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How best to prepare a “landing pad” for my 5er


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We’ve just retired and are full timing.  I’m working on developing acreage in East Central Ohio and would appreciate any thoughts on a pad for the 38’ 5th wheel and the 22’ truck.  An excavator is leveling off a site where we had a 38’ TT “hunting cabin”.  (it’s tongue was on the ground, bumper 4.5’ in the air). Do I need a concrete pad, or two strips for tires & jacks, or would just six pads for jacks and tires suffice?  Would a full pad discourage mice?  We’d be on it for 3 or 4 months a year.  The old TT had a sheet of plastic under it that kept weeds at bay, I could do that with the 5er too.  This isn’t a “money no object” project, but if the benefit of a full pad was great enough, we could do it.  Any pitfalls to avoid or additional things to consider?

Wiley

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I'd either do a full concrete pad, or a pad of thick gravel.  Just do the 2 tire pads I would think grass/weeds would grow there.  For less $$, maybe just 2 runner pads for the tires/jacks and put 6 inches deep gravel between them?  I'm just thunking here, no experience in doing this.  For the mousie problem, an outside barn cat for under the camper?  Make a little bungalow outside the trailer out of the elements for kitty?  Again, just thunkin.

Edited by NDBirdman

2002 Fifth Avenue RV (RIP) 2015 Ram 3500 Mega-cab DRW(38k miles), 6.7L Cummins Diesel, A668RFE, 3.73, 14,000 GVWR, 5,630 Payload, 27,300 GCWR, 18,460 Max Trailer Weight Rating(For Sale) , living in the frigid north, ND.

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We have built pads for our 5er and I am going to build another this summer.  For our soil I prefer road base under the entire 5th wheel and out in front of the door.  One dump truck load should do it but it may need to be pushed around a little.  I also like to put down 6 or more 10 to 12" square pavers in front of the steps or an out door carpet.  Sometimes both.  Concrete is nice but usually not needed.  You may be able to spread the gravel enough for the truck to but if the soil is soft one dump truck load may not be enough.  Road base will  pack down.  You may get stuck on 6" of gravel and each time you drive on it it will move.

Edited by Randyretired

Randy

2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift

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For me a great deal would depend no how you plan to use the pad and how long at a time will you be staying on it? Do you plan to install hookups, or just a parking spot that you will spend an occasional week on? If you plan to have hookups and to sit there for months at a time, I would probably go with concrete placed well above grade for good drainage and to allow you to pull out when ready, no matter what the weather is or has recently been. If you only plan to stop by occasionally for short periods, then I'd probably use gravel and depending on the soil type I might underlay that with a layer of roadbase material. If your pervious RV was on a steep slope you probably won't have a drainage problem.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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We have our concrete guy lined up to start our parking pad next month. The slope will be cut to a more level grade with better drainage and fill dirt (packed) along with 4" of gravel and then 6" of concrete will make up the pad. ours will be 16'x70' with a good sized radius for a turn into the pad. If you are going to go to the trouble of doing grade work, leveling the site and pouring concrete, you might as well do it right to start with. It will be more expensive to fix the pad that way but it will hold up for years and still look good.

We have done a road base driveway in the past and heavy rains, heavy loads and dry/wet weather cycles don't work out to well.

2017 Kenworth T680
2015 DRV 38RSSA Elite Suites
2016 Smart Prime

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1 hour ago, WileyOhio said:

If I pack roadbase, does it hold up over time, or will it erode and crumble?

A good way to compare would be to look at a gravel road in your area. How well it will hold up depends on the terrain of your lot and the amount of rain that you get. Good drainage will improve that but in the long term no doubt Georgia is right that concrete will last longest. If I were to go with a road base material, I would definately add a good layer of gravel over that. If budget allows, my first choice would be concrete. 

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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2 hours ago, WileyOhio said:

We’d be on it for a month or two with hookups.  The soil is soft and drainage is an issue.  The excavation will reduce the runoff issue.  If I pack roadbase, does it hold up over time, or will it erode and crumble?

