tobiano1984
Well-Known Member
My yard has a 25x50m fibre-sand outdoor arena, put in on the cheap a long time ago. It doesn't have a membrane, from what I gather it's a hardcore/cinder compacted layer with what looks like a clay layer and then the surface.
It's looking a bit tired now, but as I rent the yard there's only so much I can do! There's no way the farmer landlord will spend a penny on it. Absolutely no chance. I'm not going to spend £1000s resurfacing it as I don't intend to be there more than a couple of years.
The issue - the surface has banked up around the edges and in the corners, and also seems deeper at one end - probably because of the wind direction in the summer when the surface is drier and moveable. We harrow it regularly but that doesn't really level it. I don't have a grader/leveller as it would require a tractor or quad and we just use a 4x4.
I've asked a few arena companies for quotes for levelling it, but I imagine they'll be quite expensive if they'll even bother with such a minor job. Has anyone done it themselves, just with a digger or some sort of hired equipment? It would require precision as you can't put the digger into the underlayer as it'll ruin it..my OH fancies himself a competent digger driver though so it is an option! ]
The other thing is refreshing the surface - is it worth it? I occasionally see second hand surfaces for sale, and i'd happily spend a few £100 on topping up (I saw rubber chips are about £90 a ton new) but would a few tons make any difference at all?! Or be completely lost and pointless..and if I did - what sort of surface would be beneficial to add to my current one? I think it's just standard sand, nothing fancy or waxed, and fibre (apparently lumps of carpet).
Any frugal ideas would be appreciated..!
It's looking a bit tired now, but as I rent the yard there's only so much I can do! There's no way the farmer landlord will spend a penny on it. Absolutely no chance. I'm not going to spend £1000s resurfacing it as I don't intend to be there more than a couple of years.
The issue - the surface has banked up around the edges and in the corners, and also seems deeper at one end - probably because of the wind direction in the summer when the surface is drier and moveable. We harrow it regularly but that doesn't really level it. I don't have a grader/leveller as it would require a tractor or quad and we just use a 4x4.
I've asked a few arena companies for quotes for levelling it, but I imagine they'll be quite expensive if they'll even bother with such a minor job. Has anyone done it themselves, just with a digger or some sort of hired equipment? It would require precision as you can't put the digger into the underlayer as it'll ruin it..my OH fancies himself a competent digger driver though so it is an option! ]
The other thing is refreshing the surface - is it worth it? I occasionally see second hand surfaces for sale, and i'd happily spend a few £100 on topping up (I saw rubber chips are about £90 a ton new) but would a few tons make any difference at all?! Or be completely lost and pointless..and if I did - what sort of surface would be beneficial to add to my current one? I think it's just standard sand, nothing fancy or waxed, and fibre (apparently lumps of carpet).
Any frugal ideas would be appreciated..!
). I tow mine behind a LWB 4x4.