Storage pad ?'s

[jimp-JAY]

DW and I were out this past weekend and stopped at a CG to check it out for a possible future destination and noticed this method of building the site pads. Appears inexpensive (well, somewhat) and appearance wise is ok, and fairly easy to build, but I wonder about the long term durability of this method.

Here's a couple pics of some of the sites, one site was built up approximately 2' above the ground, another was even higher at about 3' I would guess. I'm considering this for a GH 31SS, but would not need more than a foot of material to make a level storage pad for the 31SS.







The first two pics are of the same CG site, full hookups and large enough for the biggest Class C made or possibly a class A. The 3rd pic is the one where the site is built up 3' based on the size of boards (2x10 or 2x12).

Anyone built a storage pad using this method, pros and cons of it, etc. ??

 

[snowbird47]

Man, that looks like a lawsuit waiting to happen. It looks too easy to take a header off of one of those pads, especially in the dark. I would not recommend it.

 

[Dagwood-JAY]

Man, that looks like a lawsuit waiting to happen. It looks too easy to take a header off of one of those pads, especially in the dark. I would not recommend it.

I was thinking the same. What a pain to get into or out of the site.
The only other thing I can think of is they are planning to add decks.

 

[Jagiven]

If you where building up a small wall at home for a pad to store the TT level, no issue. It would be like a retaining wall on any old hill. At that CG, I would be concerned about a trip/fall hazard with a lawsuit to follow. Back to your question. I build a 1 foot retaining wall at the base of my hill a few years back. It worked just fine. Make sure to use foundation grade (.6+) pressure treated lumber. Do not use standard .4 pressure treated, it will not hold up as long. I did mine with the boards standing vertically and made a jig to drill a hole near the top of each one to insert a piece of rebar to keep all the wood in perfect alignment, for years to come. It has been 7-10 years and I have had no issues with frost heaves or rotting yet.

 

[DocBrown-JAY]

For storage this looks OK if your storage spot is not level. I'm not clear on what the purpose of this in a CG is. That site site would be on my "do not use" list in a heartbeat.

We keep our trailer next to our garage on a gravel pad bordered with landscape timbers. Well under $200 for the entire thing and no worries about about how it will hold up. But we also have level ground for it.

 

[Kellys]

IF I WOULD BUILD A PAD FOR RV #1 IT WOULD NOT BE SO HIGH #2 I WOULD USE RAILROAD TIES WITH AT LEAST 3' OF REBAR DROVE INTO IT , YOU CAN ALREADY SEE THAT THEY ARE USING STAKES TO PROP IT UP , AND IT IS PROBABLY NOT THAT OLD JUST MY TWO

 

[Trippers]

Why? Does this campground flood on occasion?

 

[OnTheGo]

That is an odd configuration. I would call and ask them why they are built that way. They might have a good reason we're missing. But I would also share the concerns (politely) of the other posters, because I wouldn't use it either.

The photos show other sites without the build up. Ask for one of those.

 

[spoon059]

Seems like a very unusual way to build such a high retaining wall for that kind of weight. There isn't much substance holding the wall back from the weight of the gravel and trailer...

 

[rcdurango]

Pad for the Melbourne

We built this to store the motorhome while its at home. Railroad ties and fence to hide everything behind it. Four ties at the lowest point.

 

[UPCamper-JAY]

I built my "storage lane" for my trailer so it could sit out of the way, out of the grass and level. I used retaining wall blocks as I only had to go up 18". Then filled will compacted fill dirt and covered with about 4-6" of crushed concrete. Looks great and functions well. The only thing I don't care for is I built it extra wide (slide plus trailer width, plus 3 extra feet because it sits along garage and roof overhang) and I still wish I made it wider for the steps. Now we have to walk on the grass to the steps, and step up the wall and the steps.

 

[jimp-JAY]

I was only asking if anyone had built a parking/storage pad similar to the pictures I posted, and the long term durability of this method. No I would not build one that high either for the weight associated with a Class C or A. The overall layout of this CG was sloping or had some low spots, so they utilized this method to raise the pads up. Some I would not use either, especially the higher ones. Some pads had decks on 'em so I can only assume additional decks would be added at a later time by the CG.