If you have questionable drainage use a concrete pad because any gravel will lose its compaction over the winter or heavy rains. I  would use a 6" pad with rebar so the weight of the trailer won't crack it, I would also dig a swallow footing only a couple of inches down to stop any running water from getting under it. And while you are at it make yourself a nice patio area.

Denny 

Denny & Jami SKP#90175
Most Timing with Mac our Scottie, RIP Jasper our Westie
2013 F350 SC DRW 6.2 V8 4.30 Gears
2003 HH Premier 35FKTG Home Base Nebraska

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If not too late. And if you feel it is something you would use. Also add some post holders for adding future patio type covers for shading, and on top of that, you could add solar panels for plugging into while on the site. 

Does not cost much to add post holders. And then cover them with pots to avoid tripping until you want to use them:)!

I've also seen small pads poured at the time as RV pads, for future sheds for storage... The cost of the extra concrete is cheap in the scheme of things, and it's available for if you want to expand and use it in the future:)!

Best to you,

Smitty

Be safe, have fun,

Smitty

04 CC Allure "RooII" - Our "E" ride for life!

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If the soil is soft and if drainage is a problem it would be wise to build a base before you pour.  As Kirk said if gravel roads in your area fail then road base may not be enough but if you think it might work, road base makes a good base.  If it isn't enough then pour concrete over it.  In our area we can buy road base with 3/4" rock, 1 1/2" rock or 3" rock.  I have used the 3" to firm up soft areas but it usually needs some smaller road base over it as it is rough.  I think it would be wise to talk with some contractors in your area to see what they suggest.  Someone who knows what is available and has experience in your area.  Pouring concrete onto soft poorly drained soil can lead to a number of problems.

Randy

2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift

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concrete pad. a good 12 feet wide. and longer than your rv + truck, by at least three feet. (maybe longer if you ever plan on getting a longer rig).

this way if for any reason, you need to work around this rv/truck you have a solid place to work.

and yes to footings for a roof, i say go permit with solar up top.

then "trim" for two feet around all this with railroad crushed rock style road base. easier to spray kill all weed killer here. then six feet farther (if you have room) trees.(shade). and do not forget a patio area. (for dirt, dust, mud control).

do not forget to plan ahead for fresh water in, power in, and bad water out.

 

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An over grade, leveled, and compacted dirt pad is first. A compacted by heavy equipment, or leaving the pad in the rain for a few months is required for long life. If you are installing a pedestal for power I would stub out for it and run conduit to the main power pole. Don't forget to stub out for sewage if the cabin was connected to septic. If you are not doing the forms and prep for the concrete, make sure the contractor uses "chairs" to raise the rebar or wire such that it is suspended in the middle of the concrete after pouring. https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=concrete+wire+chairs&qpvt=concrete+wire+chairs&FORM=IGRE  As an additional secondary reinforcement to the rebar, have the concrete mixed with fiber on site so you see how many bags they use. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber-reinforced_concrete

I ordered glass or fiberglass fiber reinforced concrete and no rebar or wire in 2005 when I had my 24X30 workshop built. It has had my diesel trucks and full size tractors on it for work since then and there is not even a hairline crack in it anywhere. We spread visqueen on the dirt before pouring the concrete with good overlap for the inside building concrete and none under the outside concrete: https://www.bing.com/search?q=visquine&pc=MOZI&form=MOZLBR

Lastly, before ordering concrete, determine what strength you need want. Most folks not in construction are unaware of the different PSI concrete mixes: https://concrete.promatcher.com/articles/Strength-of-Concrete-PSI-2903

For budget builds I'd use a six inch wire and fiber reinforced concrete slab on a compacted dirt pad. We used a river sand dirt pad that compacts minimally after mechanical compaction thus preventing cracks due to uneven settling of the pad. https://www.wagnermeters.com/concrete-moisture-test/concrete-info/getting-the-vapors/

Since you've ground moisture issues I'd see other slabs and ask your concrete contractor which way works best with your area soils and rainfall. . Also remember since you will be walking on the slab have it finished in a mild brush finish to minimize it being slippery when wet.

