5 Essential Considerations for RV Storage Lot Design

As an industrious entrepreneur, you have been looking at RV storage lot design ideas lately. You’ve noticed a dramatic increase in the number of RVs driving around since COVID-19, and it has you seeing dollar signs. All of these massive RVs need somewhere to park and be stored, and you’re just the person for the job.

Why Build an RV Storage Lot?

RV sales have been steadily increasing since 2015, and during the pandemic, RV sales hit record highs. In the post-pandemic world, recreational vehicle sales continue to skyrocket, consistently setting new records.

As RV sales increase, the ownership demographic broadens as well. People living in more urban areas with less storage space are purchasing RVs, and those people need a place to store their behemoth new investments.

Considerations for RV Storage Lot Design

Numerous factors go into creating a practical, efficient, and profitable RV storage lot design. Making well-informed decisions in the design phase will set your new business up for success in the long term.

1. Site Selection

The most critical factor in RV storage lot design, your site selection will dictate many of your other decisions going forward.

Site Size

When determining your site size, you will need an estimate of how many clients you will have. This approximation will give you an idea of how many acres of land you need.

Location

Property within city limits is not always necessary for an RV storage lot, and finding a piece of land that is convenient for clients heading out of town is key. Sites along popular roads that lead to lakes, rivers, or major highways are good choices for RV storage lots.

Price

As with any business venture, keeping your startup costs within an acceptable range is crucial. Parcels of land will be more expensive closer to town and developed areas. The farther away you get, the less expensive the land will cost.

2. Layout

The layout of an RV storage lot largely depends on the size of the property. Unlike traditional storage spaces, RV storage requires extra room in the aisles, entries, and exits to accommodate the large vehicles and awkward turning radiuses. There must be plenty of space for your clients to drive, turn, back up, and pull out without damaging property or other vehicles. A storage site that has generous space will be more appealing to potential patrons.

3. Storage Type

There are three main storage types; open, canopy and enclosed. Each of these three varieties has distinct advantages and disadvantages.

Open/Uncovered

Open or uncovered storage lots do not provide shelter from the elements and are essentially big parking lots. While sheltered storage spaces add value to your business, they also take up valuable space and increase overhead and long-term maintenance costs. Uncovered storage spaces require minimal overhead and upkeep.

Canopy

Canopied storage spaces are a great compromise between open and enclosed storage. While providing cover from rain, snow, and hail, canopies cost significantly less than complete enclosures.

Enclosed

If you are specifically working to attract high-end RV owners, then you will likely need enclosed storage spaces. Although enclosed storage spaces are more expensive and require more long-term maintenance, they will undoubtedly attract the most discerning clientele. Offering complete protection from the elements, as well as security from theft and damage, enclosed storage is genuinely the top-tier of RV storage.

4. Wash/Dump Station

When planning your RV storage lot design, a popular feature that adds considerable value for your clientele is a wash and dump station.

Although it requires your property to have additional on-site utilities, providing the ability for clients to empty sewage and grey water after a trip or adventure is a huge selling point. Being able to wash the RV off after a dusty weekend in the desert can also make your storage lot much more desirable.

5. Driveway Material

Your driveway material should be a significant consideration when working on your RV storage lot design. Grass lawns will die and turn to rutted-out mud when consistently driven over; gravel driveways will develop deep ruts. Asphalt will crack and wear over time and require costly upkeep. Plus, depending on your city or town’s regulations, you may be required to have a certain percentage of permeable space, which asphalt will not be able to provide.

So what can you do?

Permeable pavers, like TRUEGRID’s PRO LITE, PRO PLUS, and ROOT, allow you to create durable grass and gravel driveways that are impervious to ruts and will enable you to drive over the grass without killing it.

For light-duty areas including pull behind campers, easily install ROOT pavers over existing grass and let it grow, to create rugged, resilient grass drives that will not crack or wear over time. For heavy-duty areas install PRO LITE or PRO PLUS and fill with gravel for maintenance-free driveways that are immune to rutting or spilling.

Using permeable pavers, you can create an RV storage unit that costs less to build and maintain over the lifespan of your business.

Utilize TRUEGRID Permeable Pavers for RV Storage Lot Design

Since 2013, TRUEGRID has been building permeable pavers from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic that is made 100% in the USA.

Whether for residential or commercial use, TRUEGRID has the products you need to create beautiful, affordable, and environmentally conscious outdoor spaces for your home or business.

