Alternate Apron Material

[Bolson32]

I'm building a 16x32 workshop, slab on grade, in my backyard, that WON'T have a driveway too it, but it's going to need a little ramp built to get my tractor and other things comfortably in the doors.

You can see the build thread here if you're curious.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=458663

My question is, has anyone had a similar shop/shed build where they used rock or gravel for an apron? I have the tractor so I can spread it myself. The garage will still be surrounded by grass so I want something that's easy enough to mow around as well. I think, ultimately I'll end up doing cement, but that could be a few years down the road.

What do you guys think? Pictures welcome!

 

[Woodman920]

I've had compacted crush a run for the part 18 years. It has stayed in place and worked well. It'll get a little dirt splash on the doors from heavy rain but I think that's more the sand and mud from our roads mixed in over the years.

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[bryanrj]

Not exactly the same situation that I had, but I put in a 12 x16 pre-made shed a ways back, and to create a level pad I used old railroad ties for the pad perimeter, and filled it in with coarse rock. You could get by with a pair of eight footers it looks like, with the top of one end level with your shop pad and the other end buried flush with the yard level to give a slope. Fill in the space between the ties with rock that will compact well and you are set. Later if you do concrete, use the rock as part of the underlay for the concrete.

 

[Bolson32]

Not exactly the same situation that I had, but I put in a 12 x16 pre-made shed a ways back, and to create a level pad I used old railroad ties for the pad perimeter, and filled it in with coarse rock. You could get by with a pair of eight footers it looks like, with the top of one end level with your shop pad and the other end buried flush with the yard level to give a slope. Fill in the space between the ties with rock that will compact well and you are set. Later if you do concrete, use the rock as part of the underlay for the concrete.

Damn, that's actually a pretty good idea. I also have a white, board and batten siding with dark wood doors theme going on. Some dark railroad ties might look REALLY nice with that.

 

[kaymccampbell]

I have bricks over crusher run. It makes a nice erosion proof apron.

 

[seedtime]

I used Turfstone pavers on the steep incline into the back of my shop. Provides excellent traction for my riding mower and garden tractor. I am dealing with weeds right now since i didn’t use any base material. This was a temporary solution that turned permanent.

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[Bolson32]

Thanks for the ideas guys!

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[jives]

Our driveway is gravel (crusher run), with a bit of upsloping rise to the garage entry. This rise prevents water running into the garage and is about 5 feet wide -- very much like the apron you are seeking. To keep the gravel from being tracked into the garage I made "soil cement". Essentially, I raked into the crusher run gravel a few more fines in the form of gravel dust and several 90 lb bags of concrete (or maybe pure cement??). Wetted it all down while raking it in, tamped, and left to cure. It now looks like gravel, but is solid. It has been 5 years and has not crumbled.

The recipe for soil cement and procedures can be found in numerous videos.