When ennobling a summer cottage, you should remember: the closer the landscape design is to natural conditions, the greater the likelihood of a full-fledged suburban rest. We value nature for fresh air, the fragrance of greenery and flowers, the productivity of vegetables and fruit crops, and asphalt or concrete pavements resemble a stuffy metropolis. It turns out that even a parking lot for a car can be turned into a beautiful green carpet, if instead of a traditional concrete site, an eco-parking is equipped, which looks more like a green lawn.
Eco-parking is no longer a rarity for the city. But where do car owners usually park when entering the territory of a private plot? They leave the car right at the gate or right next to the house, put it under a shed or drive it into the garage. The most convenient way would be to place the cars of the owners of the site and their guests on a small site with a convenient entrance, taking up little space and having a beautiful appearance. Do not forget about one more important detail: the parking lot must be clean from an ecological point of view, that is, it must not harm the soil and surrounding plants.
Externally, the eco-parking resembles a grassy lawn, which is resistant to medium loads, therefore it can easily support the weight of several cars. The guarantee of strength and stability is a reliable reinforcing mesh, disguised in the ground, the cells of which are filled with lawn grass or special paving stones.
Consider the advantages of building an ecological parking lot on a private plot:
- the equipment of the site and the coating itself is made easily, without the participation of heavy equipment or the involvement of a construction team;
- materials have a budgetary cost and are sold by specialized construction companies or markets;
- equipping an ecological parking lot is cheaper than arranging a concrete parking lot or building a garage;
- the finished site serves up to 15 years without repair, is resistant to temperature extremes and soil deterioration during rains;
- the lawn is absolutely safe for children, moreover, it can serve as a comfortable place for children to play or replace the barbecue area for a while;
- regular gardening tools are required for regular maintenance.
One of the important qualities is that all materials involved in construction are safe for the surrounding nature and do not interfere with the growth and development of plants. Both geotextiles and lawn grates are made from a material that protects the soil, rather than polluting it.
A neat eco-parking looks much nicer than a vacant lot or a concrete area, it can be easily used to embody an interesting design find
The finished eco-parking cover in section resembles a layer cake, in which the lower layer is natural soil, and the upper layer is a lawn grate. The grid cells are filled with fertile soil with lawn grass seeds. Consider the materials that need to be purchased for the device of this “pie”.
The order of layers, as well as their thickness and composition, depending on the type of soil and construction tasks, may have other options
Lawn grates are the main component visible on the surface, therefore, increased requirements are imposed on it. When buying, it is important to consider both the technical properties of the material (plastic) and the aesthetically pleasing appearance. The honeycomb-like material is green or black – the color of grass or soil. It should be durable, moisture and heat resistant, moderately elastic, easy to cut, resistant to chemicals.
Lawn grating cells differ in shape: they can be hexagonal (resembling a honeycomb), square, rectangular, round and even oval
Geotextiles are useful when equipping a drainage layer. A durable web of polymer filaments filters moisture and serves as a separation barrier between the various layers, most often between the crushed stone base and the sand fill.
The cost of geotextile depends on its qualities and raw materials for manufacturing. For example, 1 m6 of the cheapest recyclable material costs about 25 rubles, and white needle-punched textiles without impurities – XNUMX rubles
Crushed stone or gravel, as well as sand, are necessary for the construction of a drainage layer, the so-called sand and gravel cushion. It serves to level the base for laying the lawn grating and evenly distribute the load. During rains, the top layer prevents moisture from accumulating on the surface, thereby protecting the parking lot from waterlogging and the formation of puddles.
Even a light load on the gravel bed does not exclude a responsible approach to its equipment: the lawn covering will last much longer if you use only high-quality material, and the layers of crushed stone, gravel and sand are carefully tamped and leveled
For a decorative top layer, you will need fertile soil and lawn grass seeds. Greens for sowing can be varied, including frost-resistant or diluted with seeds of undemanding flowers.
The cost of a 5-kg bag of seeds is from 600 to 1400 rubles. The price depends on the quality of the herbs included in the mixture. For example, seeds of drought-tolerant or shade-tolerant plants are more expensive.
Like any important event, the construction of a parking lot begins with planning, material counting, budget calculations and choosing a favorable time.
Stage # 1 – calculating the area and marking the site
Having chosen the most suitable place for parking, do not forget about access roads and necessary maneuvers, as well as the possible number of vehicles. Having correctly calculated the parking area, you can make an accurate estimate, therefore, save on the purchase of materials.
