Advice on Building Outdoor Crawling Track

[The_Hulk]

So long story short, I need to move my RC track I build in my backyard, my wife says that it will cause rat problems, which I don't blame her since Covid hit neighbors have had a lot of rat problems because the restaurants aren't throwing away as much food for the rats. So my brother owns his own business and has a giant warehouse, he says I can build a track outside his warehouse, it's probably a 30 foot x 200 foot lot.


There are two problems I need advice on:


1) What's the best way to kill grass and weeds?


2) What's the best way to prevent grass and weeds from growing back.


I bought a 20 x 30 foot brown tarp and placed it over the grass/weeds to kill it. I plan on leaving it over the ground to prevent weeds and grass from growing on it and just building the track over it.
This was before my brother said I can use the whole side of the building for the track. The tarp cost me $100 so I'm not going to be purchasing any more to cover the whole side of the building.
Also I would like to do this as cheaply as possible.


He has like a hundred pellets that his merchandise is shipped on so I'm thinking I could lay those on the ground. This would kill the grass/weeds and prevent them from growing. Only problem I see is that they would rot in a year or two.




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[Kingmeow]

Man, that's a lot of heavy vegetation to get rid of, even with chemicals. I would rent a mini-Bobcat or similar and just rip those bushes out. Then put a layer of topsoil and lay down a weed fabric available at any gardening center or Home Depot. They are much much cheaper than a tarp. After that, go to town. And for maintenance and upkeep, just use a weed killer like Roundup when weeds pop up here and there.

Good luck and post after pictures!

 

[Den72]

I use one of these attachments on my weed eater and it does wonders. If you search on Amazon they have other style of attachments that will do the trick as well.

You will need to rake out what you clear. I would not recommend burying what you cut since any seeds would eventually propagate.

An alternative to the weed barrier would be some heavy plastic you could lay down then place dirt over it. The only draw back is the plastic will break down before the weed barrier, however it would do the trick for a couple years and then you can maintain it with Round Up.

https://www.amazon.com/Trimmer-Plus-TPB720-Brushcutter-Attachment/dp/B085VSFH1G/ref=sr_1_12_sspa?dchild=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwzYGGBhCTARIsAHdMTQz2qnMRvTMJqGBldv_-IbMR8vtqXKkUE-6zdyCQQzZ5K6LfHCixNkgaAlSXEALw_wcB&hvadid=241624582226&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9029679&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=9751812600950945721&hvtargid=kwd-4461156043&hydadcr=7138_10059585&keywords=weed+eater+attachments&qid=1623250628&sr=8-12-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyV0ZOOUVSVEs5N0NHJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwODA2MDkyUVU2WjRaUlowVTlaJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAzOTA1MzBCVzFSSE1BUlBPSSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX210ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

 

[ferp420]

i would find a beat up lawnmower to keep on site and once the track is finished and it get used regularly it shouldent grow alot of weeds and if it dose you can use viniger as a round up alturnitive to keep the track weed free and the lawnmower to keep the non track area clean
i used a flat head shovel and a small drag/rake behind my clod buster for most of my track maininance

 

[Speedy-Triple]

for the plastic mentioned ... is called viscuine ... generally sold on rolls that will cover at least 2000 sq feet or more... depending on where you get it ... i used it with great result to prevent weeds. you will need to cover it from direct sunlight so it does not break down as quick ... i layed down some of this for my kids playground and covered it wood chips over 4 years ago and only the areas where there is heavy traffic seem to be deteriorating but believe me when i say heavy traffic i mean .. kids and adults walking daily dragging toys cars etc.

 

[MOguy]

Grass and weed killer and man or machine power. Clean it up and then MAINTAIN it.

A tarp will give rodents and other pest a place to hide under. You do not want all the greenery decomposing under a tarp. You have to get rid of the plant life.

If there is dirt underneath but gravel over it, if mud is a concern. If not don't worry about anything else I post post here. I deal with a large training area that was carved out of the wood, we have laid down thousands and thousands of tons of rock over the years. The greenery that is currently there soaks up and uses the water. If you are in an area with allot of rain fall and you area is big enough dealing with the water (the plants no longer soak up) could be an issue if you don't lay down enough rock.

