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So I'm looking to create some space for my 15y son and his friends to use their gym equipment .. a squat rack, bench and some free weights. The equipment has been sat outside in the garden for the last year so outside is fine. I've got a 3*3m area outside behind the house which is just overgrown at the moment. Uneven soil on clay base but it is raised 1.2m with a wall on our house side (1m or so from the house), back of the garage on one other, and a fence the other 2 backing on to the neighbour's plot which at that point is at that height.
They would like to dig it down a bit, put a membrane layer then buy some gravel to put (?an inch or two) on top and hoping that will be enough to use the bench etc without getting muddy and having a reasonably even surface. I don't really want to throw much money at this so just thinking what are my options? I know nothing about this sort of thing. They are happy to do any labour. Doesn't need to look pretty as it has looked awful for the last 10years ....
I'm thinking getting a company to do it properly with slabs would be >£100 per square metre?
An inch or too of gravel is heehaw you'll kick that off the first time you drop a barbel. It's also not that solid from a waving weights above your head perspective. You would want something under any of the feet of equipment and to stand on to spread the weight.
Sub base compacted down then free slabs (whole thread on this the other day) an option? It's not hard to do especially if you get small slabs. Don't recommend entertaining large slabs regardless of how cheap they are, they bloody heavy and hard to move... Goid workout I guess...
You could leave gaps filled with gravel for the deadlift.
Could you use shed base plastic grid to stabilise the gravel?
https://www.wickes.co.uk/Ecobase-Fastfit-System-Shed-Base-for-6ft-x-3-ft-Sheds/p/150216
Look at self binding gravel.
Josh has it covered.
Free flags, few bags of red sand, spirit level and 3m piece of wood. Easy job
Just get them to dig all the soil from one side to the other each weekend?
I did similar to reclaim a shit bit of garden in lockdown. Definitely get them doing the groundwork - it near killed me. You can get it looking nice really cheap. The b&q 20mm gravel is cheap in 25kg bags and a nice colour, and angular so stabilises well. Black heavy duty membrane from toolstation is good.
Thanks all, good advice.
I take it aggregate then sand/membrane on top then artificial grass would not be a solid enough base for weights?
The plastic grids to stabilise look useful
Those plastic grids won't last long having weights dropped on
Plastic grass on a well prepped surface would be great. Expensive though.
I'd have thought any dropped weights would make some substantial dents in compacted hard-core or sand, but fagstones would get cracked?
Might be better with slabs under the equipment surrounded by sand/gravel to take the knocks? Unless you can get a hold of some of that recycled rubber matting they make playgrounds from?
For dropping weights you want a concrete base with 18mm rubber matting on top. Even then you should only really drop proper Olympic bumber plates, which are designed to be dropped onto a hard surface. NB The normally specify 18mm rubber matting as they won't last if you drop them onto something rough / hard which will wear the rubber away.
Not sure I'd feel particularly safe/stable squatting on plastic grass. Even less so on gravel.
I know it won't offer much in the way of aesthetics, but I'd suggest the best surface might be tarmac. With some heavy duty rubber matting (stall mats?) to offer some protection to both the surface and the weights. Presumably the weights are plastic/rubber coated if they've been outside for the past 12 months, rather than plain cast iron?
Thanks again. I wouldn't feel too happy putting them all at risk from injuries so I appreciate the advice.