[Orinlooper]

I was considering a jcb to take the topsoil off and putting gravel down, but somebody said you can buy these plastic mesh sheets for a cheap road/driveway

Or what other options are there please?

Even wood chip or something, just for my van, at the moment it's ll muddy and the wheels spin because it's not 4x4.

Thanks in advance for good suggetions

[sss]

You can get willow matting you can roll down as a temporary road, not  sure on price or how good they are.

[greenbeast]

I can't imagine woodchip will last long driving over in this weather.
Sorry i don't have any better suggestion apart from taking the topsoil off and putting crushed concrete down, something that might cost you thousands

[bazzais]

If you get a JCB in this time of year on wet ground and do it wrong - its going make a right mess to clear up.

If your making a new track and dont need need a 'a full 8/9 foot width' - just make single axle tracks. Cheaper and easier to lay. You could do this with stone a temporary 3 inches depth would probably last the year.

You could put those mesh things down but they are pretty expensive and they are easily ripped out if its already got really muddy.

If its only a little drive and a temporary measure just put some old scaffold planks down over the mud wrapped in chicken wire.  Make sure they are 'rolled in' and supported so they dont snap. Or throw some old carpets down.

The only sure way is big stone, smaller stone - more stone - roll.

[Creagan]

Is there any possibility of opening up a borrow pit on your own land? I was able to do this and it literally saved me thousands because it reduced the amount of stone that I had to buy in. Depends on what sort of stone you have under your soil, of course.

[farmers wife]

you can rent temporary mats as used on construction sites/festical sites that clip together until you decide what to do but we warned you pay for what you get - cheap drives do not last and always do a proper job.


No such thing as tarmac waste - it is recycled as has a large value - you wont get anything around here its gold dust it all goes back to the plant and remixed.  You can get slag though.


Any roadway needs a hardcore base do not consider throwing anything down.  This is also costly as importing stone always is. Decent hardcore and allow for some drainage alongside otherwise you can get drops, erosion. Gravel is the cheapest but will still be almighty costly over a distance.

[Creagan]

'As Dug' should be the cheapest available material from a quarry. With me, that means occasional chunks of up to 400mm and then everything right down to dust as well. You can also ask for 'crusher run' which has the biggest chunks taken out, and would be my choice for making a road. You may be offered 'type 1' (aka sub base) which is similar but a bit better screened and is what you would use for a good surface that can be rolled smooth (and if necessary overlain with tarmac)- of course the more refined something is, the more you pay.

'Gravel' means larger stones only, i.e. the dust and grit is removed. Makes it free draining and also looks nicer, but doesn't pack together as well- lay it too deep and you create a gravel trap. More expensive than the stone that still has the dust etc in it.

Nb the above relates to where materials are quarried from solid stone, you may have other options locally depending on your geology.