Arena construction help

[badgerdog]

We are constructing a 20 X 40 arena and as we're doing it ourselves we are not sure of the quantities we need. ie - How much hardcore and sand and what thickness of liner do we need?
I appreciate any advice.

 

[pnap]

it depends on what depth you've excavated too and what make up you're putting back in. For example if you have 150mm of hardcore then you do 20x40x0.15 to get 120 cubic metres of that and I'd always allow 10% for wastage. The thickness of liner would I guess depend on what surface you're going for.

 

[badgerdog]

Thanks, that's a start, we'll need to allow extra because it needs levelling off quite a bit. Have you any idea how much sand we'll need?
Cheers.

 

[pnap]

Again same calculation would apply - you need to decide how thick a surface you want and allow a bit over for wastage and the fact it'll take some time to bed down. I have absolutely no idea how deep the average surface is but I'd guess around the 100mm mark or thereabouts so it would be 80 cubic metres. Wherever you're getting your surface from though should be able to tell you based on the size of your arena I'd have though. I dunno if you can just use run of the mill building sand cause it doesn't tend to bind together and the particles are often rounded off and not angular so you never get a surface that you can roll and have nice a firm.

 

[eriskaypony]

This might help.

http://www.heritage-house.org/manege.html

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

You may find this site will give you some answers:

http://www.ascotarenas.co.uk/#

 

[badgerdog]

Thanks for your replies, much appreciated.

 

[Booboos]

This is a really good site for help and they also sell the materials on a DIY basis so I am sure they would be happy to chat to you about quantities:
http://www.jacksonarenas.com/construct.html

By the way, when you say "we'll need to allow extra because it needs levelling off quite a bit", do you mean the ground is unlevel and you hope to level it off with hardcore? If yes, I wouldn't do that. In my experience you have to get the ground level first (with a small fall overall to where you want the water to drain to) , then add a same depth layer of hardcore, etc. Otherwise any unlevelness in the original ground will just be replicated in other layers (also you will waste a lot of hardcore, surely it is cheaper and easier to dig out the groud level than to add hardcore to it?)

 

[dieseldog]

If you have any building sites near you that are demolishing anything speak to the site foreman and ask if they would like to dump there hardcore at your site. It will save you money and they will do it for free as otherwise they have to pay for landfill.

 

[Booboos]

[ QUOTE ]
If you have any building sites near you that are demolishing anything speak to the site foreman and ask if they would like to dump there hardcore at your site. It will save you money and they will do it for free as otherwise they have to pay for landfill.

[/ QUOTE ]


Mmmm I'd be a bit careful with that one. Builders rubble can have also sorts of rubbish in it like nails, metal, glass, which can contaminate the surface. Worse it can have a high percentage of dust which will clog up the stone and stop the water from draining. Ideally you need clean 40mm hardcore.