Will my Porcelain Tile driveway support my 3500kg campervan ?

[on the hook]

Here is a an interesting question (for me anyway !) …

My campervan is around 2940kg (unloaded but full tank of fuel and one person)
Rear axle is 1260kg
Front Axle is 1660kg

My tyres are 60PSI each

My Porcelain tiles can withstand around 200IIbs per sq inch

Is there a way of estimating whether the porcelain tile driveway could withstand the weight of the camper ? I appreciate there are other factors at play such as how they are laid etc

Thank you !

Hello, well well a question I can answer very professionally as I supplied porcelain for 30 odd years until recently when I retired.
So it’s all about the thickness of tiles, foundation and full bed fixing.
In short do it right and you can run a lorry on them. The answer on here would go on forever and it might be easier to talk it through. Would you like my phone number?
So you know my main project was supplying car corporates inc Merc and trucks, VW Group BMW Ford vans and many more.
Steve

 

[dunnah01]

Surely whichever pro installed the tiles wouldn't be making $h1t up when they said they would support 200psi

 

[Laughing Gravy]

Hello, well well a question I can answer very professionally as I supplied porcelain for 30 odd years until recently when I retired.
So it’s all about the thickness of tiles, foundation and full bed fixing.
In short do it right and you can run a lorry on them. The answer on here would go on forever and it might be easier to talk it through. Would you like my phone number?
So you know my main project was supplying car corporates inc Merc and trucks, VW Group BMW Ford vans and many more.
Steve

Thanks for the offer Steve, much appreciated, but I will say no thanks for now. We inherited the tiles as part of the purchase of the house and not sure how they were laid. I could take one up to have a look but it will open a further can of worms I am sure. At the end of the day (as many have said here) I will need to decide whether to take the risk. Tbh it’s not the end of the world if a couple of tiles crack !

 

[Tony50]

Thanks for the offer Steve, much appreciated, but I will say no thanks for now. We inherited the tiles as part of the purchase of the house and not sure how they were laid. I could take one up to have a look but it will open a further can of worms I am sure. At the end of the day (as many have said here) I will need to decide whether to take the risk. Tbh it’s not the end of the world if a couple of tiles crack !

As said try nothing to lose apart from a few cracked tiles, at least you can correct the base, good post though for anyone considering putting a base down for a motorhome on , I told my patio company who laid the patio down I wanted to put a Seven and half ton motorhome on it when actually I have a Three and a half ton, but who knows what I'll buy next.

 

[Peregrinator]

If laid on solid foundations then yes, if dab and dot, then no, also water & freezing temps will move or loosen dab and dot when driving on them.

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[Guigsy]

It is the strength, depth and ridgidness of what is underneath that will determine this. if you have at least 6 inches of solid concrete below and the tiles were laid on a screed then probably yes. But if the tiles were laid individually on a wiggle of adhesive then very likely no. That is my opinion.

Hardcore aggregate is also very good at distributing load. Hence it's use as the base for roads and rail. I don't think concrete is necessary.

 

[Plumberz]

Here is a an interesting question (for me anyway !) …

My campervan is around 2940kg (unloaded but full tank of fuel and one person)
Rear axle is 1260kg
Front Axle is 1660kg

My tyres are 60PSI each

My Porcelain tiles can withstand around 200IIbs per sq inch

Is there a way of estimating whether the porcelain tile driveway could withstand the weight of the camper ? I appreciate there are other factors at play such as how they are laid etc

Thank you !

Hi, my work van weighs 3.5t, drove on my sisters flagged driveway. Flags are 35mm thick and because not fully supported on a level base I cracked 2 of them cos of hollow spots.

 

[enark]

Replace your wheeled chassis for a tracked one, this will greatly reduce the pressure

such as

Mattracks | Rubber Track Conversions

Mattracks is the industry leader in manufacturing rubber track conversions for most 4x4 vehicles including ATVs, Side x Sides, SUVs, Trucks, Tractors and Heavy Equipment

www.mattracks.co

 

[on the hook]

Thanks for the offer Steve, much appreciated, but I will say no thanks for now. We inherited the tiles as part of the purchase of the house and not sure how they were laid. I could take one up to have a look but it will open a further can of worms I am sure. At the end of the day (as many have said here) I will need to decide whether to take the risk. Tbh it’s not the end of the world if a couple of tiles crack !

Be very careful, if the porcelain cracks and pops up it will slice the tyres. Have you some rubber Matt you could drive on just in case. At Mercedes trucks reception in MK HO we used the showroom tiles, 10mm and full bed fixing with a 75mm screed, I wrote the spec for it and they always parked the Lorrie’s on it. Good luck with it.

 

[AndyJL]

That one went over my head

He wants to point Percy at the porcelain…

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[stuartholmes]

If they're laid on a solid foundation, what would you need to break them? 0
I'm suspecting a jack hammer...

 

[white elephant]

If the tyres are at 60psi, that will be the average pressure applied to the tiles - so if they are rated to 200psi, it is a fair margin. While the van is moving the 60psi might be exceeded slightly.

However, I have just had to replace the porcelain tiles in our kitchen/diner which had cracked with only foot traffic! It does all depend on what the tiles were laid on. In my case we had inherited a floor with some areas where only five dabs of tile cement had been used and this was where breakages occurred.

Its a question of test it and see, tap to see(hear) if you have hollows under any one tile in question, lift a tile to inspect,be perpared to replace driveway. I think ericroy got it right. I have had ceramic tile in kitchen break under foot & block paving on drive sink were camper drives over. a bit late, I now use spread plates when I park on drive.

 

[dunnah01]

Drove onto a couple of long timber decking boards and the tiles will be fine

 

[BusyBuilder]

Did he do it then ???

Why on earth would he lay porcelain tiles on a drive ??

 

[Grummyb]

Now I realise this might be a bit of a stupid question and i havnt read the whole thread but why didn't the op ask the bloke who laid the drive if it would take the weight of van before he had it laid

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