Laying Type 1 Sub Base on Top of Wet Clay/Soil

[adzyp]

Afternoon All,

I've just dug up part of the grass area in our garden to extend the paving that I laid a few years back.

I had pools of water lying which I have directed into a ditch which drained away relatively quickly, but im still left with some tiny wet spots and quite sloppy and wet clay/soil in probably half of the space.

I've got some Type 1 and whacker plate coming in the next few days but do I need to wait for this to dry out first or will chucking the Type 1 on top and whacking it down do the job?

 

[^woody^]

Whacking will just bring the water up and you'll have bouncy stone that will stay bouncy for ever

 

[adzyp]

Whacking will just bring the water up and you'll have bouncy stone that will stay bouncy for ever

Ok, so is waiting for it to dry a viable option or does it 100% need to come up?

 

[^woody^]

Can't you dig out the soggy patches?

 

[adzyp]

Can't you dig out the soggy patches?

Well yes, but the skip is already overflowing now and just wondering if I could leave it to dry for a bit so I don't have to

 

[PaulJR]

Get some "geotextile" terram or similar water permeable membrane. As it's for paving you could probably get away with using weed control fabric. Dig out any real soft spots and fill them with some stone, then lay the fabric and put your Type 1 down over that, it will stop the stone mixing into the clay.

 

[noseall]

you'll have bouncy stone that will stay bouncy for ever

Not really no. Granular material has the ability to disperse water quite efficiently. If it stays dry the water will disperse or evaporate - so yes it can be waited out. However, I agree that any made up pockets of mushy rubbish are best removed.