What Hardscapes do you have?

wis99ski · Post by **wis99ski** » October 26th, 2014, 6:04 pm

Well we mind as well get it started. What hardscapes have you guys done to enhance the look of your property? What future plans do you have? Would like to hear what everyone is doing. Thanks

HoosierLawnGnome · Post by **HoosierLawnGnome** » October 26th, 2014, 6:46 pm

I put in a lot of bullet edgers this year. I like them because they are easy to install and move as beds need expanded etc.

[ Post made via Android ]

wis99ski · Post by **wis99ski** » October 26th, 2014, 8:23 pm

The metal interlocking edging?

Sent from my iOS device using the Yard Help App

HoosierLawnGnome · Post by **HoosierLawnGnome** » October 26th, 2014, 8:48 pm

wis99ski wrote:The metal interlocking edging?

Sent from my iOS device using the Yard Help App

No, the brick kind, seen in the background of this pic:

BfranksATX · Post by **BfranksATX** » October 26th, 2014, 11:51 pm

I made this over the summer.

Raised beds are easier to plant in here due to the shallow soil and limestone.

ImageUploadedByYard Help1414381739.657020.jpg

ImageUploadedByYard Help1414381766.369204.jpg

ImageUploadedByYard Help1414381899.437308.jpg

tlinden · Post by **tlinden** » October 27th, 2014, 6:44 am

I have a real simple approach, rock edgers holding in white rocks along the house,
with pots of different color/size scattered throughout. The pots come up about 2
inches, enough to see the rim color.

The neat unexpected part about this is my wife planted zucchini and we got the best
crop of zucchini ever. They got water from the lawn sprinklers, were in daylight
almost all day, and the rock gravel kept them from decaying before they were ready
to pick.

wis99ski · Post by **wis99ski** » October 27th, 2014, 7:17 am

Bfranks thats a nice idea and looks great. Are you hoping for some shade as it matures?

Sent from my iOS device using the Yard Help App

BfranksATX · Post by **BfranksATX** » October 27th, 2014, 8:30 am

wis99ski wrote:Bfranks thats a nice idea and looks great. Are you hoping for some shade as it matures?

Sent from my iOS device using the Yard Help App

We made it more for privacy than shade. I'm on a corner lot with 4ft chain link so no privacy from the road or neighbors. It felt like a fish bowl sitting on our patio. There is some confederate jasmine on it that should fill out over the years.

HoosierLawnGnome · Post by **HoosierLawnGnome** » October 27th, 2014, 3:08 pm

confederate jasmine

My wife and I love the smell of confederate jasmine! If only it grew this far north...

I'm on a corner lot too - it's why we ended up installing a privacy fence, then bordering it with burning bushes, crepe mertyles, and a few coniferous trees in the side yard

BfranksATX · Post by **BfranksATX** » October 27th, 2014, 7:31 pm

HLG, it is a intoxicating smell. The little dude put out 1 flower this summer, but grew about 8ft. Next year will be nice.

Unfortunately due to HOA rules, 4ft fence is required. Everyone has red tips, wisteria, oleander, or vitex for privacy.

I ripped out some boxwoods and put in three vitex. I love them. I'm pruning them up into small trees.

ken-n-nancy · Post by **ken-n-nancy** » October 27th, 2014, 11:39 pm

We replaced the front walkway last year in conjunction with adding the porch on the front of the house. Photos of the walkway are below. The pavers are "Katahdin Stone" in "Riverbed" color by Genest of Maine. We laid the pavers in a custom random layout by following the tips at pavingexpert.com.

Edged the driveway and walkway with granite cobblestones (well, that's what everybody here calls them, but they're probably more accurately called setts or belgian blocks). We're pleased with how both of them turned out. We've since edged the flowerbeds with granite cobblestones -- they make a nice defined border and it's easy to mow the borders with the lawn mower wheels right on top of the cobblestones.

Might add more granite cobblestones next year to define the edge between the street and the lawn, but not sure we're up to the effort and expense for doing that for the entire street frontage. Did it this year for about 30' on one side of the driveway to see how it holds up. (More info on this at http://aroundtheyard.com/renovations/ke ... ml#p204025 .) The good news is that they're not difficult to get in this area -- after all, we do live in The Granite State.

(click to enlarge)

wis99ski · Post by **wis99ski** » October 29th, 2014, 10:44 pm

KnN they look great. I really like the idea of the Belgian border, adds a nice touch. Also probably protects the edge of the driveway from driving over it too. How much prep work was it laying the bed of pavers? I have about 50-60x 3' and was quoted around $7k for the job. Wow it's expensive, but sure does look nice. I have red brick that's starting to heave, I fixed a couple spots but it looks sloppy in spots.

Sent from my iOS device using the Yard Help App

ken-n-nancy · Post by **ken-n-nancy** » October 30th, 2014, 12:02 am

wis99ski wrote:... the Belgian border ... probably protects the edge of the driveway from driving over it too.

