As I wade through the deep mud currently taking over my farm I am looking at geotextile products for a Spring project. A quick Google search shows lots of different products. Can you link me to your tried and true products that you have used? Thanks much!
You want non-woven geotextile; 6 oz. or greater – looks like black felt – comes in different lenghs and widths like 14x 300 ft. for example. Best to go to a distributor in your area that sells water/sewer drainage pipes, culverts etc. – fabric rolls are not something you want to buy online as shipping would be $$$$ – these rolls are heavy!
Here’s a link that shows the fabric you want:
https://www.erosionpollution.com/geotextile-sales.html
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There is some of that geotextile stuff on my place and it’s useless. The prior owner installed it. After a few years of freeze/thaw it warped and humped up in places, causing us to trip over it. By far, the most effective and least expensive stuff is rock gravel. I dump it on walkways and by the gates and troughs. I do need to get some more - if it would either freeze or dry up so the truck can get in!
The proper use for geotextile is to be a base for gravel or other aggregate AFTER a site is prepared. This prevents to rock from just sinking into a pit of endless mud.
I’ve used it in a half dozen project and where I was “chintzy” on the preparation the result was less than perfect (but still better than if I’d used nothing). When I did the prep right the result was good. But it’s not a “wunderproduct.” It’s a proven way to build a stable foundation for something else.
G.
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@danacat Curious why you recommend only non-woven.
I had the lightweight, woven geotex installed ~7yrs ago - over a properly prepared base (excavator dug down 9" then leveled/tamped before laying the fabric). 6" of road-base gravel over that.
It has only come through the gravel in the place I had to have it removed/replaced so repairs could be done to my hydrant @ frost-level.
Even there, just an edge peeks through. The rest of the paddock - roughly 50X150 irregular area - is still in great shape & prevents mud from taking over. Some shallow-rooted grass & weeds do come through the top layer, but nothing a weedwhacker (or horses) can’t take down.
The non woven is very porous so it’s preferred as a barrier between the ground and gravel topping where fast drainage straight down and through to the soil (for dissapation) is important like in a ‘mud free’ paddock where you don’t want pooling or soggy footing.
The woven which is not very porous is used for example under asphalt as a barrier in road construction because asphalt/pavement is not permeable – drainage straight through to the soil isn’t a factor.
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TX for that explanation.
The woven stuff I put down is very permeable, drains great.
Where my drylot used to be a boot-sucking mess whenever it rained or snow melted, it has remained a solid surface for both me & horses.
My error was in not extending the fabric into the area where the gates are - those remain muddy.
I am now trying to remediate by fllling with gravel I got for free. Stopgap, I know, but better than nothing.
Your local NRCS can give you a list of suppliers. The cow carpet they want must meet certain ASTM standards (burst strength, etc.). Home Depot sells it, but it doesn’t meet the NRCS specs. It’s use is optional, but I decided to go with their recommendations as I want it to last longer. Good luck!
