Is it OK to Drive Over A Garden Hose?

Homeowners often find that they have watering needs across a road or driveway from their water source.    A garden hose you can drive over repeatedly might be what they are looking for. You might be wondering, are there garden hoses that are ok to drive over?

The bad news?  You really should avoid driving over a garden hose repeatedly if you want your garden hose to last.   The good news?  There are some fairly easy, inexpensive solutions that will likely achieve the result you’re looking for.

In this article, you’ll learn about those solutions.  And if, for whatever reason, you really just need a garden hose that will stand up to the weight of a vehicle?  We’ll give you some suggestions for a garden hose you can drive over. 

Is there Such a Thing as a Crush Proof Garden Hose?

The short answer: No    

Regardless of the hose, if you compare one you’ve driven over every day for a year to the exact same hose that you store on a garden hose reel, the hose that hasn’t been driven over is going to be in better shape.  .  

Garden hoses are usually made of rubber or vinyl.  Sometimes it’s a hybrid of the two or a similar polymer created by the manufacturer.   

Regardless of the material, if you leave a garden hose out, exposed to the elements and drive over it constantly, it’s going to eventually crack the lining of the hose causing it to leak. 

This is partly why we take the time & energy to bury municipal water pipes under cement instead of simply running rubber hoses all over the city. 

On the other hand, does that mean that driving over your hose once is going to ruin it? Of course not.   All garden hoses, including the cheapest hoses on the market, can withstand a modest amount vehicle traffic. 

What to do if you need to Run Water Across a Road for Frequent Use

This really depends on how often you consider frequent and what kind of road you’re laying it down on.

Are you running this across a private road that’s only driven on a few times per week or less? Or is it going across your main driveway that driven on several times per day?

Is it a public road? 

Is it a dirt, gravel or paved road?

These are all factors that could influence your solution.

The Easy, Catch All, Inexpensive Solution

If you’re not too concerned about aesthetics, you can run out to your local hardware store and buy a 2 x 4″ piece of wood long enough to span the width of your driveway.

Use some masking or electrical tape to mount your garden hose onto the 2″ face of the 2 x 4″ and lay it down across your driveway.

Now when you drive over your hose, the 2 x 4″ will prevent your vehicle from pinching the garden hose when it’s driven over. 

The Easy,  Expensive Solution (That Looks Better)

Maybe you run your garden hose across a a driveway that gets more traffic from visitors.

Or maybe you just don’t like the look & feel of a 2 x 4″ laying down in the middle of your property.

You could use a cable protector speed bump.  With 1.25″ x 1.25″ channel grooves, you should have no problem running a standard size garden hose through this one:

For Infrequent or Moderate Traffic on A Garden Hose

Maybe you’re running your garden hose over a part driveway that gets infrequent traffic.

Or maybe you you’re laying it on a road made of soft dirt that will reduce the pinch your garden hose experiences when you drive over it.

In some cases like this, you may be fine to just buy a cheap garden hose and replace it as needed.   We’ve found this to be the best of the inexpensive variety, and a good garden hose you can drive over:

If you choose this method, be mindful of the elements.   

Constant exposure to extreme weather conditions, both hot and cold, can also reduce the life of your garden hose if left exposed for long periods of time.  

The sun will dry out your garden hose over time so that when you do drive over it, it can cause more damage.  In stead of springing back to its original shape, it will crack and leak. 

If you are experiencing conditions like this,  you might want to store it temporarily on a garden hose reel under an awning or in your garage. 

If you are keeping the hose full of water, that could work in your favor in some ways. The PSI running through the hose sits at around 50 PSI in most homes.   That’s a higher PSI in most vehicle tires, which means that the hose won’t pinch when you drive over it. 

However, If you plan to constantly be running water through the hose across your driveway, that comes with a different set of concerns when it comes to hose durability.  Our article on water hoses that can withstand constant pressure might be a useful read for you. 

Can a Metal Garden Hose be Driven Over?

It may be easy to rationalize buying a metal hose when choosing a garden hose you can drive over.

After-all metal is stronger than rubber or vinyl, right?

In some cases, yes.  But not in this case.     

A metal hose doesn’t have the same spring-back effect that a rubber or vinyl hose does.  When you drive over it, even a handful of times, it will flatten out.

This will prevent water flow and eventually cause the hose to crack and leak.

Another problem with metal hoses is that they are prone to rust.   If you lay it down over a paved driveway, that rust could stain your driveway permanently.

Other Cautions to Take

1. Don’t Drive Over Metal Fittings – The rubber and vinyl in your garden hose will spring back after being driven over moderately.   The metal components will not. If you’re here because you’ve already done that, here’s a video that can help you repair the damaged fittings:

• 2. Avoid Rocky Gravel –  Sharp granite pebbles that some constitute some driveways will wreak havoc on your garden hose if driven over.  If you’re laying your hose on such a driveway, consider protecting it with one of the above methods

• 3. Public Roads – Before you run a water hose over a public road, you should check with your municipality.  There might be unique circumstances where they will allow it, but in general, it’s not recommended. 

Conclusion

In general, yes it’s ok to drive over a garden hose. You’re not going to ruin it by driving over it every so often. That being said, try to avoid it if you can. Driving over a garden hose repeatedly will diminish the life of the hose.

And certainly avoid driving over the metal fittings of the hose or driving over it if there are sharp rocks underneath it. Doing either of those just once could render the hose useless.