over a crater in the asphalt would probably break as soon as you started applying the weight.

[Davehrn]

Put the stepping stones right on the asphalt And they will be recessed in a season or two

[Supercharged]

rgatijnet1 wrote:

Ivylog wrote:
24" deep and two layers of rebar???????? It's not a 747. OP, after sawing the 24X24 pads (you can use a cheap blade on a circular saw) only dig down 6" and go get some bags of extra strength Sackrete form HD. Even on FL sand this is thick enough and no need for rebar. At least you will not have to measure where to put these pads. Might want to mark where you tires are to make it easier to reposition the MH.

That is why you are NOT a contractor. The OP is in New Hampshire and the ground does freeze up there from time to time. Pour it the way you are recommending and it will "heave" the first time the ground freezes.

I would just buy 4 stepping stones, should hold a 767 without any problem.

[rgatijnet1]

Ivylog wrote:
24" deep and two layers of rebar???????? It's not a 747. OP, after sawing the 24X24 pads (you can use a cheap blade on a circular saw) only dig down 6" and go get some bags of extra strength Sackrete form HD. Even on FL sand this is thick enough and no need for rebar. At least you will not have to measure where to put these pads. Might want to mark where you tires are to make it easier to reposition the MH.

That is why you are NOT a contractor. The OP is in New Hampshire and the ground does freeze up there from time to time. Pour it the way you are recommending and it will "heave" the first time the ground freezes.

[Ivylog]

24" deep and two layers of rebar???????? It's not a 747. OP, after sawing the 24X24 pads (you can use a cheap blade on a circular saw) only dig down 6" and go get some bags of extra strength Sackrete form HD. Even on FL sand this is thick enough and no need for rebar. At least you will not have to measure where to put these pads. Might want to mark where you tires are to make it easier to reposition the MH.

[rgatijnet1]

I am assuming that you have an asphalt driveway. Just dig out the asphalt areas, where there are craters, and pour a 24" x 24" by 24" deep concrete spot in the asphalt. This will handle the weight of the coach the next time. Add two layers of 4-#5 rebar at 90 degree angles to each other for additional strength. This will use a little less than 1 yard of concrete so the cost should not be that bad.