Does ECCOgravel require maintenance?

- 25/05/2023 -

All surfaces, whether dealing with gravel grids, grass grids, pavement stones, tiles, or wood will always require – minimal – maintenance. For ECCOgravel sheets, this maintenance is limited. Maintenance can be subdivided in 4 groups:

SURFACE LAYER

Occasional inspection is advisable depending on the traffic volume and the way the surface is used. It is recommended that you cover the honeycomb sheet again in places where it is exposed.

LEAVES

Preferable once a year, clear any leaves by raking, blowing, or vacuuming. Tests have shown that the minimum fraction of your gravel can never be less than 4 mm if you wish to avoid gravel shifting.

SOIL | MANURE

If soil or manure ends up on the surface, this is best removed with a shovel down to the honeycomb structure. A new layer of gravel (± 1 cm) on top of the honeycomb structure is sufficient to recreate a perfect surface. The soil or manure that has washed into the hollow spaces of the honeycomb structure will have no effect on water permeability.

WEEDS

Consider the following tips to prevent weed growth.

  • Do not use gravel types that have a high porosity. High porosity = water is retained longer = more weeds.
  • Do not use gravel types with high lime content, as this promotes weed growth.
  • Create a foundation that has no nutritive constituents and that drains water well.

Any remaining weeds (from seeds already initially present in the soil) are made difficult to grow by the geotextile (anti-root fabric) at the bottom of ECCOgravel gravel grids. The weeds can be easily removed by hand as the roots are concentrated in the honeycomb structure. It is also possible to remove the weeds using hot air or burners. These solutions are preferable to chemical weed killers.