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BryanL
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# Posted: 7 Feb 2015 06:28pm
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Looking for a suggestion on prepping my site. I will be building a 24x12 barn on skids. My site is in central MN and the ground is mostly sandy, gravel and rocks. It is relatively flat. I'm wondering if I should hire someone to come in with a bobcat and work things over and flatten them out or if it would be better to bring in a few loads of either rock or class 5. Also, should I put poly down underneath? Going to get started pretty soon with a relatively mild winter here in MN.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 7 Feb 2015 07:25pm - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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I'd find a pretty level spot now, scrape away the topsoil then lay a nice thick bed of crushed rock/gravel and set the skids on the gravel. It will drain water away and be a good base for a skid mounted cabin.
If you disturb the soil with a bobcat, you risk settling later. Leave it and build on virgin soil if at all possible.
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Littlecooner
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# Posted: 8 Feb 2015 09:28am - Edited by: Littlecooner
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Agree with Toyota_mdt_tech - I would find a local contractor with a small single axle dump truck and get him to bring in some crushed aggregate from the local quarry. that way you can level the site out past the footprint on the barn as much as you want. Go with a large size stone and it will help drain water away from the cabin and do not disturbed the existing ground. You could also look at a top coat of very small crushed aggregate also. If you want a site similar to concrete, then have the guy purchase "crusher run" to bring in and level. This is the stuff that comes from the primary crusher on its way to size grading and additional grading. Usually a mix of 1 1/2 inch size stone down to a fine dust. If its a limestone rock, after it rains on it several times, this stuff will set up just like concrete, especially if you try to compact it some when it rains (just use your vehicle and run back and forth each time it rains for a few times. All this would keep mud and grass off the porch and out of the cabin. A good spraying of herbicide with a ground sterilizing mix before placing stone should keep all the vegetation away and you will think you pored the place in concrete. I would not put the poly down under the rock, you want any moisture to percolate on down thru the soil and leave the site, not sit trapped under your building to breed mold and mildew.
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Littlecooner
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# Posted: 8 Feb 2015 09:37am
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I would not put the poly down under anything I prepped the site foundation. You want the moisture that is in the aggregate to percolate down thru the soil, not stay trapped under your building to hold moisture to breed mold and mildew. There is a world of geotextile fabric on the market that would hold down vegetation and still let water thru which would be worth the money over the herbicide. Check out "landscaping fabric" at the local Lowes or Home Depot. Money spent here on better thicker fabric will bring smiles down the road.
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BryanL
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# Posted: 8 Feb 2015 09:57am
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Great advice everyone. Thanks for the plan.
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