Decking/boards for inspection pit

[Agroshield]

Ideally I'd like something that won't rot in my lifetime.

If the pit is damp, would draping a sheet of vapour barrier (roof tile membrane) over the hole before you drop in the planks stop any damage to the underside if you do not use the pit for a while?

 

[nickk]

Save up all those silica bags in new mig wire rolls,place in pit,lots of us have them in a heap for the cuminandy one day pile .

 

[Kram]

Dip them in proper creosote and they wont rot.

 

[Agrismith]

The council kindly leave these all over the place that would be really good.

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[Migmac]

Aluminium scaffold boards cut to fit

 

[aesmith]

Would recycled plastic planks work. The fence posts I've seen up here look pretty good but I'm not standing on them.

I was hoping to find something along those lines but what I've seen wouldn’t be strong or stiff enough. Plastic decking for example wants joists at 300m centres, and I think it would be worse sitting loose.

 

[cheb]

You could get fancy and start bolting them together in a T section. Seems a lot of effort though for not much gain.

 

[sako243]

Dip them in proper creosote and they wont rot.

Or just get something like a Land Rover that's always leaking oil so it's continually being topped up.

 

[aesmith]

Just abusing the forum by writing down dimensions. Cover area is 1580 x 1130, rebate 120mm wide (where the slats are supported) and 65mm deep. Depth is imprecise because there's a raised lip at the edge of the concrete. 65mm would make the deck flush with the actual floor beyond. So 45mm thick with 22mm overlay would be close enough.

It doesn't need to be strong enough for car. Worst case point load would be jacking up a motorcycle or ride on mower. Flush enough to roll something on 2" castors.

 

[Bobupndown]

I had exactly the same issue with mine and I used scaffold boards, they rotted from underneath.
I filled it in and bought a lift.

You need a land-rover parked on top to automatically apply the EP90 wood preservative

 

[Bobupndown]

Or just get something like a Land Rover that's always leaking oil so it's continually being topped up.

Beat me to it!

 

[Dcal]

I was hoping to find something along those lines but what I've seen wouldn’t be strong or stiff enough. Plastic decking for example wants joists at 300m centres, and I think it would be worse sitting loose.

Steel scaffold boards would be my choice, as strong as the timber boards but don't rot. They are galvanised so would last well.

 

[gaz1]

Just abusing the forum by writing down dimensions. Cover area is 1580 x 1130, rebate 120mm wide (where the slats are supported) and 65mm deep. Depth is imprecise because there's a raised lip at the edge of the concrete. 65mm would make the deck flush with the actual floor beyond. So 45mm thick with 22mm overlay would be close enough.

It doesn't need to be strong enough for car. Worst case point load would be jacking up a motorcycle or ride on mower. Flush enough to roll something on 2" castors.

as goes for jacking up id use a frame with a jack in the middle something like the proper 4 post jacks that you can use

you could use the hamer car lift reference and do a full length x3 or 4 lengths as it used folded 3mm for its car lift

or use the light weight beams with a top on it or a non slip coating

c sections are really light weight 200mm wide 50mm deep 0.8mm thick

 

[500e]

Here's our com pit

 

[aesmith]

That looks the right way, or the manhole covers shown earlier. I guess either would need some sort of frame. Or would they be good for 1130mm span, supported only at the ends?

 

[gaz1]

yours is a wide fit area so a strengthening bar is worth using



i presume these are aluminium

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even with a strengthening bar run down the middle of the pit thats 2ft either side anyone can adapt to using lightweight pit covers not fit for vehicle use