There are types of materials you can put down over the soil and below the rocks, this will help allot. BUT you still have to maintain it. MAKE SURE you but the appropriate weed barrier, not a tarp. A trap will trap water and you will have other problems. You need the water to soak through the rock and into the ground. Even with all that the we have a somebody spray for weeds every couple months or so.

Well light also helps to keep away pests.


And make sure you maintain it!

Once every thing is done you could then use the tarp to cover the course to protect if from the elements BUT by doing that you may be creating a refuge or local critters to make home.

 

[FunkMasterFlex]

Me being a sketch ball for stuff like this would start off with some strong brush killer, spray the mess out of all that, let it all die then go at it with a weed eater, I’d fold that tarp up and use it for something else, snakes all kinds of stuff will live under that, and then I’d hit it again once you cleaned all that out with a rake or something, idk how much work you tryna put into it but it would be cool to make different sections on the pallets using concrete and dirt and make em where you can piece them together and they be easy to move with a forklift

 

[wander]

Dollar store - vinegar, it will kill everything. Remove what you want gone. Pack the soil until hard packed (prevents most from growing). Build the track on top of that. Keep pests away with a product like Critter Ridder- something made from oils from peppers, non-toxic and works against almost everything.

 

[XanderBolanos]

Fire, douse it with gas, and torch it. Have a hose handy��

 

[Voodoobrew]

Pre emergent keeps it from growing back. But so does concrete

I spent $400 making this track but it could have been cheaper if I bought bulk concrete.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9b1PCIJr-PTClJ4UVZg1rMVTPkzlerwu

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

 

[Timmahh]

Good weed whip and strong line. bunch of it. Whip it off right at the ground.
You can clear it out well, but it will take a bit, and you'll likely waste line doing it, but you can basically scour it with the weedwhacker scorched earth style.

From there, Salt Water Solution. salt is pretty cheap and water is generally nearly free. soak it down a few times and start building.
Small hatched for bigger weed clumps. small shovel to dig out bigger root balls. Maybe a hand whip (metal style that you swing) for other thick stuff.
Pruners to trim limbs off the trees.

 

[CM9000]

to kill stuff and for it to never grow again, i was told a mixture of water, vinegar, and salt. natural way and no toxins.

 

[Voodoobrew]

Uranium is natural...
Natural does not mean non toxic.
Salting the land is generally fround upon around here. Farmers aren't allowed to have salt water softiners because of the salt drain.

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

 

[zenitram09]

I don’t think the tarp is going to give you the results that you want. I would start by using a weed wacker and knock down the vegetation and rake it all up. Then the tarp might work. That stuff is thick man good luck!!

 

[dCowler]

Pre emergent keeps it from growing back. But so does concrete

I spent $400 making this track but it could have been cheaper if I bought bulk concrete.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9b1PCIJr-PTClJ4UVZg1rMVTPkzlerwu

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

Concrete would be better solution for long-term track.

 

[mote21]

As other said bail on the tarp, at least for now, there's no way in hell its going to work like it is.

Also forget the weed killer.. stuff is toxic to everything.. you like to fish? I do, so please don't use gallons of weed killer.

Mechanical removal is your only option. A good hand saw and make quick work of cutting bushes back, then go in with weed wacker with brush blade. Once you got it clear grab your self a good heavy hoe (rouge tools).. or mcloud tool and get out all the roots of the grass/weeds then rake smooth , then you can use tarp if you need.. although it just makes a mess.

You can do it with hand tools.. its not that bad when you buy good quality tools, couple days works.. maybe pay some buddies in beer.

og and if you have never used a skid steer don't bother.. you will just make a mess.. hand tools work great!

 

[ShinderuNani?]

It looks like not the most convenient place for a path - too much unnecessary stuff, if there is no cleaner space next door, you will spend too much effort cleaning it in addition, probably all this nastiness will come back next year, if you do not treat it right.