Building an arena up from the ground - what stone?

[kit279]

Alright, I'm sold on the idea of not putting in drains as we're already on amazing sandy soil

The question is now what to build up the arena with.

Can people who've done it talk me through the process a bit? Do I need a membrane under the drainage stone layer if I'm not having drains? Or can I just have a layer of hardcore then clean stone on top of that? I'll put a membrane between the surface and the stone but is there anything else I should consider?

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

mine is built up 3 feet. loads of clean hardcore. main drains scored through pipe layed with pea gravel. membrane, then sand and rubber. mine has 8 drains scored through feeding into one main drain along the keh side. mine has a very good membrane then top end silica sand. it has worked through all the hard weather and is a godsend. and i also have a membrane at base level! why would you go to the cost of building n arena and not put in drainage pipes and gravel? the drains/base are the most important things when building a menage.

 

[kit279]

Because they're very likely not necessary - I was talking to a big ground works contractor about it and he advised me that because of the drainage of the soil which is basically pure sand there's not a huge amount of point putting in drains, as per me thread here:-

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=421253

I'd put them in if I were on different soil but there's no point doing something that won't be needed. We did a quick test the other day and the water drops away through the ground at over 100mm/hr (most places drop away at 20).

 

[henryhorn]

We don't have drains in ours either other than a fall from one corner to the other, and after heavy rain we get a stream running out it drains so fast.
Ours was large stones, then smaller stones packed down with a machine we hired.
I sourced the membrane via a manufacturer and he suggested which of theirs was most suited for the job, it was a couple of hundred pounds a roll and we used two and a half for a 20 x 60 arena.
Some things are essential (this is the 3 arena we've had), you must use the membrane, don't leave it out in the sun for long once laid, don't drive the lorries on it , you start tipping at the gate then drive over the sand/rubber to tip further loads.
Your membrane must be sewn or glued at every overlap or over time it works it's way apart and up to the top. Secure it at the sides by laying the wood over the edges.
Our surface is a mix of sea sand. silica sand and rubber and works superbly. It drains well, has a surface that's non slip and isn't deep. Only downside is in summer it gets too dry and can be dusty.
Just beware the level around your arena, if there is any slope you do need drains round the outside to divert the water coming on to it.
Our first arena was an infill into 15' drop so we used brick rubble then clean stone on top, we had loads of drains but the water off the slope above made it wet hence the drain advice!

 

[Booboos]

This is what I usually do:

- clear away all the top soil and level off
-then I dig in drains but fair enough if you don't need this
- put down a cheap membrane that will keep the stones from sinking into the soil
- then clean hardcore, usually 20 to 40 or 40 to 100 depending on drainage needs (never 40 to dust as the dust clogs it all up)
- then an expensive membrane non-woven, heat bonded membrane that will keep the sand from going down and the stones from coming up
- then sand
(obviously you do the kickboards and fencing as you progress as well).

Sorry I haven't read your other thread so this may just be repeating what said there!

 

[kerilli]

granite if you can get it, if you have a quarry nearby.
otherwise, limestone, big pieces, ask for 30mm (which means those will be the smallest lumps).
also known as "M.O.T. Type 1" I believe.
I think there are just under 2 tonnes per cumec (cubic metre), so it doesn't go as far as you think it will...
Iirc we had 27 lorries with 20 tonne loads for a 20x60m. Eeek.
It was a while ago though so don't take those amounts as gospel...

 

[Thistle]

You can use screened rubble if it is very very clean and dust free. If it's at all dusty don't touch it otherwise it will all clog up.