DIY leveling ramp for parking pad

[MichaelS78]

I've put in a gravel parking pad on the side of the house to store our 21NE in-between trips but it's sloped a bit too much side to side so I can't just use our Andersen levelers. Needs another 2 or 3 inches to level.

I know I've seen info about building a more permanent DIY leveling ramp but it's dizzying how many different versions pop up on Google. And didn't find a whole lot of info on here but may not be using the best search term.

Anyways am I overthinking this and just need to screw a stack of long 2x12 pressure treated boards together that are long enough there isn't any chance the trailer rolls off? Or is there a better solution?

[Ian and Sue]

Originally Posted by MichaelS78

I've put in a gravel parking pad on the side of the house to store our 21NE in-between trips but it's sloped a bit too much side to side so I can't just use our Andersen levelers. Needs another 2 or 3 inches to level.

I know I've seen info about building a more permanent DIY leveling ramp but it's dizzying how many different versions pop up on Google. And didn't find a whole lot of info on here but may not be using the best search term.

Anyways am I overthinking this and just need to screw a stack of long 2x12 pressure treated boards together that are long enough there isn't any chance the trailer rolls off? Or is there a better solution?

Why not just put in more gravel

[MichaelS78]

Originally Posted by Ian and Sue

Why not just put in more gravel

I suppose I could but I already put in more than I probably should have. It moves around too much under our feet while walking and makes little ruts under the tires. I used a base of the larger gravel and then topped with 5/8 minus but didn't rent a tamper to really lock it all in place. I did drive the tow vehicle back and forth over it a lot but it only did so much.

Also I need some slope for drainage still. Even with most going into the gravel right?

[Ian and Sue]

Originally Posted by MichaelS78

I suppose I could but I already put in more than I probably should have. It moves around too much under our feet while walking and makes little ruts under the tires. I used a base of the larger gravel and then topped with 5/8 minus but didn't rent a tamper to really lock it all in place. I did drive the tow vehicle back and forth over it a lot but it only did so much.

How about carving some gravel out on the high side? I would rent a plate tamper for an afternoon....that stuff should really harden up that way.

[MichaelS78]

Originally Posted by Ian and Sue

How about carving some gravel out on the high side? I would rent a plate tamper for an afternoon....that stuff should really harden up that way.

I can try both of these ideas and it will definitely make a firmer and more level pad. I don't believe I can offset the 5 or so inches I'll need to level the trailer though. That's a lot of gravel. And unfortunately the pad is on the edge of our property that has a retaining wall with drop off along the pad edge. The gravel is going to have to be raised too high and the only thing holding it in would be a fence.

But it will probably make a big enough difference that then the Andersen's will be enough.

[cpaharley2008]

I do not think you need to worry about drainage issues with gravel, level it best, lay some 2x8 boards and test it out.

[Great Eggstrications]

Originally Posted by MichaelS78

Anyways am I overthinking this and just need to screw a stack of long 2x12 pressure treated boards together that are long enough there isn't any chance the trailer rolls off? Or is there a better solution?

OK, my wife says that I'm a prince of overthinking, so here goes...

Long ago in my destitute youth, I made up some cheapo ramps. Big old oily dirty chunks of scrap 4x12 with angle cuts (not fun), countersunk 1/8" steel cross bars on bottom to prevent splitting, 1/2" plywood across the top to bind it together there too. Eventually, I wanted more height, so made a new bottom layer by using some left over 2x4's, 3/4 plywood on the bottom, 6 1/4 lag bolt heads into shallow countersunk holes to keep everything locked together. Not exactly light and portable, but can just split 'em apart to store under the 4Runner, and nice to just use the top part when don't need full height.

If you're looking for 5", could maybe use 4xsomethings with 3/4 top and bottom.

[Ooshkaboo]

Originally Posted by MichaelS78

I suppose I could but I already put in more than I probably should have. It moves around too much under our feet while walking and makes little ruts under the tires. I used a base of the larger gravel and then topped with 5/8 minus but didn't rent a tamper to really lock it all in place. I did drive the tow vehicle back and forth over it a lot but it only did so much.

Also I need some slope for drainage still. Even with most going into the gravel right?