Absolutely. That was one of the reasons we wanted it there. We used to have crushed rock along the driveway to protect the edge, but that was a maintenance hassle. We love how the granite cobblestones came out.

This summer when we had two dump truck loads of loam/compost delivered for our lawn reno, the dump truck had to drive off the side of the driveway to get to the back yard. The granite cobblestones shifted due to the weight of the dump truck, but did their job in protecting the edge of the driveway from cracking or splitting. It was easy to re-adjust the cobblestones afterwards.

wis99ski wrote:How much prep work was it laying the bed of pavers?

We had professional help on the pavers -- they did the excavation, base prep, supplied all materials and tools, and basically did everything except for the layout of the pavers, which we did ourselves, since they didn't want to do the "random" layout. After we set the pavers where we wanted them, they added the polymeric sand. They also cut the granite cobblestones where needed for the curves.

wis99ski wrote:I have about 50-60x 3' and was quoted around $7k for the job.

Whoa! Do you mean you have about 150sqft to 180sqft? If so, that price seems way out of line. There's gotta' be a cheaper reputable contractor to do that work.

Our hardscape installer's rate was $16/sqft for the paver walkway, which included all base prep, installation, and materials for the curved walkway. Our walkway was 145sqft, which totaled $2320 installed. We paid an extra $590 for the granite cobblestone edging (includes materials and installation).

At the $16/sqft price we paid, your 180sqft walkway would cost only $2880! You could even save a lot off that price by doing it yourself.

We went for a 5' wide walkway, as we wanted it wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side, in order to provide assistance to somebody needing help walking. The wider walk looks stately, too.

A photo of the work in progress is below.

(click to enlarge)

wis99ski · Post by **wis99ski** » October 30th, 2014, 6:23 am

Thanks for the advice and tips. It's definitely on my list of things to do. I'd rather not pour concrete and have a stamped faux brick look. Which is also expensive too. I will defiantly keep shopping the idea. Good job with your projects it looks great.

Sent from my iOS device using the Yard Help App

wis99ski · Post by **wis99ski** » November 12th, 2014, 10:40 pm

Anyone planning any hardscapes for the spring? I'd like to do a dry stack around some of my beds close to the house. Anyone have this?

Sent from my iOS device using the Yard Help App

BfranksATX · Post by **BfranksATX** » November 13th, 2014, 1:10 pm

wis99ski wrote:Anyone planning any hardscapes for the spring? I'd like to do a dry stack around some of my beds close to the house. Anyone have this?

Sent from my iOS device using the Yard Help App

The raised bed I posted is a dry stacked 4x4 limestone block.

The most difficult part of doing a dry stack is getting the first course level and accounting for the variance between each block. If you use a pavestone type product you will have less variation between stones.

Use a crushed rock base that is tamped so the stone will not move with erosion. Also be sure the first course is at least halfway buried to provide stability for the additional courses.

wis99ski · Post by **wis99ski** » November 13th, 2014, 9:07 pm

That's nice, though a little too high or my application. I'm thinking of something like this
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2566/5814 ... 004f_z.jpg

Or this

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jVGnNKUuOjg/T ... 2%2529.JPG

Sent from my iOS device using the Yard Help App

BfranksATX · Post by **BfranksATX** » November 13th, 2014, 10:10 pm

wis99ski wrote:That's nice, though a little too high or my application. I'm thinking of something like this Yard Help App

Yeah, same concept no matter the height. First course half buried on a tamped crushed rock base. Stack it as high or low as you want.

dfw_pilot · Post by **dfw_pilot** » September 6th, 2015, 4:07 pm

Ken,
I'm dredging this back up to say what a fantastic job ya'll did renovating your curb appeal. The porch is really beautiful and the pavers add the perfect finishing touch. Save those photos for when it's time to call a real estate agent! Beautiful property.

ken-n-nancy · Post by **ken-n-nancy** » September 7th, 2015, 8:59 am

dfw_pilot wrote:Ken,
I'm dredging this back up to say what a fantastic job ya'll did renovating your curb appeal. ...

Thanks, dfw_pilot!

A year later, we've decided that the belgian blocks along the road have worked out well and we'd like to continue that for the rest of our road frontage, but that's going to be a lot of work. Maybe this fall?

aroundtheyard.com Forums

aroundtheyard.com Forums

What Hardscapes do you have?

What Hardscapes do you have?

Re: What Hardscapes do you have?

Re: What Hardscapes do you have?

Re: What Hardscapes do you have?

Re: What Hardscapes do you have?

Re: What Hardscapes do you have?

Re: What Hardscapes do you have?

Re: What Hardscapes do you have?

Re: What Hardscapes do you have?

Re: What Hardscapes do you have?

Re: What Hardscapes do you have?

Re: What Hardscapes do you have?

Re: What Hardscapes do you have?

Re: What Hardscapes do you have?

Re: What Hardscapes do you have?

Re: What Hardscapes do you have?

Re: What Hardscapes do you have?

Re: What Hardscapes do you have?

Wonderful Reno

Re: Wonderful Reno

Who is online