My summer project

[tbellemare]

We only had a few days actually over 100 degrees this summer, though the heat index was well over most of the summer. So, my honey had me making a new patio. The previous owner had laid down flagstone and then it looked like poured some concrete with real small aggregate in between. It appeared that that was done dry and then wetted. There were some French doors added by them also that were done pretty poorly and the stoop was railroad ties surrounding a mas of sand and the same flagstone treatment on top.

Anyway, it all looked pretty crappy and the railroad ties had to go. So I took all of that junk out, reused the flagstones around back, up on a cliff. The cliff is there because they had to cut out a flat spot from the hill that is this property.

After I moved all that stone to the back, I had to do some excavation to make a proper stoop and generally lower the whole area. I wanted to make it Tejas black gravel and Blanco (white) limestone. I first stained all of the foundation, sidewalk and existing concrete stoop (the other front door) using Cola colored KEMIKO acid stain. I thought it went real well with the stone on the house.

I also made a form, put in some remesh, and mixed 18 80-lb. bags of Quikrete to make a foundation slab for my new stoop.

Tools used so far: several Bully Tools, a cheap wheelbarrow, plus KAPEX, TS 55 & T 15 +3 for the forms.

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Next, I laid cinder blocks to get the height I needed to get up to the door.

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I then surrounded the blocks with 2 rows of limestone chop.

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So then, I capped the whole thing with 3 2'x4' limestone slabs and grouted between them. After the grout cured, I took out the Rotex 150 and went to town in gear driven mode. It cleaned it all up likety split.

The stoop was a little too high for only one step so I took more of the 2'x4' limestone slabs and made a pad in front of it, sort of like another step. I used broken pieces (most of the pallet was broken pieces) as a walkway and spread Tejas black gravel all around. Oh, I also laid down landscaping fabric.

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I like it but more importantly, Veronica likes it.

Now I'm working on the back...

Tom

 

[atomicmike]

That's some great looking work, Tom! It gives me a few ideas for my own front steps, which are in desperate need of replacement, even though they're only a few years old. Whoever put them in apparently didn't own a level or tape measure, since each step leans to one side or the other, and the rise and run of every step is different.  [scared]

- Mike

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

That's some great looking work, Tom! It gives me a few ideas for my own front steps, which are in desperate need of replacement, even though they're only a few years old. Whoever put them in apparently didn't own a level or tape measure, since each step leans to one side or the other, and the rise and run of every step is different.  [scared]

- Mike

Stamped concrete is the way to go.

 

[Neill]

Tom,

I think we spoke about this project earlier this summer.  I am glad that you were able to get 'er done.

It looks great.  I, for one, am big on contrasting materials and colors.  Love the look with the black gravel.  Are your plans for the backyard similar?

Neill

 

[tbellemare]

Thanks, Mike. What Warner says has a lot of merit. I used this method because it was cost effective. I work alone and needed a way to do things that I could do alone. 18 bags, one after the other in a wheelbarrow, isn't any fun.

The back is somewhat similar but different, Neill. I'm carrying the Cola colored stain around the house because I think it really goes well with the stone veneer. Just outside the curved sidewalk, I'm changing gravel to one called "Comanche" and it will wrap all around the house to include my project in back. Comanche looks a lot like the stone on the house and is pretty cost effective.

I already stained the concrete, did some excavation (I mean with mattock and shovels), poured 17 bags of Quikrete, and have begun to set limestone chop but got interrupted by some weather caused by our second tropical system of the year. Darn, I wasn't able to go out and sweat my typical several gallons last weekend and had to watch it rain from the air conditioning...

The city of Austin is giving out cash to people that convert turf to permeable hardscape. That isn't why we're doing this but it helps defray the expense. We've had too many droughts in the past few years to continue to try to maintain much grass. The city owns the water utility and would rather pay people to convert to less water intensive yards than they would build more pumping stations. I think they are acting rationally.

There are a lot of similar things that could be done but corporate interest generally gets in the way. For instance, the electric utility here is also owned by the city. They are about to have to build a new power plant because of the influx of new people. Instead of a power plant, they could put solar panels on everybody's roof that would participate and give them a discount for the participation. But I digress...

Tom

 

[Neill]

Tom,

In respect to the water company trying to reduce usage, here's a story for you.

The City of Denver has been rationing summer lawn sprinkling to every other day based upon your house number.  In addition, they have requested that residents conserve in other ways such as xeriscaping.

Well the people of Denver did such a good job that water Department revenues dropped substantially.  The result, an increase in water rates.

Neill

 

[DavidCBaker]

It looks very nice, Tom. There's a sophisticated look to it now.

Too bad you don't have young kids at home to do the manual labor. That's what I miss the most about our kids being grown and gone. ;D

 

[tbellemare]

Neill, it's always something...

Here, over the past couple of years prior to this "wet" year, there have been similar conservation measures. We had 3 dry years in a row and the city got a little crazy. They first started an every other day watering schedule then every fifth day. They even made it illegal for restaurants to give patrons water unless they asked for it. This summer, I watered once. I haven't used any fertilizer (I just mulch EVERYTHING except big branches) or pesticide for 10 years and water very little. My grass looks as good as the neighbors, who have Chemlawn people out all the time.

I think people are just in the habit of aggressive consumption. It really isn't necessary to achieve similar results.

My conversion to hardscape is based on two things - I like the look and I like the lower maintenance. The water usage factor is just icing on the cake. For the city to chip in, is sprinkles on the icing.

Tom

BTW: It was so bad a couple of years ago that our annual rainfall was only about 16 inches. An average year is about 32. Also, during the 16 inch year, 12 of it fell in February.

 

[tbellemare]

Thanks, David!

I needed the exercise anyway...

Tom