Garden hose protector over road

[Wayne02]

I live on a narrow single lane, dead end, private road. There are only three properties downstream from me so there is very little "traffic" on the road.

During the summer I need to water a row of trees across this road that parallel my far property line. I have been just laying a garden hose across the road but of course over time it gets punctured from the cars going over it.

At one time I thought I saw a device that could be laid over a hose to protect it from damage. A plastic thing kind of like a mini speed bump that just covers the hose where it goes across the road.

Anybody know of such a device?

[Wisconsin Ann]

I think what you're looking for is called a "hose ramp". Usually made from recycled rubber. They're pretty expensive, as I recall.

We just use a couple of 2x4s....one on either side of the hose and taped to the hose. or I suppose you could nail a cross piece from one 2x4 to the other.

To make it a smooth "bump" and easier on tires, just rip one side of each 2x4 at a 45degree or so angle.

[Common Tator]

Take a 2 X 4 and slice it diagonally along the edge, so that the tall sides are placed on either side of the hose, and the short ends point away from the hose. This forms a little ramp up and over the hose and down again. Every few feet duct tape the ramp and hose together so that they work as one unit. You might even want to tape the length of it so that the tape takes the road abuse and protects the hose.

[Wayne02]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, "hose ramp" is the search term I should have been using and it turned up all kinds of hose ramps from recycled rubber to aluminum to polymer, all of them relatively expensive at around $100. Pricing the aluminum to make it myself was also pretty expensive.

I may try the 2x4 idea as it would certainly be less expensive. I'll probably have to bridge the two pieces together at the end and stake them in the gravel beside the pavement, as I suspect even with a 45 degree angle the car tires will 'push' the assembly somewhat. That would of course also rub the hose on the pavement in the process.

I'm wondering about being able to use an 8' long piece of old fire hose and just slip over the garden hose where it crosses the road. Fire hose should be pretty abrasion resistant I would think. This would not prevent the car tires from squishing the hose but the failures I've been having are from abrasion against the asphalt which opens a pin hole in the hose.

I'm kind of wanting to do the 2x4 deal just to see what the neighbors think of my ghetto hose ramp... Ha!

[CIW]

Wayne,
I did like Ann has illustrated then split a piece of fire hose and stapled it across the top. Been using that for many years.

[Wisconsin Ann]

Fire hose over the top...what a GREAT idea! <ann goes off to find some replaced fire hose>

[Bear]

How about finding an old steel pipe that the hose will fit thru and laying it across the road. You'll have to secure both ends with something like rebar or angel iron because the vehicles tires will push the pipe around.

[agmantoo]

Is there no culvert in the road that you can stick the hose through?

[PD-Riverman]

I just dug a few inches down--across the drive and put in a piece of 4" pvc pipe and ran my hose through the pipe when I needed to. If you can't dig down and bury a sch40pvc or steel pipe then why not go in the air-----I am thinking something 12 to 15ft tall wider than the drive-------Like 2 telephone or steel poles, one on each side of the road with a 3rd one across the top, then run the pipe/hose up and across the road! Or a high cable between two trees one on each side the road and strap a garden hose to the cable.

[Wolf mom]

I did what PD-Riverman wrote. dug a little ditch, laid a piece of black PVC pipe & threaded the hose through it. Did that by taping the hose to a skinny white PVC pipe. It's covered with dirt & gravel

I did this to go under my driveway. I fancied it up a bit as the land slopes, I put a rubber sleeve on the upper end and attached an elbow of black pipe so the water & dirt wouldn't flo through it & maybe clog it.

I also use the same pipe in the winter to run an extention cord when necessary.

Never thought about the 2 x 4's. Good idea. This is more permanent though.

[Jalopy]

I've used a 1 1/4 Id used steel pipe to run a black plastic through when I had to get water across a gateway and it held up for a number of years with field tractor traffic.