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Parking Trailer on grass
Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 6:50 pm
by Matt19020
I was wondering if anyone had any creative ideas for parking a trailer in the yard. I do not want to do a concrete or asphalt driveway in the backyard.
My current situation is that I have ruts in the grass where the trailer is. I am not sure I want to commit to gravel but considered paver stones or even 2"X6'X10' pressure Treated boards tied together for a 30' run. This would be similar to a "deck" but with no footing so basically the wood would just be sitting on the grass. I am only looking for something to last about five years or so and can be removed without to much work.
Re: Parking Trailer on grass
Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 6:57 pm
by hart
At one of my previous houses I had a parking pad that was made mostly of shell. I loved it. I just went around the trailer with Round Up every so often and that was that for maintenance. But it's the same commitment as gravel so you may not want to go that route.
I have a similar problem in this house. The boat sits in the back yard and I have to move it around to mow and it sinks somewhat from week to week. But there's a concrete pad in my future.
Re: Parking Trailer on grass
Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 8:25 pm
by Erik Hardtle
I keep mine on the side of the house...
I have river type gravel (rounded 1/2 inch stones) about an inch thick with pavers for the wheel path, and a cinder block to stop how far back it goes. I shaved off all the grass with a weed wacker and put down a double layer of plastic to keep the weeds at bay.

Re: Parking Trailer on grass
Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 3:06 pm
by Terry
I am not sure about the too much work part but I have seen a few examples of an idea I like. You can buy some concrete or brick inlay blocks that have some sort of pattern as part of the structure. You bury these so that just the tops show at the ground surface and fill in the pattern structure areas with dirt. You then re-sow the area with grass seed and the grass will grow all among the brick inlay thereby disguising or camoflaging them. You will still have to mow the lawn there regularly but the inlaid bricks will better support the trailer and leave no ruts.
Alternatively you could just drop a couple paving stones into the ground where the trailer wheels sit and be done with, but either way you still have to move the boat to mow the lawn under it.
I would choose the brick inlay purely for aesthetic reasons but I may get tired of moving the trailer to mow the lawn under it. I have seen this practice used for parking a car along side a house or motor home in the back yard, but then these vehicles are more easily moved out of the way to mow the lawn. Looks nice though!
Re: Parking Trailer on grass
Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 3:18 pm
by bastonjock
i had a load of small stone that are normally used for hardcore and then rollered.I find that when my boat is off the trailer for any lenght of time that my brakes seize,so the flat hard ground makes it easy to move the trailer on a regular basis to keep the brakes free,for ease of removal later i would go with the 2ft x 2ft concrete slabs
Re: Parking Trailer on grass
Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 3:38 pm
by K9Kampers
Erik-
What's with the bent port spreader on 'Knot Shore' ?
Re: Parking Trailer on grass
Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 7:32 pm
by Matt19020
Erik, very nice, realativly simple and very esthetic I will post image when done (but give me to end of season)
Re: Parking Trailer on grass
Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 5:58 am
by puggsy
If its going to be there for any length of time, jack up all corners of the trailer to get the weight off the tyres and block it up with solid square wood or solid concrete blocks...even to the height where you can spin the wheels.
It will prevent your tyres developing flat spots and make the Old Girl harder to steal...
Puggsy
Re: Parking Trailer on grass
Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 12:38 pm
by Matt19020
This was what I came up with to resolve my inital problem.
I still put ruts in the grass in the font part but so far so good with this set up.
BEFORE:

AFTER:

Re: Parking Trailer on grass
Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 1:27 pm
by DaveB
I use 6 -18"x 2 " thick on each side to sit on rear yard.
I have tandem axels but on a single axel needs only two each side.
You don't want your tires sitting on grass, creates dryrot and fungis.
each 18inch square costs $3-4 Each
Dave
Matt19020 wrote:I was wondering if anyone had any creative ideas for parking a trailer in the yard. I do not want to do a concrete or asphalt driveway in the backyard.
My current situation is that I have ruts in the grass where the trailer is. I am not sure I want to commit to gravel but considered paver stones or even 2"X6'X10' pressure Treated boards tied together for a 30' run. This would be similar to a "deck" but with no footing so basically the wood would just be sitting on the grass. I am only looking for something to last about five years or so and can be removed without to much work.
Re: Parking Trailer on grass
Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 1:28 pm
by bubba
I park my trailor on grass all the time maybe I am in a rut, but here in the desert the grass is dry.
Re: Parking Trailer on grass
Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 2:06 pm
by Paulieb
I have 2 rows of 18"x18" pavers on the side of the house, centered on the trailer tires, with an additional paver where the hitch wheel goes. It takes a bit of precision trailering, but I am used to it now. When the trailer is not there, you can't even see the pavers from the street, they are hidden buy the grass. I think the whole project cost me about $100 and an afternoon of digging out the grass. I have no sand under them, but you must at least dig the grass/roots down to the dirt. Placing the large pavers directly on the grass results on broken pavers under a load (lesson learned the hard way). Digging out the grass also give clearence to cut the grass without a weed whacker.
Paulieb
Re: Parking Trailer on grass
Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 3:08 pm
by Matt19020
I did think about using the pavers but I would still need to mow the grass under the trailer.
I figured I would just commit myself to always owning a boat otherwise I will have to move the 3 tons of stone out of the yard !

Re: Parking Trailer on grass
Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 6:44 pm
by Doug W
Mine is parked on gravel but I really like the paver idea! I'm going to to that! Thanks!
Re: Parking Trailer on grass
Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 5:52 am
by keith
I laid grano with reo mesh in the backyard for parking no mowing , watering ,weeds or any maintenence means more time for boating.
A couple of mates have paving and after a while the surface isn't exactly even and i've seen pavers crack under the weight of jacks if you forget to use a jacking plate.
Reinforced concrete no problems and easy to scoot around under boat on creeper for inspection and maintenence.
If the missus don't like gray you can paint it to look like many finishes(cobblestone,pavers etc)