Weight of caravan on driveway

[CrewOVtwo]

We are moving house and putting the caravan on the driveway, which is paved, and the whole area is built on sand - I'm concerned the weight of the van will partially sink some of the flagstones that the wheels rest on.

Would putting down a good length of wood under each wheel displace the weight to reduce this, or are there any other ways of reducing this, other than getting the area strengthened from underneath?

 

[birdman101]

If you use wood to spread the load you will need it large enough to span at least 3 slabs for each wheel,

 

[Jcloughie]

Of course it would spread the load. But if the slabs are laid well there should be no need.

John

 

[JTQ]

Seems to be inviting a lot of unnecessary hassle, I would be inclined to get any dipping corrected if it ever happened to an extent that caused real concern.

Pavers are typically set on a compacted sand base, though I do believe it has to be the "right" sand which if laid professionally should have been used. Issues could come if water run off was not designed in.

On the heavy traffic bit of our drive, road traffic on our lane use our apron as a passing bit, here the contractor mixed dry cement into the sand mix in that particular bit and it has taken lorries cars etc for a decade without sinking.

 

[otherclive]

Our daughters house drive has heavy concrete slabs and on occasions I used to park the caravan on her drive and there was no discernible effect on the slabs.

 

[RogerL]

We are moving house and putting the caravan on the driveway, which is paved, and the whole area is built on sand - I'm concerned the weight of the van will partially sink some of the flagstones that the wheels rest on.

Would putting down a good length of wood under each wheel displace the weight to reduce this, or are there any other ways of reducing this, other than getting the area strengthened from underneath?

Any driveway, designed for vehicles, should be capable of supporting at least 3500 kg vehicles with unequal axle weights - so it should be ok up to 2000 kg single axle or any twin axle - but whether your driveway is built to that standard is a question for the builder/contractor.

The original owners of our house had the driveway widened back in the '70/80s- but when I parked my Vauxhall Senator there, only 1500 kg kerbweight, the tarmac started to sink - I guess not sufficient foundations.

 

[CrewOVtwo]

Many thanks everyone.

 

[Mr Plodd]

All depends on how good a job was made of laying the paving slabs. I would think that if its been used for a while as a driveway there shouldn't be too much of an issue. Of course a caravan will be in exactly the same spot for a considerable length if time whereas a car will be constantly move, and probably never left in exactly the same spot each time.
My advice? Suck it see!