Arena Help; or Oh No, I Did a Thing

[StormyDay]

So, I did a thing.
I’m having rubber/fiber footing delivered now. I have typed this after they dumped their second load; I’ve got 10 more coming.

I did not plan to do this now. Actually, I did not plan to build an arena for a year or so because I’m building a barn. But when someone has 300 cubic yards of arena footing, to give away for free, you don’t say no.

But now I’m having a serious problem. I cannot decide what to do for a base.
This is what I do know; the arena will be 130x250. It will be crowned down the middle with a 1 percent grade. On either side of the long side will be a ditch to help remove water efficiently. The entire arena will be surrounded by railroad ties. The subbase is my native pure clay, compacted.

So here’s where I need help. I’ve got a few options for my base.

1. 5 inches of Stonedust, compacted. Pro: no rocks. Con: $10k just for the stone.

2. Road barrier fabric and then 2 inches of stonedust, compacted. Pro: unlikely to have rocks come through. Cons: still 5k, I have concerns about if it’s enough base and if it will compact over the top of the fabric.

3. 5-6 Inches of compacted asphalt or concrete millings. Pro: only costs the gas to truck it in, probably about 2k. Cons: possibly not uniform in size.

4. Nothing. Compact my subbase and put the footing down. Pro: cheap. Con: I can’t imagine it won’t turn into a muddy mess.

Thoughts? I need to choose by the weekend. Pic of the lovely green footing for tax.

[Simkie]

You scored such nice footing. Do the base right.

[OverandOnward]

Good point above.

You got the dream arena starter, that is, good free footing. This is the chance to re-distribute arena funds into a better base than you might otherwise have been able to afford.

1 year – 5 years – 8 years hence, with hindsight, what will you wish you had done now?

[luvmyhackney]

If you can afford it, get the stone dust.

[NaturallyHappy]

Do the base properly. Mine is 5 or 6 inches of compacted stone dust and is fabulous. It is about 20 years old.

[2DogsFarm]

I pick 2, because that’s pretty much how my drylot got done (for mud abatement) over 10yrs ago.
Dug down 9", fabric laid with road base (stones anywhere from pea to fist size) compacted over that.
Horses W/T/C & gallop over it daily & zero mud.
I’d think your lovely footing would stay in place with the same prep.

[StormyDay]

Did you use road staples to secure the fabric or was it okay without them? I’m a little worried about using a giant metal staple where my horses will be cantering around.

[Pico_Banana]

I did my arena about a year ago. Same clay subbase as you, but with the added bonus of a really high water table.

We compacted subbase, did 2 inches of compacted drainage rock (3/4 inch), then 4 inches compacted stone dust. Did 3 inches sand plus 6000 lbs fiber on top.

If it hadn’t been for the high water table, I’d been planning to do just the 4 inches stone dust.

A year later, it’s working really well.

[frugalannie]

Given my Coth name, you know I’m into frugality. I’d probably use millings that were york raked/ dragged/ rained on a few times to get out the worst of the big pieces. If I was pretty sure the big stuff was gone, I’d just use that as base. Most of the millings I’ve gotten have been fine enough for that to happen. If I was still worried, I might put filter paper/ a couple of inches of stone dust on top and then the pretty footing.

But to me the real issue will be drainage and where water will go. The base has to be pitched both widthwise and lengthwise so water runs off. A good heavy equipment person can make that happen.

[2DogsFarm]

No staples.
Road base was dumped & spread right on top the fabric.
There’s 1 place fabric came up, but it’s where the line to the hydrant had to be dug up & they had to cut the fabric.

[StormyDay]

@frugalannie

Given my Coth name, you know I’m into frugality. I’d probably use millings that were york raked/ dragged/ rained on a few times to get out the worst of the big pieces. If I was pretty sure the big stuff was gone, I’d just use that as base. Most of the millings I’ve gotten have been fine enough for that to happen. If I was still worried, I might put filter paper/ a couple of inches of stone dust on top and then the pretty footing.

But to me the real issue will be drainage and where water will go. The base has to be pitched both widthwise and lengthwise so water runs off. A good heavy equipment person can make that happen.

I’m lucky that the placement is at the top of a hill, so I don’t have to panic too much over drainage. It will have a 1% grade from the center and two ditches on either side to remove water too. It’s also being laser leveled.

[Pico_Banana]

If it’s significantly easier to do so, don’t worry if you grade only to one side. I ended up doing that as water on my property naturally flows in one direction, so we just graded that one way. It’s been totally fine. I was worried that I would feel the difference but I don’t at all.

[ASB_Stars]

@StormyDay

Did you use road staples to secure the fabric or was it okay without them? I’m a little worried about using a giant metal staple where my horses will be cantering around.

They make them so that they break down- kind of melt to nothing- now.

[Mosey_2003]

Where in the country are you? You can call your stone dust supplier and see if they happen to have any granular fill available for a lower price - typically this will be cleanings from under conveyors consisting mostly of sand and dust and a little bit of rock or chip, you could do a few inches of that under the actual stone dust. Try and talk to the salesman if possible and know before you call just how much you are going to be wanting, usually they get more interested with jobs of some quantity.
Calculator:

Illinois Material Calculator | Aggregate Materials | Sand & Gravel

[TheJenners]

How awesome and lucky for you!! Definitely spend on the base more than you would have (for the base) to make that free footing as fab as it can be.

And post pics!

[StormyDay]

@TheJenners

How awesome and lucky for you!! Definitely spend on the base more than you would have (for the base) to make that free footing as fab as it can be.

And post pics!

I’ve decided on stone dust for the base. I’ll also be using road fabric between it and the subbase because it turns out I’ve got a lot of quartz and I don’t want them to float up through my footing.