Resurfacing farm yard!

corkoian

Hi lads. I have a large concrete yard in front of my house that's been broken for as long as i remember from artic trucks for feeding and the milk truck. This year we are planning on replacing it. One big problem with the yard is water flowing into the yard from 3 sides towards the house making the house damp. Any one have any experience with making drains like these?


They are too expensive to buy (like €80 a metre) Any other suggestions would be appreciated too!

49801

A plank with a 4x4 nailed to underside it to make a T.
The 4x4 will be the bottom of the drain.
When pouring concrete fit the arrangement so that the top of the plank is flush with the new floor surface.

When the concrete is solid remove the former from the concrete and detach the 4x4 from the plank. The plank is now a cover for your drain. Cover Helps to stop silage blocking things up.

You can decide what size timber works best for yourself.

loveta

How much water is actually coming into the yard if it is not MASSIVE i seen guys leaving a track say a 6x3 on its flat with plywood strips cut 8inches on top when conc set and they are lifted flat steel will sit down into where the ply was and you have a 6x3 channel underneath with the steel get holes punched in it to let the water down but you will want a guy who is good at concrete to do this right for it to work if not it will be an expensive mess

corkoian

Thanks for the replies lads. Em its hard to explain how much water there is apart from there being a pond in the middle of the yard from about September onwards. There is a field on one side of the yard which is about a metre above the yard. Then on the other side there is a road going down hill so some of the road surface water runs into the yard. Then on the other side is the entrance to the farm and that has a slight slope down into the yard too so between rain water and ground water there is a nice bit to deal with.

A plank with a 4x4 nailed to underside it to make a T.
The 4x4 will be the bottom of the drain.
When pouring concrete fit the arrangement so that the top of the plank is flush with the new floor surface.

When the concrete is solid remove the former from the concrete and detach the 4x4 from the plank. The plank is now a cover for your drain. Cover Helps to stop silage blocking things up.

You can decide what size timber works best for yourself.

Would this method gather enough water when it is running? I have seen it for silage pits but the effluent moves a bit slower in them. Also since it is also in front of a residence would there be any way to just improve the appearance/ change the 4x4 plank with something more appealing?

tvo

Could you put in an underground land drain and sutface over it in a strip of tarmac.Tarmac will allow water penetration to the landdrain.

renandstimpy

tvo wrote: »

Could you put in an underground land drain and sutface over it in a strip of tarmac.Tarmac will allow water penetration to the landdrain.

Doubt if the tarmac will let the amount of water he is talking about dissappear fast enough. .. why dont you use plastic aco channel .. think thats what there called you can drive on they will take a ton rated ... but will take more if there big tyres as there only four inches wide and some of 6 tyre will be on the concrete ... 11euro a meter ... or the steel version for 22 a metre

renandstimpy

tvo wrote: »

Could you put in an underground land drain and sutface over it in a strip of tarmac.Tarmac will allow water penetration to the landdrain.

Doubt if the tarmac will let the amount of water he is talking about dissappear fast enough. .. why dont you use plastic aco channel .. think thats what there called you can drive on they will take a ton rated ... but will take more if there big tyres as there only four inches wide and some of 6 tyre will be on the concrete ... 11euro a meter ... or the steel version for 22 a metre

Vandy West

A precast open concrete channel would be fairly cheap, easy to maintain and if done right would be hard to damage.

Dupont

The way we do it is pour a small foundation 18inches wide 5 deep and with a fall with ur drainage pipes coming up the centre. This base becomes the bottom of your channell. Then make up a frame using two 9x3 on their edge and use 2x1 between them to space them out and keep concrete out. This will give you a channell 9" high and 8" wide. This is set on the base and poured around then took out when dry. Leaving a good size channel that can still run even when rubbish builds up in it. Nearly forgot we use 1"1/2 box iron each side of the top and weld small flat across so it then sits on top of timbers and is screwed down. This leaves a small channel so when you make your grid it will sit into it

corkoian

Why dont you use plastic aco channel .. think thats what there called you can drive on they will take a ton rated ... but will take more if there big tyres as there only four inches wide and some of 6 tyre will be on the concrete ... 11euro a meter ... or the steel version for 22 a metre

Would they take about 30 ton of pressure or what ever the weigh of a full truck of feed is? Like another problem is the truck will be turning on the yard.
where can you buy aco channel at that price?

Dupont

corkoian wrote: »

Would they take about 30 ton of pressure or what ever the weigh of a full truck of feed is? Like another problem is the truck will be turning on the yard.
where can you buy aco channel at that price?

If it was my yard I wouldn't put them in Have put in thousands of then channell over the years even the deeper 6" ones and they are all useless. Not deep enough and they fill with rubbish leaves dirt and clogs them.

corkoian

Dupont wrote: »

If it was my yard I wouldn't put them in Have put in thousands of then channell over the years even the deeper 6" ones and they are all useless. Not deep enough and they fill with rubbish leaves dirt and clogs them.

Wouldn't the amount of rubbish that gets in depend on the size of grate?
What would you suggest?

Dupont

corkoian wrote: »

Wouldn't the amount of rubbish that gets in depend on the size of grate?
What would you suggest?

Even rain water coming down the street will bring dirt with it ( just look at a puddle lying in a yard ) I'd suggest a good shuttered channel that is 9" deep so even if there is 6" of leaves, dung, silage stones the water can still run

corkoian

What is a shuttered channel?

vinne

Why not let leave the yard slope to one point, and dig a large soak away put in a precast septic tank with a few holes cut out fill around it with stones, pour the concrete casing in a gully over the opening of the tank.

Attie

corkoian wrote: »

Hi lads. I have a large concrete yard in front of my house that's been broken for as long as i remember from artic trucks for feeding and the milk truck. This year we are planning on replacing it. One big problem with the yard is water flowing into the yard from 3 sides towards the house making the house damp. Any one have any experience with making drains like these?


They are too expensive to buy (like €80 a metre) Any other suggestions would be appreciated too!

Corkoian
No way of putting in shore's out in field filled to the top with stones to take the surface water.
A few kerb stones in front of gate will redirect the road water.
Attie.

renandstimpy

corkoian wrote: »

Would they take about 30 ton of pressure or what ever the weigh of a full truck of feed is? Like another problem is the truck will be turning on the yard.
where can you buy aco channel at that price?

they will cause not all the 30 ton is going to be in any one place and the whole 30 ton is never going to be on it at one time....max half its weight 15 tons over 6 tyres thats 2,25 ton a tyre and then allow for width of tyre with half it on concrete ....they will be sound but you would need to be using concrete ones with metal lids .. you can get them in our local homevalue hardware store at that price

they would stand up to a turning lorry but it all depends on strenght of concrete used either side and concrete there bedded in

renandstimpy

Dupont wrote: »

The way we do it is pour a small foundation 18inches wide 5 deep and with a fall with ur drainage pipes coming up the centre. This base becomes the bottom of your channell. Then make up a frame using two 9x3 on their edge and use 2x1 between them to space them out and keep concrete out. This will give you a channell 9" high and 8" wide. This is set on the base and poured around then took out when dry. Leaving a good size channel that can still run even when rubbish builds up in it. Nearly forgot we use 1"1/2 box iron each side of the top and weld small flat across so it then sits on top of timbers and is screwed down. This leaves a small channel so when you make your grid it will sit into it

this in fairness is not a bad idea either if you used angle iron for grill with pieces welded between the angle iron would sit flush on corner of concrete protecting it and you could take away the timber
and being level with ground plus only expense is making grill