I’ve searched everywhere. I’ve also ask the company responsible for the build and the video if they recall the block and told me it could potentially Terrace Wall by Beglard but I couldn’t find it. I love these block and would like to incorporate them.
Thank you in advance!
I am trying to figure out which layout would be better for a patio that I would like to build. Here is what my house and backyard currently look like as well as some ideas for how I might like for my patio to look. Which configuration should I go with house, patio, steps or house, steps, patio?
Have a handful of contractors using it and want honest feedback from operators before pushing on growth.
Outdoor contractor finishes a job, texts the address to us. We send a custom designed postcard with the project photo and the street name ("We just helped your neighbor on Maple Ave upgrade their patio.") and mail it to the houses on the same block. Similar idea to door hangers but without having to go door to door.
Built for any outdoor contractor where the next job could come from a neighbor and you don't like actually selling.
Open to any feedback - the concept, what's confusing, what would stop you from trying it or what you wish existed instead.
It's called Mail the Block if you want to look it up.
I am having a retaining wall built on my property next to my driveway. I was watching them install it today and they are running a perforated corrugated pipe behind the wall, laying a concrete and stone base under the modular block wall, but they did not use a sock on the corrugated pipe or lay any geowoven fabric between the dirt and and stone. The trench between the wall and the dirt is about 12-18inches wide and he is filling it all with large jagged stone. I’m reading some conflicting info about whether the fabric is needed because the trench is large and the wall is not that tall mostly 1-3 ft with a few sections at 4 ft. He laid some weed control fabric under the gravel path that will be next to part of the wall but he also didn’t lay any textile fabric on the piping for the French drain he installed so I’m concerned.
I asked him about it and he said the geotextile fabric is not necessary and he guarantees his work but what’s the verdict. Is he being lazy/cheap? So far he has been pretty easy to work with should I ask him to add the fabric, they are about halfway through building the wall so far.
Trying to get a pulse on what's actually working for hardscape contractors right now.
Where is most of your work coming from this year? Google, Facebook, referrals, door hangers, trucks and signage, something else?
I've been doing paver re-sanding for close to 10 years and I have never seen this. These are grey pavers with grey sand and just underneath the sand is a beige substance that is hard as a rock. There was only a small amount of grey sand, 1/4inch at most and it was incredibly difficult to power wash out. The beige stuff wouldn't come out. Is this resin sand?
I want to do this job correctly. Should I just get the grey sand out and sweep new over the beige?
I have a pile of paver scraps from a project I just finished. Not sure what to do with them besides throw them out. Any ideas?
I've officially stepped back from the edge
Just finished the hardscape for my very first aquascape aquarium and I’d love some honest feedback before I start planting.
Tank dimensions:
150 cm x 50 cm x 50 cm (~100 gal before substrate/hardscape displacement)
Concept:
I’m aiming for a nature-style / jungle-inspired aquascape with a strong triangular composition flowing from left to right. The goal is to create something dramatic but still natural and mature-looking over time.
What I’m unsure about:
- Does the composition feel balanced?
- Are the proportions between stone/wood/sand working?
- Is the negative space on the right too empty or just enough?
- Do the stones look natural in placement and scale?
- Any recommendations before I glue/finalize everything?
This is my first aquarium ever, so I’m trying to learn as much as possible and avoid mistakes before planting.
Be brutally honest — I’d rather fix mistakes now before planting begins.
I’m redoing a small backyard patio myself and I’m getting confused about how to properly slope/pitch the base for drainage.
The patio area is about 12’x12’. I’m pulling up the old pavers, re-leveling the base, and installing new 16"x16" pavers. I understand the patio needs to slope away from the house, and I keep seeing people say to do about 1/8”–1/4” drop per foot.
Where I’m getting confused is the actual string line setup and measuring process.
I’ve seen tutorials where people:
or
run a string from one side to the other and manually move the string or stake down to create the slope but I'm not comprehending how that translates to the actually ground (please ignore my ignorance)
But I don’t really understand:
Can someone explain this in “idiot proof” terms or point me toward a tutorial that really breaks down the setup step-by-step? Most videos seem to skip over the actual measuring part and just say “make sure it slopes away from the house.”