After paperwork and necessary purchases, you can get to work. First, you should remove the top layer of natural lawn (if a piece of untouched land is taken for parking). As a result, we get a shallow hole, the depth of which is equal to the height of the future “puff cake”. To do this, it is necessary to add the height of the gravel-sand cushion and the height of the lawn grate – these are two significant layers. Geotextiles are so thin that their parameters practically do not affect the overall height.
Eco-parking planning can also be used to make partial changes to the landscape design. Along with the construction of a parking lot, it is possible to improve the access road or upgrade the sidewalk leading to the house.
Stage # 2 – installation of a gravel-sand cushion
We pour crushed stone at the bottom of the pit. If the soil is too wet, clayey, the base can be reinforced with a piece of geotextile so that the layer of rubble (or gravel) does not “walk” and does not press into the soil. The height of the bottom layer is about 20 cm, but much depends on the unevenness of the bottom. If pits appear when removing the sod, it is better to fill them with sand. The more irregularities, the thicker the gravel base.
Even if the layers of gravel and sand are not very thick, a lot of material will be required. To save money, you can rent a truck and deliver sand and gravel (crushed stone) in bulk, not in bags
We densely fill the layer of gravel with sand, not forgetting to tamp it and water it with water, ensuring strong shrinkage. If the rubble is large, you can lay another layer of geotextile so that the sand does not fall down. A layer of sand – 10-15 cm. On top of the sand cushion we again lay geotextiles. As a result, we get a smooth, dense canvas, ready for laying lawn gratings.
Stage # 3 – laying lawn grates
This is a fairly simple job, available even to beginners. The size of the grid modules allows you to start laying in any convenient place. If there are trees growing on the parking area or a different decor is planned (it also happens), it is better to start from this place.
If an obstacle occurs at the junction of several modules, it is enough to cut off unnecessary parts of adjacent elements to get a hole of the desired size
Put the first module on the geotextile, the second is mounted to it, and so on. The elements are fixed to each other using grooves. Excess material at the edges is cut off with any cutting tool. Considering that cars are a dynamic load, the modules can be fixed in the ground with L-shaped pins, especially around the perimeter of the site.
One of the quickest, but incorrect ways of laying a lawn grating: the modules are placed directly on unprepared ground. There is a possibility of waterlogging, moreover, such parking is mechanically unstable.
Stage # 4 – backfilling
The final stage is the distribution of fertile soil into cells. In order not to bother with sowing lawn grass for a long time, it is mixed with the soil before backfilling. Various decoration options are possible. For example, daisies or other low, unpretentious flowers can be sown in a checkerboard pattern. This is especially true for parking lots, which are often used for other purposes – for games or as a barbecue area.
One of the original and beautiful options for the perimeter of an eco-parking or recreation area: combining paving stones with lawn grass decorated with fresh flowers
To somehow diversify the green lawn, you can use paving stones. For example, the German company “Hubner-Lee” offers a special TTE eco-parking system, in which cells can be filled with both soil and paving cubes. The bricks are water-permeable, and they also let air through.
Despite the porous structure of the bricks, which allows them to “breathe” and allow moisture to pass through, the paving stones are strong enough to support the weight of a car
The use of materials from one manufacturer allows you to quickly install the paving stones: the bricks are simply inserted into the grooves and fixed with small internal ribs
One of the simplest options for eco-parking: the cover is an alternation of paving stones and lawn grass. The parking lot is stable, durable and decorative
A wonderful area for relaxation or tea drinking will turn out if a parking space suddenly turns out to be unnecessary. Bench, table or flower garden – and the car park turns into a cozy corner
The construction of the eco-parking is over, and there are still a large number of lawn gratings in stock? Great – they come in handy for setting up sidewalk paths or barbecues
The design of lawn grates is so convenient and easy to use that they can even be used for arranging curbs or delimiting different zones.
The care concerns two components: the base made of plastic and the constantly growing lawn grass. The grilles wear out over time, so they must be replaced with elements of the same size, and for this it is better to purchase spare modules initially. With a sharp alternation of frost and thaw, ice may form on the surface of the plastic. It should be removed with a hard tool that does not have sharp edges.
In the summer, it is enough to clean up the garbage in the parking lot and occasionally shorten it as the grass grows. In the spring, it may be necessary to replace the soil or some modules
Grass care activities are similar to those that are regularly carried out on a regular lawn:
- mowing grass, ate its height above the level of the trellis exceeds 5 cm;
- additional watering during dry periods;
- fertilization depending on the season and type of soil;
- weeding, aeration, overseeding.
Subject to all the rules for laying a lawn lattice and proper care of grass crops, a beautiful ecological parking will delight you and your guests for a long time. The modular structure of the lattice assumes its quick repair, and, if necessary, changes in size or design.