Contact TRUEGRID, or get a free estimate today!

TRUEGRID – True to your project. True to the environment.

Are you considering creating outdoor spaces that coexist harmoniously with nature and need some natural driveway ideas? Building a driveway from more organic materials is an elegant and practical solution to incorporating your property’s environment into the functional living space of your home.

Natural driveways have a lesser environmental impact than traditional concrete and asphalt options and can be more visually pleasing. Working with the environment rather than battling against it, driveways built from natural materials will last longer and cost less over time.

Intrigued? Keep reading for two excellent natural driveway ideas.

What Are Natural Driveways?

Conventional driveways are composed of concrete slabs or layers of hot asphalt, and natural driveways are made of natural materials.

What are natural materials? They are simply the things you would find in your backyard; sticks, leaves, grass, and rocks. So how can you make a driveway out of those things? Well, two types of natural driveways work better than others.

Gravel Driveway

Gravel driveways are a time-tested asphalt driveway alternative. Offering inexpensive installation and needing minimal maintenance, it’s hard to argue against gravel.

If you live in an arid, drought-prone environment like the American southwest, gravel should be on your short list of natural driveway ideas.

Gravel fits the natural aesthetic of desert landscapes and is a drought-resistant landscaping solution that requires no watering or irrigation. Gravel allows the infrequent desert rains to drain easily to replenish crucial groundwater supplies, an essential trait with growing water supply issues in the American southwest.

Grass Driveway

Perhaps the most organic, natural option available, a grass driveway provides a living, breathing driveway that not only accents your environment but is also an active part of it.

A grass driveway is a top-tier option for homeowners contemplating natural driveway ideas for temperate forest and grassland environments.

Grass driveways provide a habitat for worms, bugs, and other microorganisms that are vital to the health of a landscape, whereas pavement and asphalt eliminate room for life. Grass provides excellent natural drainage as well as a beautiful natural look that allows your home to exist in harmony with nature, rather than trample it.

Pros and Cons of Natural Driveways

Natural driveways offer a variety of positives for your property, but like anything else, there are drawbacks that you should also note. Here are some pros and cons to consider when looking at natural driveway ideas:

Pros

Drainage

Traditional paved driveways are impermeable and do not allow for water to drain down into the ground, which can affect the groundwater supply. Many cities and towns have codes that require a certain percentage of developed areas to be permeable. Natural driveways provide an elegant solution to these problems as they provide excellent drainage.

Aesthetic

Natural driveways offer a more organic symmetry with their natural surroundings.

Longevity

Asphalt and concrete driveways can crack over time with temperature changes and wear with weather and use. Gravel and grass driveways will never crack or need repair.

Affordability

Natural driveways are significantly cheaper to install than their inorganic counterparts and cost less to maintain long-term.

Cons

• Ruts create dirt and mud tracks in the grass and deep grooves in gravel
• Gravel can be challenging to contain within the boundaries of your driveway.
• Repeatedly driving on grass can kill it.

Building Natural Driveways with Permeable Pavers

Building a natural driveway with permeable pavers can eliminate virtually all of the concerns associated with natural driveways.

Permeable pavers, like the TRUEGRID PRO LITE, PRO PLUS, and ROOT, create a robust grid that holds gravel in place and protects grass roots from trampling. It will not spill out of its border or develop ruts, and a grass driveway will not develop dead dirt spots or tracks.

Permeable pavers are easily installed on top of the grass or under gravel. They will allow the lawn to grow up through the protective grid, while still containing the gravel. The result is a beautiful blanket of grass that is impervious to ruts and damage and gravel that is held securely in place.

The Best Natural and Sturdy Driveway with TRUEGRID Permeable Pavers

For the best natural driveway ideas, TRUEGRID Permeable Pavers should be at the top of your material list.

Founded in 2013, TRUEGRID permeable pavers are made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic and they are 100% made in the USA. Backed by a 10-year limited warranty and world-class service and technical support, TRUEGRID makes it easy for homeowners and builders to create environmentally-friendly outdoor spaces.

Whether you need the PRO LITE for residential projects, PRO PLUS for commercial and industrial applications, or the ROOT for grass driveways and walkways, TRUEGRID covers all of your natural driveway needs!

Contact TRUEGRID today and get a free estimate for your natural driveway project.

