# plastic drive grates



## powerplus (Oct 6, 2014)

hi

im after a bit of advice

as my drive is on a bit of a slope and covered in shingle i was wandering about these plastic grates that you put down on the ground and then fill with shingle or soil and grass seeds

i was thinking if putting 2 strips about 600mm wide and 10m long

i can drive up my slope but if it has been raining my front wheels try and dig in rather than move forward


any advice

barry


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I was a landscaper and used a lot of this stuff http://www.mjabbottdirect.co.uk/Ko-...IVILS/GROUND-STABLE/GROUND-GRIDS/1/GOLPLA.htm

It did the job very well. One thing to keep in mind is not to overfill it. I have no idea how it will last as sunlight will get to it and may degrade the plastic. We laid it because it was specified by architects. I would have been more reluctant to put on a job we had designed because of my reservations about how it would last. Though we had some jobs which had been done for over 10 years without any obvious degradation of the plastic.

There are plenty of similar products on the market now and numerous suppliers. It tends to be quite pricey, Alan.


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

Is the depth of the shingle perhaps the issue ?

As Alan stated plenty of options out there but at a cost, see link below.

http://gridforce.co.uk/high-strength-interlocking-grids

Terry


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

If you are concerned about durability there is a concrete version called "Grasscrete" Its designed more to allow grass to grow in the gaps but it wont be affected by sunlight !


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Yes, anything more than a scattering becomes a trap for vehicles, especially if it's rounded peebles. That's why you don't overfill, even if it's only soil it will cover the plastic and give a slippery surface.

We installed a lot of the one I linked to for an awkward client. We didn't overfill the voids, as directed by the manufacturer. The client's representative (a hateful git) decided that we had deliberately under filled to save money and insisted that we go back and add enough soil so that the plastic product wasn't visible. I sent the specification to show that it was not the thing to do but he insisted regardless. Happily it ruined the job and digging it all off again was next to impossible and turned out to be very expensive. The git tried to blame us for over filling, apparently having forgotten that I had explained why it was a bad idea. He didn't want to pay for putting it right claiming that it was our fault even though I had faxed him several letters explaining my reluctance to do it and my reasons. He didn't remember the faxes even when I produced them (for his boss) along with his very nasty replies accusing us of having done a shoddy job. Result.

Anyway, don't over fill with what ever you use, it's the little bits of plastic or whatever showing through that give you the grip, Alan.


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

Sorry Alan, I meant the OPs existing shingle, but a good point re filling all the same.

Terry


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I was agreeing Terry, too much is bad, especially pea gravel or the like. Driving on marbles, Alan.


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## powerplus (Oct 6, 2014)

hi all thanks for the replies

alan

my wheel dug through the shingle and started to dig into the ground below

my thoughts are to scrape the shingle away and level the ground below

then fill around and into the panels but not covering them

the van once rolling moves fine on my slope that is about 70cm over 10 m

the other option is council type slabs

i like to drive in to my back garden and drive up my drive and out at the front of the property
i can get in from the front but its pretty hard reversing around a corner and through a tight gap 

any thoughts please


barry


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I'd be dubious about using Golpla or similar on a slope with pebbles filling it and then driving on it. When it has grass growing in it the roots hold it in place so it would be fine on a gentle slope. Without those roots I think there's a possibility that your drive wheels would just shoot the whole lot backwards down the hill.

I would consider your existing gravel first. What kind of gravel is it. If pebbles (rounded stones) they will act like marbles, crushed stone would stay in place much better. How deep is it now, any more than a scattering of either type will cause problems in two ways, 1. acting like marbles as already mentioned and 2. behaving in the way that a gravel trap does at the bottom of a steep hill or on a racing circuit and making the wheels dig in.

Paving it might be a solution however paving to take vehicles is not at all the same as paving for pedestrian areas which an occasional vehicle may park on or drive on.

Your slope sounds gentle enough, consider the gravel first is my suggestion, a few bags of broken stone (crushed not rounded) would let you see whether that would work. For the purposes of trying it any broken stone of a suitable size, say 10 or 12mm, would let you find out. If it works and you want something attractive then look for a crushed stone you like, Alan.


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

We have a very long and steep driveway. We use "crusher run" on the surface, it's a limestone mixture with medium and small stones and also fine stuff. Crushed down, it forms a very serviceable surface and sets a bit like concrete.

We do have to top it up every few years, but we don't have any problems with wheels digging in.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

That's the ideal way to do it and it will work, but the stone isn't very pretty.


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