Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - My Patio Project
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Habs11
07-08-05, 09:42 AM
Well I have asked questions and provided some advice so now that I am done I figured I'd post results of what I did for anyone who cares.
I used Belgard tumbled pavers that measure 6 inches by eithor 3,6 or 9. Also I used 9 by 9. They are about 2.5 inches in depth. I have 525 square feet and I did round two corners and also rounded (semi circle) areound two basement windows. No I was not smart enough to order a couple circle units!!!!!
I hired a back-hoe to excavate 12 inches and an addition foot wider than my patio will be. Put in 3.5 inches of 1 inch crusher run first and tamped (with plate compactor from HD for $70 per day) and then 3.5 inches of 5/8 crusher run (way easier to use for leveling) tamped beyond belief. Next day screeded 1.5 inches of sand and layed the pavers (actually this took 2 full days). NOTE on the sand. My first patio project I used "stone dust" on teh base and it was easuer to work with... not sure if it was the humidity levels or what but the sand was a pain the screed. I used 3 pieces of eletrical conduit to screed and lay the pavers as i moved along. Next day i rented a wet saw for my cuts - lots of cuts because of the 4 semi circles of various sizes. Due to saw issues this took an entire day (I had to bring back two because they quit working). Next day i spept with polymeric sand and tamped again - did this twice and the pavers set up great. Wet the whole thing to set up the polymeric sand for about 2 hours and it's fantastic. Anyone doing these projects look into the polymuric sand it sets up like hard rubber and the spots where I had curves and cuts a few places there at 1/4 (even one 1/2) inch gap this stuff set up very nice.
Phase two in a fieldstone rock wall and arbor along with various landscaping around it.
If anyone has questions abou twhat I did let me know. It was a back breaker but I figure I saved about $2000 in labor and I'm so anal I'm certain I did a better job.
Phase three is a small water pond. Basicall I think a 25 - 40 gallon hole with a pump to have water fall over some rocks and into the hole (I'll purchase a basic pond kit for the pump and a unit for the hole)
I used Belgard tumbled pavers that measure 6 inches by eithor 3,6 or 9. Also I used 9 by 9. They are about 2.5 inches in depth. I have 525 square feet and I did round two corners and also rounded (semi circle) areound two basement windows. No I was not smart enough to order a couple circle units!!!!!
I hired a back-hoe to excavate 12 inches and an addition foot wider than my patio will be. Put in 3.5 inches of 1 inch crusher run first and tamped (with plate compactor from HD for $70 per day) and then 3.5 inches of 5/8 crusher run (way easier to use for leveling) tamped beyond belief. Next day screeded 1.5 inches of sand and layed the pavers (actually this took 2 full days). NOTE on the sand. My first patio project I used "stone dust" on teh base and it was easuer to work with... not sure if it was the humidity levels or what but the sand was a pain the screed. I used 3 pieces of eletrical conduit to screed and lay the pavers as i moved along. Next day i rented a wet saw for my cuts - lots of cuts because of the 4 semi circles of various sizes. Due to saw issues this took an entire day (I had to bring back two because they quit working). Next day i spept with polymeric sand and tamped again - did this twice and the pavers set up great. Wet the whole thing to set up the polymeric sand for about 2 hours and it's fantastic. Anyone doing these projects look into the polymuric sand it sets up like hard rubber and the spots where I had curves and cuts a few places there at 1/4 (even one 1/2) inch gap this stuff set up very nice.
Phase two in a fieldstone rock wall and arbor along with various landscaping around it.
If anyone has questions abou twhat I did let me know. It was a back breaker but I figure I saved about $2000 in labor and I'm so anal I'm certain I did a better job.
Phase three is a small water pond. Basicall I think a 25 - 40 gallon hole with a pump to have water fall over some rocks and into the hole (I'll purchase a basic pond kit for the pump and a unit for the hole)