Hope that helps. I used to design, site, and measure for the cubic yards of dirt needed for post frame steel clad buildings with slabs, and we usually did not visqueen outdoor concrete slabs. There's more to putting together a good pad and slab matched to the use than just ordering the standard mix.   

 

RV/Derek
http://www.rvroadie.com Email on the bottom of my website page.
Retired AF 1971-1998


When you see a worthy man, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy man, look inside yourself. - Confucius

 

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” ... Voltaire

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I built at 24x60 polebarn with a concrete pad with my last fifth wheel. Prior to building this I had gravel with concrete blocks for the tires and jacks. To the part about mice getting into the RV, there is no solution for this. Mice love a RV but you can reduce the chance by not leaving food in the unit. Mice not only carry diseases but the can do an incredible amount of damage to the RV. They love the isolation around the wiring and duct work. One thing I did have on the gravel pad that I did not have on concrete was as much moisture and mold. If you use gravel I would add a moisture barrier between the ground and gravel. I added a eight inch slope from back to front on my concrete pad that allowed any water to flow out and dry quickly. The opening of the pole barn was at 16 ft to allow room for the AC and my antennas. Because of the height I used treated 6x6x20 post on ten ft centers fur feet in the ground. The slab cost approx 4000.00 to pour and the remain part of the structure including trusses and metal roof was another 8000.00. I used a white metal roof and in the south in was always 10 to 15 degrees cooler under the shed

Edited by Billy W
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You do need to decide on whether it will be just a slab or inside a roof and walls before you decide on what you're going to need to do for prep and finish.

Thanks Billy, I did forget the drainage Slope:

Step 2 - Calculate the Ideal Slope

The standard formula for the slope of a concrete patio is a 1/4-inch drop for every foot of length. If the slope is more gradual than this, you may run into trouble getting water to run off properly. Slopes that are steeper than this are fine, but you may also wish to consider the ease of mobility on a concrete patio that is too steep. This is a matter of personal preference and is also dependent upon the shape and overall design you're using.

In order to calculate the necessary slope for your patio, measure the length across in feet, starting where the patio meets your house. Then, multiply the measurement by 1/4 in order to find the number of inches in elevation that the two edges of the patio should differ by.

Source:

https://www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to-slope-a-concrete-patio-for-drainage

Now if you enclose all four sides with doors no Slope is needed inside and you want a smooth finish. All inside slabs require Visqueen, to eliminate sweating and the surface becoming slick from condensate and wicked moisture from a slab with no visqueen. Outdoor slabs with no cover is either/or.

I also prefer treated five by fives in on their own concrete footers with modern Post Frame construction. I was a member of the NFBA and they have lots of info too. https://www.nfba.org/resources/technical

Here's my old company I helped build for five years as a general manager:

http://shopsbuilt.com/

They just changed the opening page and if you scroll down to the building pictures the gray shop with the dog in front, and the words/link "Modern Post-Frame Construction" over the picture, is my shop and that's Bogart The Wonder Dog who has been gone these past 13 years. A better pic of him in our full time RV is here:

http://home.earthlink.net/~derekgore/rvroadiervfulltimingwhatisitreallylike/id4.html 

 

Edited by RV_

RV/Derek
http://www.rvroadie.com Email on the bottom of my website page.
Retired AF 1971-1998


When you see a worthy man, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy man, look inside yourself. - Confucius

 

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” ... Voltaire

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  • 2 months later...

Well, we poured the pad on Tuesday.  3” of compacted limestone and 5.5 to 6 inch of concrete with rebar mesh.  10’x40’  I would have liked to gone bigger, but my DW reminded me that every $ spent on this is coming out of house money.  We’ll build a stick n’ brick one day.

Thanks for.sharing your thoughts on this project.

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  • 11 months later...

OK.... We’ve been on the pad for a total of about 7 months since last September.  It was a good investment.  The only change I’d make would be to reduce the slope.  I designed for 1/4” per foot initially, but backed off to 1/8”.  I’ve still got over 5” of drop, front to back, not enough to make leveling the RV a problem, but more than necessary I think.  

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