new patio suggestions

[Brauma]

Re: new patio suggestions

Pavers. Yes, this is the direction I started in and its where Im starting to turn back towards. We still have room for a big patio. And I will lay it in pavers as time and $ allow. But for now, Im doing a small pad of concrete poured so I can build the kitchen on top. Then I'll go out from there.

Speaking of time. This is something I have precious little of. My kids are 5 & 2 and at 40 years old, Im back in college (night classes) finally finishing my degree. You might say Im burning the candle at both ends. And I feel it.

[Archena]

Re: new patio suggestions

Wow! Congrats on the family and the determination to return to school!

Of course, until you finish you may wanna consider a pea gravel patio - that way it's not so hard to fix when your 2 and 5 year old helpers decide to rearrange whatever you just did! And you won't have to pull bricks out of the flower bed as much...

[asudavew]

Re: new patio suggestions

Speaking of time. This is something I have precious little of. My kids are 5 & 2 and at 40 years old, Im back in college (night classes) finally finishing my degree. You might say Im burning the candle at both ends. And I feel it.

I feel ya.

I just graduated last year at age 36 while raising four children without a wife. Very little time left after work, study, chores, etc.

It's rough, but it was sure beneficial to my family. We went from poor(and I do mean poor) to middle class almost over night.
So keep after it! It pays off in the end.

[Unofornaio]

Re: new patio suggestions

Uno, I placed 6-8 inches gravel up retaining wall (not complete). Fabric acting as barrier to rocks and dirt. I have a perforated 3" solid tube along base of rock, several inches from wall and being covered by the rock (3/4"). I will get the tamber before competing more dirt. I have filled one foot of dirt so far, with 1ft. to 3ft. filling to go (depends on area of the slope). I was going to show some photos, but the digital memory card is full. Need to empty it to my Picasa2. If this gets done in time today, I will get a couple photos out tonight. Otherwise, snow expected tonight, showers for the morning. Photos may come later. I will likely tamp dirt Saturday. Your advice is greatly appreciated.

HOLD EVERYTHING I SAW THE PHOTOS

This wall is not going to hold the dirt. Those blocks are not made to be stacked straight up, for a retaining wall they must be racked back. The dirt will eventually push the wall and the fence over.. Get back to me with the manufacture.

If they are not Alan block check this site out anyway. Its explains how stacked retaining wall blocks are to be done. name.Residential Retaining Walls - Compaction

[Acoma]

Re: new patio suggestions

Uno, you reference a retaining wall system where it appears pins are used and the lip is up. My type of wall uses interlocking blocks with the 1/2" square lip is down. A slight back step occurs, 1/2" per lip. I talked with my neighbor, an engineer, whom has done his own retaining wall, as well as talking to the local distributor that sold them. Both said it is correct what I am doing. It appears by the photo that it is straight up or leaning to the fence. This is a perception that is not correct. They are coming back towards the area being filled. As you had said earlier, tamping is needed before total fill. I have 12-16" of fill and will tamp before continuing. Once complete, I will also use 1'2" rebar along the wall, every 4-5ft. to add extra insurance (running vertical). This should give complete compaction without wall failure. Let me know if you ever swing up this way, and I will show you if you wish. I think you said you were from Fresno area. I appreciate your concern towards the wall. I will update with another photo upon this wall being done. After that, all photos will be of the oven.

[Unofornaio]

Re: new patio suggestions

Just checking...

I didn't mean to imply that you do not know what you are doing and to those reading this, this goes for all of my posts. There is so much miss information given out these days starting from the supplier to the contractor and every Home Depot and Lowe's @#$#* in between. DIY related info has flooded the market which is a good thing for homeowners, unfortunately most of what is out there is watered down so badly or in many cases just plain WRONG.

So when I say stuff like that post please don't get offended who knows what you were told. In addition, this is a funny one, I recently worked on a house where the guy that did the retaining wall, since the customer wanted it straight up, cut every lip off and stacked them straight up. The homeowner said to me " yea, I really like the look of it that way instead of leaning back like in the brochure" and I was thinking "you better take a picture of it because its not gonna last"
I know I have a story for everything...sorry I just do, I have seen a LOT of strange stuff in my years..I feel like I should say "Sonny" at the end of that sentence. Sheeese I'm only 40 years old, as the aristocrats say " but I have an old soul" Thats what my friends tell me also, I think its just a polite was of telling me I'm boring..

The photo does look like they are straight up. Since they are racked back you should be good. I would defiantly add the rebar. Is there vertical rebar in the block already or is that where you are going to put it?

BTW what is that patio covered with? I cannot tell from the pic, what ever it is it looks very nice, I like it.

[Acoma]

Re: new patio suggestions

Pavers, and costly at that. As for the rebarb, they will go along the wall on the back (fence side). Uno, I absolutely agree with bad information. I spent many hours being sure of how to do the wall correctly, and have spent 40+ hours on it by my self so far. I read many conflicking methods, heard it too. The deck is a beauty, 12*34ft, with the edge of the patio by the courtyard being where my smoker, charcoal grill island will be. The deck looks out at the entire valley. This will hopefully be a very nice entertainment area for adults and the kids when done, likely 2 years.

[Archena]

Re: new patio suggestions

There's a retaining wall just down the street from my house. Straight as an arrow - if you don't count the fact that it's collapsing...

[Acoma]

Re: new patio suggestions

Ya, I have seen many questionable ones around town here.