You need a friend with a skid steer and then another one who works in concrete. This isn’t something to take a chance with, it will settle and shift…

[MichaelS78]

Originally Posted by Ooshkaboo

You need a friend with a skid steer and then another one who works in concrete. This isn’t something to take a chance with, it will settle and shift…

To be clear the only thing I did to make a parking pad is remove a 5' wide strip of grass and added more gravel next to an existing gravel walk way next to side of house.
I don't see how a couple inches or so of gravel raked over the area that used to be grass will settle so much that the trailer is going to slide off our property or something. The only thing I could have done better was to rent a gas tamper to lock in the 5/8 minus gravel into the larger gravel. But I used my hand tamper and also drove back and forth over it quite a few times. It's not super locked in like a professionally laid driveway but it's more than adequate for a simple pad to park an escape trailer on. Im ok with it moving a little under our feet and some little lines/ruts appearing in it as I pull trailer out. Not sure why you are suggesting I have a concrete guy come out?

[MichaelS78]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I do not think you need to worry about drainage issues with gravel, level it best, lay some 2x8 boards and test it out.

Sounds good, going to grab some 2x8's tonight or tomorrow and get a better idea of what it will take to level. If boards shift or settle too much I'll take another pass at leveling and rent a tamper.

[MichaelS78]

Originally Posted by Great Eggstrications

OK, my wife says that I'm a prince of overthinking, so here goes...

Long ago in my destitute youth, I made up some cheapo ramps. Big old oily dirty chunks of scrap 4x12 with angle cuts (not fun), countersunk 1/8" steel cross bars on bottom to prevent splitting, 1/2" plywood across the top to bind it together there too. Eventually, I wanted more height, so made a new bottom layer by using some left over 2x4's, 3/4 plywood on the bottom, 6 1/4 lag bolt heads into shallow countersunk holes to keep everything locked together. Not exactly light and portable, but can just split 'em apart to store under the 4Runner, and nice to just use the top part when don't need full height.

If you're looking for 5", could maybe use 4xsomethings with 3/4 top and bottom.

Appreciate the info, that's a bit more work than I was hoping to need to do but now I've got an idea of how to build some nice well built ones!

[Ooshkaboo]

Not sure why you are suggesting I have a concrete guy come out?

I’m good at many things, one of my best skills is being able to recognize when it’s time to get ahold of someone who does a particular job on the daily…

[Civilguy]

If you have Poorly Graded material, essentially something with a lot of pieces of very similar sizes, it will generally compact easily but it may not lock in place very well. This is especially true if the gravel pieces are rounded and don't have fractured faces. Think of filling a can full of marbles; they compact well in the can with very little effort, but once they are no longer contained, they will go sideways.

The ability to compact Poorly Graded granular material is generally not particularly sensitive to the moisture content.

This sort of material generally isn't very stable to drive over, and may not even be stable enough to put boards on. On the other hand these materials do tend to drain very well as there are large openings between the pieces.

Crushed surfacing top course (CSTC) like your 5/8" minus is a Well Graded material. It has a mix of particle sizes with many fractured faces that serve to lock the material together when it is compacted.

Well Graded material will generally compact very well when enough effort is applied at an appropriate moisture content, but it will generally not drain very well as the voids are filled by the interlocking particles when it is tightly compacted.

Low-fines CSTC materials are now commonly sold. They are sort of a happy medium. They will compact to create a pretty stable material, but have a low enough fines content that they will still drain well.

Part of achieving a stable fill depends on what your original native soils are like. Sometimes you can stabilize wet mushy silts and clays by sinking broken rock in there, perhaps even quarry spalls. A loose sandy base might have benefited from mixing in some clay or Portland cement to bind it.

Maybe this will help you think through what your situation is.

[MichaelS78]

Thank you for the information, but my situation is that Im ok with the way I put in my gravel parking pad and was asking for recommendations on leveling ramp/boards. The soil is good and hard, no issue there. The gravel is a mix of large and small for grading. I'm not a professional so I wasn't expecting it to end up super locked in like asphalt. Yes in hindsight I could have achieved better results with the pad if I had used less of the larger size 1 1/4" clean for drainage and more of the 5/8" minus but it turned out fine. I can still tamp down more if needed. I realize it moves a little under our feet and there are some little lines/ruts appearing in it as I pull trailer out but this is really minor.

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by MichaelS78

My situation is that Im ok with the way I put in my gravel parking pad and was asking for recommendations on leveling ramp/boards. The soil is good and hard, no issue there.

Originally Posted by MichaelS78

I suppose I could but I already put in more than I probably should have. It moves around too much under our feet while walking

Originally Posted by MichaelS78

If boards shift or settle too much I'll take another pass at leveling and rent a tamper.

