Polytunnel path

Me and my wretched PT again!

I've at last got it built after several days walking about with a 2 inch thick layer of mud on my boots dodging showers of rain and hail.

I'm now thinking about how best to build a path from one door to the other.
I've really got two options. Duckboards - I've got enough wood to do it. Or chipped bark. I'm inclined to go for the bark as I reckon it would have a sponge effect when well hosed and would help keep up humidity in the summer.

BUT - is damp forest bark in a PT likely to become a breeding ground for nasty fungi and pests?

 

i cant remember what professional growers use, this would give you a clue, but id swerve the chipped bark, i dont think you need a sponge

 

Hi,
I used Bark chippings in our tunnel, and works ok.
I used tannalised 4x2 as edging,from door to door, fixing to wooden pegs driven into the ground
I put down some membrane then stapled this to the edges and put the chippings on top.
if you want to use the duck boards you have,then give them a good coat of preserver first.

 

I don't know how practical it would be for your poly tunnel but for a greenhouse I like a brick path with the bricks set so the frog (hollow) faces upwards. You can keep the bricks dry when its damp weather but fill them with water during a heatwave. If the bricks have a shallow frog one side and a deep one the other have the shallow side up as it's more comfortable to walk on.

 

I don't suppose paving slabs are an option?
we use them in ours as they are permanent,clean an smooth (though unless you can obtain used ones as we did, may be too expensive).Duckboards would be ok but can be slippery when wet

 

I like the bricks idea Frogesque but despite the fact that our son works in the local brick factory they would still work out a bit expensive.
I did give thought to slabs Strongylodon, but like you say - too expensive, though I am going to set a couple of slabs at each end of the tunnel under each door.
I think I'll stick with my initial thought and go for bark. It looks like the cheapest option by far and renewing it from time to time won't break the bank.
Many thanks everyone for your suggestions.

 

Another sugestion is gravel from a builders merchant. Same as Rossco's suggestion - wooden edging and - fabric underneath. Just a different filling.

 

20mm shingle over ground cover matting works well.

 

or even brick rubble rammed into the soil.(no cost? high labour)

 

whatever you put down, sooner or later you will inevitably spill something om it,soil/compost etc.

It could become a nice growing medium for weeds, moss etc or a breeding ground for pests warm, moist chipped bark sounds great for an insect habitat

It may be better to use raised beds and a ground cover everywhere else which is sweepable

 

Many thanks everyone.
I've just been browsing a catalogue from one of the DIY stores and have found that I can get 450x450x32 mm slabs for �£1.96 each which is a lot less expensive than I thought. It compares quite well with the cost of edging + membrane + 3 or 4 bags of bark. It should also last longer and involve a bit less digging.
Thanks again for taking the time to reply.

Dave