Mud Control Mats - tips for laying?

S

soloequestrian

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 January 2009
Messages
3,105
Visit site
You've convinced me to go for the Mud Control mats for my field shelter so now just after advice on/experience of laying them. I'll ring the company too but it's nice to get some unbiased information too!
The shelter has a hardcore base that is quite old and has been knocked about by the tractor over the years. I plan to scrape it as level as I can and any holes will be filled with soil. I have some leftover weed control membrane from doing the school and I'm wondering if I should put that down too? And the site recommends sand over the top. Any variations on that?
Thanks!
 
Our shelter converted from an old poutry shed, had a new hardcore base put down, which slopes slightly towards the front, the apron outside is straight onto the soil. We didn't bother with a membrane, although we did in the yard, where we also have MCmats. We did put sand on top but we have very sandy soil and barefoot horses, so just put a layer of bedding in the shelter, without topping up the sand outside.
 
My 'shelter' is more of a yard really, I keep forgetting it's not a normal shelter because it has no roof, just windbreak walls. Did you get on okay with the membrane? The MC site says it can stop the sand filling in smaller indentations under the mats.
 
We haven't put sand on the yard and tbh, I'm not sure that we needed the membrane under the mats there but that is how the guy who put the mats down for us wanted to do it.
 
I wouldn't bother with the membrane, you sort of want them to settle into the ground a bit so they're stable. I would top them with sand or bedding at least initially though they can be quite slippy and ponies won;t be familiar yet.
Putting the first row down is easy, after that because you have to join 2 sides up it's trickier, you have to sort of partially unstick the previous tile, join them then tap them back into place. If you have level ground you can put most of a row together lined up but not connected to previous row, then carefully shunt them together all at once, but they're bloody heavy. Best done gradually with a big hammer or a pry bar. (if you ever need to take them up, do the reverse! Spade blade or pry bar in the seam, wiggle, next tile in row, wiggle, go back and forth along the row till they've all moved about an inch and then lift them right up one by one)
 
FitzyFitz said:
I wouldn't bother with the membrane, you sort of want them to settle into the ground a bit so they're stable. I would top them with sand or bedding at least initially though they can be quite slippy and ponies won;t be familiar yet.
Putting the first row down is easy, after that because you have to join 2 sides up it's trickier, you have to sort of partially unstick the previous tile, join them then tap them back into place. If you have level ground you can put most of a row together lined up but not connected to previous row, then carefully shunt them together all at once, but they're bloody heavy. Best done gradually with a big hammer or a pry bar. (if you ever need to take them up, do the reverse! Spade blade or pry bar in the seam, wiggle, next tile in row, wiggle, go back and forth along the row till they've all moved about an inch and then lift them right up one by one)
Click to expand...
We found the easiest way was to pay someone else to do the job! 🤣

We actually put down those outside the shelter and some in a gateway ourselves and it was fairly easy but watching someone else do it is easier! We didn't use the 'whole row' method but when you do them individually you do feel a bit as if you are undoing your work to get the next one in.
 
I initially put sand and wood chip bedding on top of the MC mats but it all washed away or became a horrid mess. I have them in the gateway and outside my shelter with a single slab path between the two. I was worried about slipping so I put rubber grass mats on top of the MC mats at the gate and outside the shelter, pleased with the way this has worked, but I have to lift the rubber mats and clear out the holes occasionally. The rubber mats do move but I believe you can cable tie them to the MC mats.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
We found the easiest way was to pay someone else to do the job! 🤣

We actually put down those outside the shelter and some in a gateway ourselves and it was fairly easy but watching someone else do it is easier! We didn't use the 'whole row' method but when you do them individually you do feel a bit as if you are undoing your work to get the next one in.
Click to expand...
🤣 🤣 well yes but I am broke and not exactly a specimen of physical prowess, had to find some way!
I mostly do them one at a time as my ground is very bumpy usually but it does feel a bit annoying unsticking the tile you JUST put there!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top