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Skirting ideas that can handle backfill

Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 7:09 am
by Mark440
My place sits on a sloped terrain with the vinyl skirting. Of course, the previous owner backfilled the skirting on the two high sides (due to the terrain) and it is collapsing - making a wide open entrance for varmints and critters that eat varmints. (please see other entries entitled: SNAKES!) It also just looks trashy and unkept.

My other problem is this place was pit set, so the whole house sits over a dug-down pit - which used to provide a very private pool until I dug out the lowest end to allow for drainage. I've installed gutters and have used a very slight 'trenching' on the high sides to re-direct rain around - instead of under - the house.

Still - the collapsed skirting is driving me nuts. I've never worked with cinder blocks - but would these be a suitable material that would allow for back filling? I need to devise a plan that allows me to fix this mess, not break the bank, seals of the two high sides, helps to keep rain water from slipping through, and (hopefully) provides a surface I can mount some type of textured skirting just for appearance sake.

FYI: The terrain height difference is about 4 feet when going diagonally across opposite corners. I am assuming the existing skirting only goes down about 6-12 inches below the "dirt line".

Re: Skirting ideas that can handle backfill

Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 5:01 pm
by Greg
Since I am a fan of steel (pole barn type) skirting I would use that. I think I would do some major grade work around your home and open up the area around it a few feet so the dirt is not up against it. I would also add some additional drainage like 4" drain tube.

Greg

Re: Skirting ideas that can handle backfill

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 5:33 am
by joedirt63
i would agree with greg, my kids m/h is on a corner lot at the base of the mountain. we have a water fall in the back when it rainsand you can watch the river go under the shed through the door and then run under the house. we did drainage 3 inch where it pools under the house and cut the mountain backfar enough to put a retaining wall,( mud slide) thecorner i did with metal(old swimming pool,metal) and painted it with rustolium. now i just have to replace the rotted 2 foot sections of ply wood in my shed with a cinder block,and reconfigure my aquaduct system on the floor of my shed. :mrgreen: