You’ve bought your first RV, and now you want to make your own RV parking pad. That way, you can save money and store it in your own yard. (But be sure to confirm that your HOA permits RV storage on residential property; otherwise, storing at home won’t be an option).
If you’re already storing your RV on an unpaved portion of your lot (or thinking about it), the problem is that your yard gets soggy when it rains, and you don’t want to deal with the risk of your RV getting stuck or being stored unlevel. Plus, your wife is adamant that it has to look “nice” – which you correctly interpret as expensive. Unfortunately, hiring someone else to do the job is out of the question.
You need some DIY RV Pad ideas that still look nice, so here are the top three.
Concrete RV Pad: The Most Durable RV Parking Pad
There’s no question about it. A concrete RV Pad is the most durable type of RV pad (not to mention the type that requires the least amount of maintenance). Once it’s poured and cured, that pad will stay usable for years to come. All you have to do is pressure wash it a couple of times a year.
However, concrete is a labor-intensive process that requires specialized equipment and tools that most DIYers don’t have hanging around their garage.
Pro Tip: If you’re building a small pad, your local home improvement stores rent out concrete mixers. These mixers allow you to mix more than one bag at a time in a 5-gallon bucket.
If you can deal with the downsides of concrete installation, follow the steps below:
Step #1: Calculate the volume of concrete you need
Volume is width times length times height (V= W x L x H). Rather than manually calculating the area they cover and how many need, you can also check the back of the concrete bags in your local store.
Pro Tip: If you’re building a large pad, you can order your concrete by the yard and have a concrete truck pour it for you. (Provided they can drive in your yard.)
Step #2: Frame out your pad
You want to make sure it’s level and square. If it’s not level, your concrete can crack or leak out the sides. A slight slope at the edges to drain water is okay, but you don’t want a hump in the middle where the concrete will be thinner.
Step #3: Mix the concrete
If you’re mixing it yourself, it’s important to do this efficiently so you can pour and spread it before it starts to set.
Step #4: Pour the concrete.
Try to spread out where you pour the concrete so that it’s easier and quicker to spread. Pouring it in a zig-zag pattern helps those who are spreading it.
Step #5: Spread the concrete.
Now, having spread concrete in my youth, I can tell you that it is the most backbreaking work you will ever do. So take my advice and don’t do this part by yourself.
Invite the local football team over for hotdogs, and let them do it.
Step #6: Level the concrete.
Use what’s called a shimmy board (the technical term for a long board that spans your frame) to level your pad and remove the excess concrete. Just shimmy the board back and forth filling in the low spots and smoothing out the high spots.
Step #7 (The Final Step): Cure the concrete.
Depending on the size of your RV parking pad, you may need to draw expansion lines. These allow the concrete to expand as it dries, so the concrete won’t crack.
Then, you’ll need to let it cure or dry slowly to prevent cracking–which means that you want to wet the concrete every few hours for the first day.
The cost of pouring a concrete pad ranges between $5-$9 per square foot, depending on your area and the type and quantity you need.
Important note: when storing your RV on concrete, remember to always use your stabilizers and don’t put your tires in contact with the concrete. The ingredients that help form concrete can seep into your tires and promote dry rot.
Gravel Parking Pad: The Cheapest Option
Gravel, or crushed rock, is a happy medium between building a whole new deck and the labor-intensive process of pouring a concrete pad. It still looks clean and classy as long as you do it right and keep up with the maintenance.
No, you can’t just dump gravel in your yard and spread it. There’s still a process, which is outlined in the steps below:
Step #1: Level and Frame it!
Yep, you still have to level your ground and frame your parking pad. But unlike the concrete pad, this frame stays in place and acts as a retaining wall to keep all of your gravel together, so you have a clearly defined edge where the gravel stops and the yard begins.
Step #2: Pour the Gravel
If you’re getting it delivered, make sure the dump truck can actually dump it into your frame. Not at a spot fifteen feet from your chosen location. Your back will thank you!
Step #3: Spread the Gravel
Unlike concrete, you don’t have to be perfect here. Just get it level with your eye. You can also use a shimmy board here if you’re a perfectionist, but it’s not necessary.
At $1-$5 per square foot, gravel is by far the most cost-effective solution, but it also requires some upkeep. Over time, the gravel presses into the ground, or weeds grow up and under it– even though you put down landscape fabric. So fair warning: be prepared for some yearly maintenance.
Photos courtesy of Making Things is Awesome
Wood Decking: The Easiest Parking Pad
With a wood RV pad, there’s no concrete to pour and no heavy gravel to spread. The hardest part will be squaring your foundation and making sure the structure can withstand the weight of your RV for a long time, which, depending on your backyard, may be tricky.
As you can see from the photo courtesy of thegoodluckduck.com, wood decking is a good option for when you have an uneven space. Instead of leveling it out, you build a deck over the uneven ground.
Building a deck doesn’t require any specialized tools or equipment, making it an easy proposition for a handyman with tools like yourself.
Here are the steps to follow when installing a wood RV pad:
Step #1: Plan Your Space
Obviously, you want your camper pad to be long and wide enough to fit your camper. But take a moment to think about it.
Do you plan to use your RV as an extra guest space for when family and friends come over? In that case, you may want to over-size the pad to accommodate some outdoor furniture when they come to stay.
Oversizing the pad also gives you more wiggle room when you’re backing up.
Step #2: Level Your Foundation
If the foundation isn’t laid well, your deck will not last. Then, you’ll have to come back in a couple of years and build it all over again. Save yourself that hassle. Take your time and get it level.
Step #3: Frame Your Deck
This is another area where you measure twice and cut once. Note that if your frame isn’t square, it’ll create headaches down the line.
Step #4: Install Decking
Lock and load! Grab your screws and high-quality decking boards and secure them to your frame. If you did steps 2 and 3 right, this part is a breeze.
#5: Seal the Decking
Not all decking needs to be sealed. But if you’re using wood decking, seal it against moisture – even if it’s pressure treated – so it looks great and lasts for years to come.
As far as expenses go, the cost to build a wood deck is about $5-$20 per square foot, depending on the materials used.
Now that you’ve got your RV parking pad ideas, how do you plan to cover your camper?
Summary
Now, if your back is aching in sympathetic pain after reading this, I’m bound by honor to tell you that there is another option.
Find a safe place to store your RV nearby with Neighbor.
Neighbor is a peer-to-peer storage marketplace where you can find RV storage options up to 50% cheaper than traditional storage options in all 50 states. You can even find storage spaces in your very own neighborhood.
