Yeah, I was thinking the same thing about testing it small-scale first. I've learned the hard way that what seems logical on paper doesn't always pan out in practice... especially with DIY projects. When I did my patio last summer, I tried to save a bit by skipping some recommended prep steps—like compacting the base properly—and ended up with uneven slabs after just one winter. Lesson learned, haha.
The woven/non-woven combo does sound promising though. From what I've read, woven fabric is great for reinforcement and stability, but drainage can be an issue if water starts pooling underneath. Non-woven fabric seems like it'd help with that, but I'm wondering if layering them might trap moisture between the two fabrics? Could that potentially cause issues down the line?
Maybe spacing them out or staggering sections could help avoid trapping water... I'm not sure. Has anyone else tried something similar? It'd be interesting to see how it holds up over time. Either way, definitely agree with starting small and seeing how it goes before committing to the whole foundation—better safe than sorry when it comes to concrete work.
I've been wondering about that trapped moisture issue too. I haven't tried layering woven and non-woven myself, but when I laid down just woven fabric under a gravel walkway, I ended up with little puddles forming after heavy rains. It wasn't terrible, but it definitely made me think twice about drainage.
Maybe instead of stacking them directly, you could overlap the edges slightly or leave narrow gaps between sections? That way water might have a place to escape. Or perhaps perforating the woven layer in strategic spots could help with drainage without sacrificing strength?
Honestly, I'm just guessing here... Has anyone actually tested variations like this and seen how they hold up long-term? Would hate to put in all that effort only to redo it next season. DIY concrete is tricky enough without dealing with moisture issues later on.
I've dealt with similar drainage headaches before. A few quick thoughts:
- Perforating woven fabric can help, but don't overdo it or you'll lose strength.
- Slight overlaps or gaps between sections definitely improve drainage—tried this myself under a patio and it worked pretty well.
- Honestly, layering woven and non-woven seems unnecessary. One good-quality non-woven geotextile usually does the trick for drainage without puddling.
Just my two cents from past projects...
Good points, though I've found layering woven and non-woven can actually help in some tricky spots—especially if your soil has a lot of clay. But yeah, definitely agree on the overlaps... learned that one the hard way myself, haha.
Interesting you mention layering woven and non-woven—I've tried that myself on a small shed foundation. My soil's mostly clay too, and the first time I skipped proper overlaps, water pooled right under the slab edges. Had to redo half the thing next spring... not fun. Now I always overlap generously and alternate layers, and it's held up pretty well since. Definitely worth the extra effort upfront to avoid headaches later.
