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When answering the question of how best to organize an approach to a house on a slope, most experts recommend terracing the site using gabions. With a limited budget, another option is possible – a do-it-yourself tire track.
What are the advantages of tire paths
This is the most original way of arranging the local area. Unlike wood, rubber is more resistant to temperature extremes and moisture. Its other advantages include anti-slip coating, as well as cushioning when moving, due to which it is more convenient to climb slopes.
Old truck tires can be turned out and painted. In terms of dimensional stability, they are not much inferior to new tires. Therefore, if you are looking for raw materials for garden paths at affordable prices, or even for free, you will not find a better option. In the device of low fences that delimit several zones in the country at once, such coatings perform decorative functions. Returning to practical tasks, the first thing to note is:
- frost resistance;
- hydrophobicity;
- softening of blows at falling;
- simple maintenance, including the possibility of minor repairs;
- no significant costs during the installation period.
When choosing car tires, it is important to be guided by the physical properties of the products. For example, summer tires, thanks to hard rubber, can withstand 40-degree heat and adhere to any surface. Longitudinal grooves on the tread contribute to high-quality drainage, thanks to which even the simplest paths last for years. For decor, winter tires with large lamellas are more suitable. It dries faster, and in the cold, unlike concrete and wooden coatings, it almost does not slip.
Video “Garden paths from old car tires”
From this video you will learn how to make a garden path from old car tires with your own hands.
options
With the right processing of raw materials with oily liquids, large tires can be easily cut by hand. A sharp knife, hammer, chalk and power tools for cutting hard products are useful in the work. The easiest way is to make a ladder path from 40-50 tires. It is convenient to go down to the reservoir, the gazebo and the summer outbuilding along it. And if the building is on a hill, this is almost the only way to get to a bus stop.
The manufacturing process includes the following steps:
- Lay clean tires on the ground from the bottom up.
- Tamp the base of the path with a vibrating plate, and, if necessary, dig a 2-centimeter trench for each element of the path.
- Fill the holes with broken bricks or pebbles so that the structure does not collapse in the wind.
- Install railings for safe movement with children.
An equally strong track can be laid out from rubber modules. They easily change direction and are interconnected according to the principle of puzzles. Long paths leading to garages and outbuildings are best made from square tiles. The material lends itself well to repair, does not slip and does not deteriorate under the influence of mechanical loads.
From whole tires
If there is a playground on the site, it is not necessary to cut the tires. From whole products it is really possible to make a winding ladder leading to a hill or to a horizontal bar. Depending on the quadrature of the area for the fence, you will need from 40 to 60 old tires, which can later be given green, orange or red shades. Small structural elements are laid out on top, and the largest – at the bottom of the stairs.
In winter, they are never covered with ice, and in summer they are easily cleared of debris. After the rain, they dry quickly, contributing to safe entertainment in the bosom of nature. Products can be laid horizontally or vertically. Moreover, in the first case, the holes are easily filled with soil, and in the second case it is possible to organize a high-quality drain.
From tapes
First of all, it is necessary to take measurements and process the products correctly. To straighten the rubber faster, the power tool is directed along the edge, and only then the tire itself is cut. Finished strips should be nailed to pine boards and laid on the cleaned soil. The optimal distance between the coating elements is 1 mm. The gap is needed for the full removal of rain and melt water.
Before laying the tapes on the site, it is important to equip the drainage. Gravel is best suited for this purpose. And so that the path does not bulge, small grooves are made at the installation site of the bars.
Borders
Such structures protect the paths from the growth of weeds, and the subgrade from erosion. With their help, you can not only decorate the area near the house, but also mark the boundaries of the most beautiful places on the site. The maximum project budget is 700 rubles. This is 5-7 times cheaper than the installation of metal and plastic tapes. Tires can be laid vertically, and cement mortar should be used to better fix the products.
The cut tires will make dense ribbons that delimit the public and private areas of spacious plots. Most often, such fences are fastened with bolts and plates. From the supporting elements you will need logs. So that the tree does not deteriorate under the influence of bad weather, it should be impregnated with an antifungal compound before use. As a decoration, you can use larch saw cuts with a diameter of 10 cm.
Decor
The painted surfaces increase resistance of products to moisture, a frost and an ultraviolet. In choosing such compositions, it is more logical to give preference to paints marked KCh-136, intended for rubber processing. They absorb up to 97% of the sun’s rays and provide a perfectly smooth surface for painted parts. Thanks to the unique property of thixotropy, self-levelling of coatings is possible, and most importantly, thickening of colors at rest.
Complete drying of the layer occurs after a few hours. If you work at a temperature of +25 ° C, the track can be used after 2-3 days. The remaining tires will serve as the basis for the production of rubber tiles by hot pressing. These coatings are convenient to use not only on the street, but also in residential premises.