Compaction question - how fine is too fine?

[Sceep]

Yeah sorry didn't mean to out your place like that.

Ditto. Pic removed.

 

[RusM]

So it's just red pea gravel then? It don't have no fines it won't contact, same with the 11/4" if it's clear and not minus. Pull all that crap out of there and replace with 11/4" minus, water it until you grab a fistful and it just stays together after you squeeze it. Then you'll be able to contact it just fine with a plate compactor.

You'll also have a base that just needs some sand for the pavers too...

 

[fordguy]

holy shit i am jealous

why isnt killing them an option

 

[XtremeJ]

Ditto. Pic removed.

No worries really. Gated community and all neighbors are staunch 2A and are happy to ask non-belongers just what the heck they might be doing up here.

I may even be sighted in at the t-junction and bottom of the drive.

It definitely kinda scary how quick one can be located. Nice to see the progress since the GE picture

 

[XtremeJ]

holy shit i am jealous

why isnt killing them an option

It is. But wife would then kill me.

And she can operate the backhoe so SSS applies.

I have only ever hunted out of necessity. Easier to write a check to a local rancher who supplies us with possibly the best beef on the planet.

 

[XtremeJ]

So it's just red pea gravel then? It don't have no fines it won't contact, same with the 11/4" if it's clear and not minus. Pull all that crap out of there and replace with 11/4" minus, water it until you grab a fistful and it just stays together after you squeeze it. Then you'll be able to contact it just fine with a plate compactor.

You'll also have a base that just needs some sand for the pavers too...

Further to this and other posts

So in this color my options are

• 1 1/2” (need to confirm minus)
• 3/8” chip (current)
• squeege which is what I would call peagravel plus fines

So I ask
- would adding the squeege to the existing chip be enough fines for compaction?

- remove everything, replace with 1 1/2 minus same color

- tempted to try the third world method as a test. Compact the current 3/8, cover in several thrown coats of Portland cement, add peagravel minus on top, water and then compact. Usually results in a pretty hard, somewhat permeable surface.

Appreciate all the responses, I learn so much from this board

 

[Ransil]

quit feeding the critter at the back door and walk out 20 feet

 

[TiTRD]

Get some red stone dust (called shur pack here) and rake it into your current 3/8". Water, compact.

 

[XtremeJ]

Update follows, somewhat

One of those projects that snowballs

Found a propane generator to backup the house (ignore I have 14kw 3 phase I have not wired to the house in 6 years), which meant “tidying” up where it is going to be located. Which resulted in a new series of retaining walls which is a whole thread in it’s own, which gave me a decent area to place the generator

And experiment on compacting

New retaining walls mostly done. Lower level is pickup bed height as the water tank will live here

Genset pad and genset placed. Spotted cow for reference

Used 1 1/2” Wyoming Red, ran the plate compactor then added the 3/8” WY red chip referenced in post 1. Ram the compactor. Watered it, ran the compactor.

Finished result. Not quite rock hard but pretty close to it. Will work great for these terraces but still not quite the solution for the OP issue. Better but not there yet

I think 3/4” with fines would be ideal but this supplier does not have that.

 

[XtremeJ]

Camarogenius was probably spinning in his grave with the antics using the genie lift to hoist the pad and genset into place. Basket has a 550lb limit which more than sufficient for the pad and then the genset. Might not have been quite so safe with the plate compactor



Was beyond the reach of the backhoe.

Once hooked up, with the next 1000 gallon tank in place we will be able to deal with 60 days off grid at 24/7 max useage, so realistically more like 120 days off grid if needed.

 

[sicumminsde]

So you're trying to compact landscape gravel just so the deer don't leave foot prints?

It'll never happen.

Can you elaborate?

Seems stamped is all the rage?

I honestly think I can handle the paving (built those walls myself, well the whole damn house) but was thinking of trying my hand at stamping.

The area in question is about a thousand square feet. I can handle that solo if I do pavers
I cannot do that solo in a single pour

I'll give you some advice. Concrete gets hard and cracks....no repairing it. Pavers will flex and if they get outta wack, they can be raised/repaired pretty easy.

 

[Brian468]

Take the wife on vacation, I'll give the deer a good home.

 

[XtremeJ]

So you're trying to compact landscape gravel just so the deer don't leave foot prints?

It'll never happen.



I'll give you some advice. Concrete gets hard and cracks....no repairing it. Pavers will flex and if they get outta wack, they can be raised/repaired pretty easy.

Copy that and thanks.

The other issue is this is Colorado so the southern facing stuff sees a temp range exceeding 150F. From deep freeze in winter (seen negatives here) to 100 plus. So hard life for concrete

Will likely use the pavers with larger gaps to accommodate the slope and drainage as laid out. No matter which way l look at this it means about 4 ton of stone coming up. Fuck.

Gave some thought to adapting a strong vacuum to do the heavy lifting

 

[Weasel]

didn't some already tell you that you needs fines? It won't compact with out it.

 

[Thefishguy77]

I saw those.

While still very awesome, I'm not sure I'd want that cat creeping around my house. I'd be the dumbass that manages to go outside right at the wrong time for some fresh air and get eaten by that thing.

We have cats around us all the time. They are not hunting humans. They are hunting the animals that thrive around humans. If unsure about going outside at night there is nothing like having a good dog. I always trust my dogs.

 

[SLOWPOKE693]

If unsure about going outside at night there is nothing like having a good dog. I always trust my dogs.

I have no issue with being outside in the dark with this crew around.....

 

[Thefishguy77]

I have no issue with being outside in the dark with this crew around.....

Shit, I feel safer just having this picture pulled up