Driveway filter fabric is the unsung hero of gravel driveways around the world. Filter fabric prevents weeds from growing up through your gravel and stops your driveway from becoming a mud pit after every rain storm. What exactly is driveway filter fabric? How is it used and installed? Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about filter fabric.

What is Driveway Filter Fabric?

Driveway filter fabric, or geotextile filter fabric, is a product that is primarily used for soil separation, stabilization and reinforcement, filtration, and drainage. Typically sold in rolls, geotextile fabric is the landscape fabric you use to prevent weeds from growing up through your garden.

There are two types of geotextile filter fabric for driveways; woven and nonwoven. While similar in many ways, these two fabrics provide different advantages and are typically used in different applications.

Woven Geotextile Filter Fabric for Driveways

As the name implies, woven filter fabric is made by weaving plastic or other durable materials together. The woven fibers create a rugged textile that can easily conform to different shapes, textures, and undulations. Strength and flexibility are why people choose woven filter fabric for driveway projects as well as road and highway construction applications.

Nonwoven Geotextile Filter Fabric for Driveways

Nonwoven filter fabric is made of synthetic materials and is more permeable than its woven counterpart. Nonwoven filter fabric is perfect for applications requiring filtration or drainage. Builders use nonwoven filter fabric for filtering french drains or creating soil separation in projects that still require a high degree of drainage. The permeability of nonwoven driveway filter fabric is appealing, but you should note that it is less robust than woven filter fabric.

Why Use Filter Fabric for Gravel Driveways?

Why use filter fabric at all? Why not just pour a load of gravel into your yard? Gravel driveways with filter fabric underlayment have significant advantages over driveways without.

Weed Blocking

Installing filter fabric underneath your gravel driveway creates a barrier to weeds, grass, and other rapidly growing plant matter that may find its way up through the stones.

Soil Separation

Without soil separation, the gravel will become pulverized and mixed into the dirt below.. As it rains, the dirt can become mud and work its way up through the stone, turning your beautiful gravel driveway into a muddy mess.

Installing Filter Fabric for Gravel Driveways

You can easily install filter fabric when creating a gravel driveway with almost no additional steps to the process:

1. Excavate the area you need for your driveway to about 3″ -6″ deep.

• Although you can dig this out by hand, using an excavator will make this process significantly easier.
• ALWAYS check to ensure there are no gas, power, or sewer lines before digging.

2. Tamp down the bottom of the excavated area.

• Compaction dramatically decreases the amount of settling your driveway will experience over time.
• This can be done by hand, but a gas-powered compactor is preferable.

3. Roll the filter fabric out along the bottom of the hole.

4. Fill in the excavated area with angular gravel.

5. Compact the angular gravel.

• Compaction helps to prevent settling over time.
• This can be done by hand, but a gas-powered compactor is preferable.

Is Driveway Filter Fabric Expensive?

Manufacturers sell filter fabric in rolls that vary in width and length. Rolls are available from 2’-6’ wide and range from 20′ to 500′ long. Filter fabric typically costs between five and ten cents per square foot.

In Addition to Driveway Filter Fabric

In addition to using filter fabric for your driveway, there are several other ways to improve the quality of your gravel driveway:

Create a Border

A border creates a crisp definition between your driveway and your yard. Creating a border for your gravel driveway helps to keep the stone inside of its designed area and out of surrounding areas. You can make a border from granite, cobblestones, bricks, or concrete pavers

Tire Pathway

One of the problems with gravel driveways is that ruts can form as you repeatedly drive over the same path time and time again. A good solution is to install cobblestones, pavers, or bricks along your vehicle’s tire path in the driveway area. The result is a more visually exciting driveway that lacks ruts or divots.

Permeable Pavers

Installing a product like TRUEGRID PRO LITE permeable pavers on top of your driveway filter fabric will hold your gravel in place, and prevent spillage into other areas. TRUEGRID PRO LITE permeable pavers prevent ruts from developing in your driveway without compromising the uniform gravel look.

Utilize the Best with TRUEGRID Permeable Pavers

Founded in 2013, you can find TRUEGRID Permeable Pavers used in all fifty states and in countries around the world. Made from 100% post-consumer recycled HDPE, TRUEGRID permeable pavers are an environmentally-friendly alternative to asphalt and concrete. Easy to install, TRUEGRID pavers can be used in any climate or soil and can be used for gravel and grass driveways.

Request a free quote or call today for more information!