# Plastic grid thingie for wet sections?



## chris1911 (May 26, 2009)

I have been to a few trails that have a plastic honey comb grid thing set into the dirt on sections that tend to hold water. Does anyone know where i can get something like that? Wish i had a picture of one to post, but i don't.


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## twright205 (Oct 2, 2011)

geocells..

Trail Construction and Maintenance Notebook - 00232839 - Forest Service Publications - Publications - Recreational Trails - Environment - FHWA

scroll down a bit on the page... I don't like the stuff, if possible armour or build up a turnpike or causeway ,, but I imagine it works in some instances.


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## mtbty (Jun 15, 2012)

I 2nd on doing armoring, turnpike or causeway. Geocells and turf stones are kind of giving up then trying to solve the problem with better building practices.


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## chris1911 (May 26, 2009)

That's kind of like what i saw. What don't you like about it?


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## Visicypher (Aug 5, 2004)

fyi. the concrete version is more durable...and has better traction when wet. Google "turfstone" for an example.


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## Dave_schuldt (May 10, 2004)

Turf stone sections are heavy, but the only solution in some locations. They don't get break bumps, they have great traction, and are easy to set up.
Some people don't like the look because they don't blend in and look "natural".
Some times you can get damaged ones for free or cost of delivery.


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## anchskier (Feb 16, 2007)

Although I like how quickly some of these can be used to reinforce otherwise soft sections of trail, my worry when I see some of the plastic ones is what would happen if/when someone goes down on them. Some look like they would work similar to a cheese grater on skin. Ouch! If they can be avoided by other trail building techniques, I would go that way.


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## thefriar (Jan 23, 2008)

Issue with using manufactured solutions gets a bum rap for a couple reasons:

1) its not natural and many Land Managers want to avoid non-natural materials in trails
2) it means that you've tried everything else to address the issue: knicks/drainage, rock armoring, re-routing, turnpike/causeway, boardwalk... finally you get to digging in "pavers" or paver like solutions

General consensus from most experienced builders is that its a last ditch option...


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## 2bfluid (Aug 17, 2008)

The plastic version is lame and in my experience is functionally short term on steep sections. 

Properly installed it looks OK when it is new, but as the soil level gets lower in the matrix, the plastic protrudes and gets bent over causing more traction loss, slippage, and dirt in the creek. It also starts to look trashy. Once the plastic is exposed, horses also help to bend the plastic over compounding the issue. However, it will last a long time. 

Rock armouring is the way to go if it is at all possible.

Make some thing better happen on the trail.


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## woodway (Dec 27, 2005)

I think that turfstones are a fine option when all else fails. This winter we have been working on a trail that has a seasonal stream...really just a hillside that weeps water in the winter and there is no place for the water to go except onto and across the trail. In mid-winter that section of trail would get 6-12" deep in water and mud.

With no re-route options, and no easy source of rock for natural armoring we brought in turfstones and used those to armor up the stream crossing.










After we put the turfstones down, we covered them with a layer of native soil and gravel and replanted ferns and moved logs alongside the trail to keep traffic centered onto the turfstones and to hold everything together.










Now the water flows over the top of the trail and the turfstone provide a solid base for bike/hike and horse traffic.


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## 2bfluid (Aug 17, 2008)

Woodway- Nice work, it looks great.



You can also stain the block for a better color match to the native soil.

Make some thing better happen on the trail.


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