Farm Tracks and Field Entrances
Stone that stays put under tractor, trailer and livestock traffic, on the gateways and tracks that turn to soup every winter.
Why reinforcement matters here
A farm track fails at the entrance first. Stone pushes into soft subsoil, the surface hollows, water collects and the hole deepens every time a loaded trailer goes through. A grid holds the stone above the subgrade and spreads axle loads across the full width instead of concentrating them in two ruts.
Where this works well
At a glance
| Sub-base | 150-250mm MOT Type 1 over a woven geotextile, depending on axle loading |
|---|---|
| Infill | Angular 20-40mm crushed stone, filled level and blinded |
| Typical loading | Tractors, loaded trailers and livestock |
| Permeability | Fully permeable. Normally treated as a SuDS component in a drainage strategy. |
| Design life | 25 years, subject to documented installation. |
| Material | 100% recycled polypropylene, made in the UK. |
How it goes in
- Mark out the area and excavate to the depth of your sub-base plus the grid depth plus your infill blinding.
- Lay a woven geotextile across the formation, lapping joins by at least 300mm. This stops the sub-base and the subsoil mixing.
- Lay and compact the sub-base: 150-250mm MOT Type 1 over a woven geotextile, depending on axle loading. Compact in layers rather than all at once.
- Blind the sub-base with a thin layer of grit sand and screed it level. This is what gives you a flat finished surface.
- Push-fit the grids together across the area, working from one edge. Cut around obstacles with a jigsaw or fine-tooth saw.
- Fill the cells: Angular 20-40mm crushed stone, filled level and blinded. Work the fill in with a stiff brush so no cell is left hollow.
- Check the finished level. Nothing should stand proud of the cell walls, and no cell should be left under-filled.
Most installations are straightforward groundwork. The grids themselves push-fit together and need no fixings, adhesive or specialist tools.
Which grid depth?
The 30mm heavy duty grid. Loaded trailers on soft ground are the most demanding case we specify for, and this is the grid built for it.
If you are between two options, take the heavier duty one. The cost difference across a typical project is small next to the cost of lifting and relaying a surface that was under-specified.
The mistake we see most often
Omitting the geotextile on soft ground. Without separation, the stone works down into the subsoil and the track needs re-stoning every couple of years.
Common questions
Will it take a loaded grain trailer?
Yes, with an appropriate sub-base. Design the depth for the heaviest axle load, not the average one.
How does it stop stone disappearing into the mud?
The cell structure holds the stone in a defined layer, and a geotextile below stops the stone and subsoil mixing.
Is it suitable for livestock?
Yes, when filled level and blinded so no cell wall stands proud.
Can I lay it over an existing stoned track?
Usually yes, provided the existing stone is regraded and properly compacted first.
How far back from the gate should I surface?
At least five metres each side, and more on the field side where turning happens. Anything less and the poaching just moves.
Can I use recycled crushed concrete as sub-base?
Yes, if it is clean and well graded. Check it is free of reinforcement and fines that will bind and hold water.
Ask our engineer
Questions about depths, sub-base, edging or which system fits your project? Ask below.