Hardcored yard maintenance

[Rob5150]

Morning,
We’ve recently taken on a new place, big yard which is all hardcore other than a small pad in front of two sheds.
I’m wondering how people look after hardcore to keep it clean and stop mud building up.
Can it be swept? Or will this just sweep all the smaller stones of the top creating bigger holes for mud and muck to build up in?
It’s pretty clean and very hard at the minute and I plan on spraying it for weeds a few times a year. But what else can I do to keep it in good nick? It’s drained properly so no water or puddles.
My long term plan is to concrete it all but that could take me 20 years [emoji23]

 

[Robert K]

Morning,
We’ve recently taken on a new place, big yard which is all hardcore other than a small pad in front of two sheds.
I’m wondering how people look after hardcore to keep it clean and stop mud building up.
Can it be swept? Or will this just sweep all the smaller stones of the top creating bigger holes for mud and muck to build up in?
It’s pretty clean and very hard at the minute and I plan on spraying it for weeds a few times a year. But what else can I do to keep it in good nick? It’s drained properly so no water or puddles.
My long term plan is to concrete it all but that could take me 20 years [emoji23]

Farm yard or commercial yard ?

 

[quattro]

Avoid tractors parking there when it’s come out Of a field with soil stuck to wheels and left overnight or longer then moved and all soil drops off

 

[Grassman]

What is the hardcore?
Road planings are difficult to keep clean on a busy yard. Water freezing in winter will make it all a mushy, muddy mess. Sweeping just removes the top layer.
Well compacted limestone to dust can be swept to a degree but not ideal.
On some of my yard I have now put 20mm clean limestone on top. Really is working well. Water and muck drains through it. Keep it a thin layer and it doesn't seem to move about too much.

 

[farmerm]

when the mud is dry in summer drive all over it until it it is powered dust and then get out a leaf blower

 

[Rob5150]

Farm yard or commercial yard ?

Farm yard, no stock moving through it though as access from the rear of sheds, will be 3-4 artics a month with feed delivery’s other than that the loadsll and the feeder wagon will be the main traffic

 

[Rob5150]

Yeah I’m pretty particular as is about cleaning tractor wheels and machines before heading back to the yard, always clean up dropped straw/silage etc..
just trying to think of ways to keep it as clean and hard as possible as that as and when I get to laying concrete I’ve no real prep to do other than a bit of small stone.

 

[Rob5150]

What is the hardcore?
Road planings are difficult to keep clean on a busy yard. Water freezing in winter will make it all a mushy, muddy mess. Sweeping just removes the top layer.
Well compacted limestone to dust can be swept to a degree but not ideal.
On some of my yard I have now put 20mm clean limestone on top. Really is working well. Water and muck drains through it. Keep it a thin layer and it doesn't seem to move about too much.

It’s quarried stone, capped with 20/30mm stuff, unsure how deep its layed though..
I took some photos of how it looks at the moment

 

[Grassman]

That's a nice big yard
Could you have a set route for the regular daily vehicles and keep them off the majority of it? Road traffic cones?
Pity to spoil the whole yard. Then when you have the knowledge of where is best then look at concreting that bit first.

 

[Doing it for the kids]

It’s really hard to do.

I have a Plainings cap. I add another inch each year and roll it in and bollock people who go on it with muddy tyres.

 

[Tomr10]

Buy a vibrating roller

 

[Lincs Lass]

Its big enough to use one of these

Vibromax towed roller towable Terex benford hamm bomag kubota engine vibrating | eBay

Vibromax towable roller. Electric start Kubota V2203 diesel engine. All pictures taken with engine running.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Tomr10]

Nice the shaker is so important

 

[Rob5150]

What would the vibrating roller do? Just keep it firm and tight so water and muck can’t get in?

 

[David.]

Worst thing is when it has been dry for ages, and then a wet spell brings out ten grain lorries, some of whom do not know the meaning of careful reverse turns whilst unladen, to stop it scuffing up.

 

[Robert K]

Worst thing is when it has been dry for ages, and then a wet spell brings out ten grain lorries, some of whom do not know the meaning of careful reverse turns whilst unladen, to stop it scuffing up.

Yes that creates watery craters