Horse arena membrane.

[ILovebaling]

Should the membrane be under all the drainage or on top of the last layer of stone below the top layer?

 

[nick...]

I built a 70x30 metre ménage a while back.i stripped all topsoil.ran a perforated drain corner to corner and herringboned in perforated pipe into that every 4metres across area.filled above drains with 3/4stone to level with ground.put a membrane over whole area and then 6/7 inches of limestone and then another membrane and 5/6 inches of leziate sand on top of that.hope this helps.still good now after 14 years
Nick...

 

[ILovebaling]

Yes. Really it's not my issue, I was just told to dig the area out and level. Another guy has taken over the drainage, the farmer wants the membrane under the drainage. I said it should go on top of the 10 inch of stone he's going to put above the drainage pipe. Then small stone, sand etc. Didn't sound like there was a second membrane (maybe there is) so my thinking was all the sand will just disappear into the drain.

Either way I don't see a benifit of having the membrane under the drainage pipes?

 

[GOODYSMATE]

After putting in the drains we put a membrane down then covered it with 3/4 stone then another membrane ,then the wood chips

 

[Clive]

On top of drains and stone layers but below surface sand etc

pin it down VERY well with big U shaped wires every m2

we did ours like this 20 years ago and is still as good as new

 

[rusty]

Put membrane on top of crushed stone - beneath the silica sand when I did my wife's areana.

 

[ILovebaling]

Thanks for replys. Can only advise it needs to be above drainage and probably over the 2 layers of stone.

 

[Farmer Fin]

Thanks for replys. Can only advise it needs to be above drainage and probably over the 2 layers of stone.

There needs to be a membrane below the final layer, otherwise stones will come up through. My question would be do you really need one at the drainage layer? Wife showed me an article from some dressage magazine and it made it look very expensive, hoping to make it cheaper as it’s my project for the summer as well.

 

[Billboy1]

You only do it once do it right ! Membrane on top of drainage Then stone then another membrane layer before final surfaces ?

 

[Tim s]

Use geotextile over drains if you really must (not really needed IMO) Clean stone layer then needle punched membrane between stone and sand I was told when I did ours that sand clogs a normal membrane and needle punched is far better Ours has been in over 15 years and is never wet even after heavy rain

 

[nick...]

Most important bit is maintenance.when dobbin keeps running round outside the sand needs pulling back in towards centre.ive done a race horse gallop aswell for a prominent Norfolk trainer and that lacked some attention and the stone came through the membrane eventually
Nick...

 

[robs1]

I have done around ten for various people and have repaired a few others , a private one that gets little use a normal membrane under the sand is ok, imvho if you are doing a commercial one then using a one piece gale breaker type product that has no joints and is far tougher is required,

 

[oil barron]

Sub surface compacted with vibrating roller
Herring bone drains in and stoned
regular membrane
Stones in and rolled
Blind off with smaller stones and rolled
None woven (geotextile) membrane glued at the seems.
silica sand Tracked in with digger. The more compacted the sand is the less wet it will sit.

a regular woven membrane will not let water through with sand on top of it.

 

[Farmer Fin]

Sub surface compacted with vibrating roller
Herring bone drains in and stoned
regular membrane
Stones in and rolled
Blind off with smaller stones and rolled
None woven (geotextile) membrane glued at the seems.
silica sand Tracked in with digger. The more compacted the sand is the less wet it will sit.

a regular woven membrane will not let water through with sand on top of it.

Fancy nipping round and doing mine? ?

 

[Zetor]

We stopped putting herringbone systems in 9 years ago we’ve built over 300 in the last 21 years, 2 membranes one above & one below the stone base layer the only time you would need to glue the membrane is when you’re using a poor grade surface good fiber based surfaces don’t let the horses go down to the membrane.
The surface is the most important part of what you are doing.

 

[oil barron]

We stopped putting herringbone systems in 9 years ago we’ve built over 300 in the last 21 years, 2 membranes one above & one below the stone base layer the only time you would need to glue the membrane is when you’re using a poor grade surface good fiber based surfaces don’t let the horses go down to the membrane.
The surface is the most important part of what you are doing.

There’s a right way and a wrong way. One thing worse that building a horse arena is building the fugging thing twice.
If you are on impermeable subsoil, or cut into a natural spring you need something to take the water away. The glue stops silica sand getting between the joins down to your drains, it’s got nothing to do with the horse pushing through. Well compacted silica sand will hold up a galloping Clydesdale.

 

[oil barron]

Fancy nipping round and doing mine? ?

I’m on a different continent at the moment, and there is probably nothing I would want to do less. Drop me a PM if you have any questions though.

 

[ILovebaling]

All of this that seems to need doing makes me glad all I'm required to do is dig it out and level! If they mess all the rest up they can't come back at me. Was mearly wondering how to do it properly!

 

[Bob]

All of this that seems to need doing makes me glad all I'm required to do is dig it out and level! If they mess all the rest up they can't come back at me. Was mearly wondering how to do it properly!

whos putting the surface in for you?

 

[ILovebaling]

whos putting the surface in for you?

Farmer is doing it themselves, I was just there with the digger doing another job so I got the job of digging them out (1 each). Builder has put a level on and dug the drains with a smaller digger. Just don't see the benefit of putting the membrane under the drains so was curios on other people's way (or proper way) of doing them.