Originally Posted by MichaelS78

I can try both of these ideas and it will definitely make a firmer and more level pad.

Oh. If you're happy with the gravel and think it's stable enough as-is, that's great.

If you use boards in our climate, they'll get slimy and could present a slip hazard. A friend once shattered her ankle so badly walking on icy plywood one night that the surgeon wouldn't even tackle the reconstruction until the morning when he was more rested. So, you might want to consider putting some granular roofing material or similar treatment on any horizontal wood.

Some driveways are set up where concrete is just laid in two strips, with soil or grass between. You might only need one strip in your case. A light broom finish would offer good traction.

Lumber is expensive. If you only need a couple of inches lift on one side, you might consider putting 2x4s on edge or use 4x4s and stake them down with rebar to serve as a little 3-1/2" retaining wall for the gravel. That wouldn't require as much lumber as a stack of wide boards.

Or maybe you've already got a plan that's going to work, which is fine too.

[MichaelS78]

I'm sorry, I see why you came to the conclusion you did and then offered info. I shouldn't have got defensive. I just wasn't expecting all of the posts suggesting I needed to redo the parking pad or something. I will evaluate as time goes on and fix if needed.

I like suggestion of covering board with roofing material. The 2x4 retaining wall is a good idea too but maybe a bit more than I want to deal with right now. I'm ok spending a bit more for boards and then not having to deal with the rebar and stuff.

[Dave Walter]

Originally Posted by Civilguy

If you have Poorly Graded material, essentially something with a lot of pieces of very similar sizes, it will generally compact easily but it may not lock in place very well. This is especially true if the gravel pieces are rounded and don't have fractured faces. Think of filling a can full of marbles; they compact well in the can with very little effort, but once they are no longer contained, they will go sideways.

The ability to compact Poorly Graded granular material is generally not particularly sensitive to the moisture content.

This sort of material generally isn't very stable to drive over, and may not even be stable enough to put boards on. On the other hand these materials do tend to drain very well as there are large openings between the pieces.

Crushed surfacing top course (CSTC) like your 5/8" minus is a Well Graded material. It has a mix of particle sizes with many fractured faces that serve to lock the material together when it is compacted.

Well Graded material will generally compact very well when enough effort is applied at an appropriate moisture content, but it will generally not drain very well as the voids are filled by the interlocking particles when it is tightly compacted.

Low-fines CSTC materials are now commonly sold. They are sort of a happy medium. They will compact to create a pretty stable material, but have a low enough fines content that they will still drain well.

Part of achieving a stable fill depends on what your original native soils are like. Sometimes you can stabilize wet mushy silts and clays by sinking broken rock in there, perhaps even quarry spalls. A loose sandy base might have benefited from mixing in some clay or Portland cement to bind it.

Maybe this will help you think through what your situation is.

Ahh. Your 'Civilguy' handle makes sense to me now. You must have some geotechnical background as well.

[Ooshkaboo]

Originally Posted by MichaelS78

I'm sorry, I see why you came to the conclusion you did and then offered info. I shouldn't have got defensive. I just wasn't expecting all of the posts suggesting I needed to redo the parking pad or something. I will evaluate as time goes on and fix if needed.

I like suggestion of covering board with roofing material. The 2x4 retaining wall is a good idea too but maybe a bit more than I want to deal with right now. I'm ok spending a bit more for boards and then not having to deal with the rebar and stuff.

Anyways am I overthinking this and just need to screw a stack of long 2x12 pressure treated boards together that are long enough there isn't any chance the trailer rolls off? Or is there a better solution?


You ask if there was a better solution, no need to be sensitive over realistic answers. I’m all in on not spending money when its not necessary, but sometimes it’s just better to do it right.

[Civilguy]

It sounds like you don’t need a full-length ramp. You could try half-burying a few of those 6” high retaining wall blocks for the wheels to rest on. The blocks would be about a foot “wide” as best I recall. You could even stair-step one or two blocks to serve as a “ramp”.

Help, I keep thinking of ideas and I can’t shut up!

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by Dave Walter

Ahh. Your 'Civilguy' handle makes sense to me now. You must have some geotechnical background as well.

Civils get to work with the whole project team, electrical and controls, geotech, structural, the whole she-bang. At least I did. Then if you’re lucky you get to work with the team who builds the project.

I got to manage design and construction of facilities with a lot of people who knew a lot more about practically everything than I did, which was pretty cool.