[Lesworth]

Ok, here are some pictures of our build to show the progress. Note the drains and also the size of the machines used - this echos what has already been said - dont waste time with mini diggers, larger machines are more cost effective.

The diggers move in:




The herringbone channels are lined with terram membrane. 3 or 4 inches of recycled pea shingle (cheaper than posh driveway stuff) with a 100mm perforated land drain laid on. Then the entire trenc is filled with the shingle. All in all the trenches took 68 tonnes of pea shingle to fill to the base level of the Manege (all moved by hand with wheel barrows to protect the structure ).




Then the fence was erected with barge boards:


The entire surface area is then lined with more terram membrane. I'm using hanfl round fence posts to hold each strip down as it was windy. I didnt seal the membrane but overlapped it by at least one metre. 250 tonnes of cleaned and graded hardcore (no fines) was the shipped in and leveled:




Next, more membrane, much finer this time is put down over the leveled hardcore layer and the sand is shipped in:




Finally, 40 tonnes of rubber chips (recycled tyres)




Then drains run down to the ditch 125 metres away:

[Lesworth]

And here is a breakdown of the materials used:
232 tonnes of clean hardcore with no fines for the drainage layer. This is a bit more than I expected because I had to use some to adjust the levels. Suplliers will know how many tonnes are need based on cubic metres which you can work out with length x width x depth.

140 tonnes of beautiful silica sand.

20 tonnes of rubber chip

I negotiated all the prices and got discounts on everything. I also asked for cash deadles to save VAT and managed to get a great cash deadl on all the hardcore and the supply of the driver and machines for laying the surface :-). All the land drain pipe and joints came from ebay and the membrane came from Flexible Lining Products Limited.

Hope that helps!

[OhLaLa]

Very interesting, particularly the drainage groundworks.

Thanks for taking the time to put the pics up.

[robert waddell]

please do not take this the the wrong way             first the small amount of topsoil removed    subsoil can and does grow weeds/plants etc
second the drainage    top marks for using the proper jointing pieces   the big problem with using wavincoil  is the up and down effect of the drain (this can cause pockets of silt to gather and reduce the flow of water and eventually chock)   more expensive but better job would have been the orange lengths of pipe also made by wavinflow and also perforated and you can jet it if it silts up

[OhLaLa]

Thanks for that Robert, the more info I glean the better, I'll see if I can find the website for Wavinflow and get more info.

-----

* Can't find Waveinflow website but can find sellers of their flexable pipe - can you point me in right direction for the 'orange lengths' ?

[robert waddell]

just goggle wavin that is the main co        it does come up with wavincoil           the drainage system is either osma or hepworth both should have perforated 3m lengths of pipe  try and get agri discount on pipes(can be up to 65%) the pea gravel is a bed that you level by shovel the pipe laid and level checked with a spirit level      turn of the bead is all that is required to get a good flow (two lines on the bead the bubble exactly in the middle is dead level  the bubble just touching the line or just past the line is enough to get a good run) then keep the pipe firm and backfill with 40mm gravel
the only thing about drainage it is buried  you only have a problem when it does not work  to late then to rectify
have fun

[princesspiggy]

this info is just great, still waiting for my first site visit....thanku guys!

[Lesworth]

Thanks Robert, wish I;d known about the Wavin before I started 

Actually all the top soil was removed right down to the undisturbed clay. Clay is the work of the devil by the way

[robert waddell]

as an extra you could add a silt trap just outside the arena    this can be any size you want and lets you see just how much water is carried away from the arena also gives you access to jet the pipes if you have iron ocher in the ground    also don't drain the arena first then not have enough of a run to get the water to a ditch/burn or stream  also if you flood no point in laying drains below the flood water level

[pikilily]

Ok !! I am going to go against the grain here! this is what i did and how much it cost.
You need to know your ground well for starters.

i am lucky to have very good draining soil and my land stands higher than anyone elses in the village. We do have pretty flat ground here.

I had a very little bit of levelling done, to even the gound out, scrape off the grass, and to create a banking around the arena. I then put woodchip down to a depth of 10 inches. NO membrane. No drainage pipes etc.

It cost £2500 - all in, including the planning permission!! that was four years ago. Its still as good as when i had it laid...in fact better cos it has bedded in. The only thing i have done is rake it to keep the level, spray it occasionally to get rid of weeds that do grow through. Oh, and this year i put some fencing with kickboards at the easterly end, nearest the grazing fields, cos the high winds in May blew a lot of the surface off the arena onto the other fields. (that would have happened with any surface though)

As far as i am concerned. This has been amazing value for money, i may have to get it topped up in a few years time. i wont have to worry about the huge cost of removing it if i was to give up riding (as you would with other surfaces) the planners were happy about this enviromental spect too.  If i was to leave it it would eventually rot down and return to grazing over a few years. In fact that slight rotting keeps the surface warmer in winter so it is still ridable when everyone elses surfaces are frozen solid. Win, win, as far as i am concerned.

Just another opinion, mind! Oh the woodchip is specially graded for riding arenas, gives a lovely spring for the horses, and doesnt need a sttling in period.
Emma T 

[pikilily]

gonna add to my post. My arena is for personal use!! i dont hire it out, therefore it wont attract the level of wear and tear, and liability of an arena for public use. what you are talking about is another ballgame.
however i can demonstrate that it doesnt have to cost a fortune.
BTW there are loads of arenas in the Aberdeen/shire area, are you sure that the market will have room for yours? Just a gentle question.
Emma T 

[princesspiggy]

BTW there are loads of arenas in the Aberdeen/shire area, are you sure that the market will have room for yours?

its not really essential but just nice to have the option. its only 20x40 so not competing with the big guys anyway. im thinking more of renting it to local grass liveries as opposed to high flyers. it all adds up 

[OhLaLa]

pikilily, would you put some photos of it here please?

 

[pikilily]

yeh will get some today...though it is pouring with rain.....BOOOOOO !!! In the meantime, its flat, brown, with fencing around it....LOL  Note to self; get the strimmer out for the grass around the sides. 
Emma T 

[Skippideedooda]

Hi Princess Piggy,

I know this is an old post and will start a new one but intrigued to know if you managed to find someone in the Grampian area to construct your outdoor school at a reasonable price?

I'm getting quotes just now and although I want a decent school it is only for myself so I can hopefully keep the horses in work throughout winter so i feel the £18k price tag is a bit excessive. If you could PM me with info that would be greatly appreciated.