I think I’m overcomplicating it in my head but I want to get the drainage right before laying the pavers.
A few months ago I posted about these steps. The advice seemed to be to just redo the whole thing. The guy I usually use was pretty expensive. I got a second quote and really vibed with the guy. Licensed and insured. Seemed confident. Pictures looked good. He came in below my other guys quote, to the point that even my guy said I should go with the other contractor (he looked online and said things looked good). Well we're 5 days into a supposedly 5 day project and here's where we're at.
The space under the front door was empty when he removed the slab. He said there was nothing supporting the concrete, no rebar no nothing. So it looks like the original contractor was subpar. Originally he said he would float a slab but reinforce with rebar and netting. Then on day 2 or 3 he said he was going to fill with a compacted base and started throwing in old bricks and broken up concrete (even if they fill with gravel and compact, won't that shift over time).
The design is platform on top with pavers. 5 bluestone steps down. Another large rectangular paver pad at the bottom of the steps. Another step or 2 down to the right. and then pavers to the driveway. Please help me understand what I'm seeing here. It doesn't look right to me.
I'm ready to be roasted
I have a stamped concrete patio that's about 5 years old. Still looks great. We are looking to expand this patio to about double the size. We want a uniform, continuous look, so my plan was to replicate the same stamp pattern and color for the new section (I understand color match may not be perfect). Strong feedback from one contractor is that we should do pavers instead of concrete... Basically said why do more concrete when you know it will crack down the road? Looking for advice on what we should do. Thanks.
Hey guys, the front walkway area of my house is in major need of some TLC! I was wondering if anyone had any ideas of how I could DIY it, for not too expensive, and have it come out looking nice. Thanks in advance!
Bc I made such a big stink yesterday, I figured I would update the project to the end. I'm Not as worried after today. Thanks for all the responses, which did vary with opinions from good to bad
We’ve had these flagstones since we bought the house. Honestly I had no idea how nice they were. Power washed them today and did a path with them. Can’t believe I had them buried under gravel.
Getting hammered lately, clients want an estimate in 2 days and now they want a picture of what its gonna look like too. used to just be a price and some past job pics. anyone else feeling this or is it just my market
1" depth of construction sand is the bedding layers. 3/4" clean gravel will go between the pavers. This means the gravel will go on top of the sand
Concerns:
Rain may washout the sand beneath the pavers, causing them to sink. I don't live in a rain heavy climate.
The sand will bubble up through the clean gravel and be visible on the surface.
Are these valid concerns?
Possible solutions:
Leave as is. Place the gravel on the sand.
Scoop out the sand in the gaps, fill with gravel.
Scoop out the sand, fill with polymeric sand.
Place strips of geotex fabric to minimize mixing.
Other options?
Looking for opinions, especially from those who have had installed or installed themselves this style of patio previously. Thank you!
I had Site Prep come out and prepare a base for a paver patio. I’m in OH with heavy clay soil. I assumed they were laying down geotextile fabric before the aggregate based on their website saying they always do that for shed bases (if you’re doing it for a shed why would you not do it for a paver patio?) but besides the point that’s my own fault for not getting it in writing.
They put down between 4-6 inches of aggregate with fines and now I’m having second thoughts if I should rent a skid steer rip it up and go with a 6-8 inch permeable base with geotextile fabric instead of the closed base they put down.
I obviously want it done right and don’t want it to start falling apart 5 years from now. Curious to hear opinions
I have an approximately 600 sq foot concrete patio that’s in fairly good shape. I want to do a paver overlay. The pavers I like are standard 60mm hexagon (yes lots of cuts) from belgard. My plan is to fix a perimeter 6x9 soldier perimeter using mortar. The field I’m planning to place a non woven geo textile fabric followed by 3/4 in sand bed. I am using mortar on the perimeter so I can adjust for the height difference of 3/4 inch. Would this application work? No freeze thaw SoCal.last photo is AI render
This would be 15ft x 15ft patio. We are thinking of building a fire pit here but does it seem too close to the fence? City regulations say it needs to be 20ft from structures and 10ft from property line so it would be all those requirements but worry it might be too close to the fence.
Would it be better to place of off to the other side in the second picture?