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Pouring large concrete 'stones' in place
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Posted by chefgordon California (My Page) on Fri, Jun 12, 09 at 17:30
I have a small to medium lawn in my back yard that I am eliminating, due in part to drought considerations and in part to a dislike for lawns. I'm thinking of covering the area with large flat concrete "stones" (maybe roughly 3 to 4 feet in diameter, though not exactly circular) which I hope to pour in place so that the tops of them are at the same level as the lawn currently is. (Obviously, something that size would be difficult to pour elsewhere and move into place.) I'll leave significant seams of dirt between these stones and plant them with low-growing thyme and/or mint. I need to be able to water the area occasionally and have the water soak in, as it will cover a substantial portion of the roots of a large birch tree.
Has anyone done something similar to this? The main questions that have occurred to me are:
- how to prepare the soil -- obviously, I'll need to remove soil to make room for the concrete, but how deep should I go and what, if anything, should I put in the bottom before adding the concrete?
- how to create a form for the concrete -- I want the stones to have vertical sides so the edges won't be weak and crumble or break. I'm thinking that I might use that plastic lawn edging material (basically fake bender board), put concrete release on the inside surface of it, and hold it in place with stakes around the outside of it while the concrete sets and cures.
- whether this is a dumb idea for reasons that are not apparent to someone who has not done a lot of concrete work.
I hope this is an appropriate forum to which to post this question, as I'm a GardenWeb newbie. Thanks for any advice you can give. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Pouring large concrete 'stones' in place
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| I think you are right on track. The only other item I would mention is support within the concrete... You can cut up chicken wire or some such wire and place in the concrete for support so it doesn't crack when stepped on. So I would pour some concrete in your hole, smooth out a bit then place wire on top of the cement and then pour the rest to fill. |
RE: Pouring large concrete 'stones' in place
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You didn't mention where you lived, important to know because if you live in colder climates as you'll have to go deaper to avoid heaving when the ground freezes. In warmer climates dig down 6", compact, lay down gravel compact to 2" then pour up 4" of concrete. You might get away with 3" with reinforcement, but when you compromise you run the risk of failure.
May I suggest mixing in concrete stain for coloring, go to a supplier even ACE Hardware or the internet instead of the fruity colors that Home Depot carries. Also instead of using that garden fiber board which really isn't that flexible try making a metal form for a more natural irregular shape, also stones bigger than 3 feet will not look that natural in my opinion. Also don't worry so much about having straight verticle edges, real stones don't and you're going to fill the gaps with soil and vegetation that will hide a lot of your sins. Lastly, you cannot just pour the concrete over the roots. They will continue to grow and lift and crack the patio. You may be able to just cut them out if they're in the way but an arborist would be the best to ask, as you could injure or kill the tree if done incorrectly. Weakened trees can topple over in storms; improperly trimmed trees can contract diseases. |
RE: Pouring large concrete 'stones' in place
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Hi Chefgordon,
You live in California, I live in NY State and zone 5a.
I did not make such large concrete stones, only 1x2 ft stones as an informal walkway in the lawn. Since they are not as large as yours, are set in sandy soil, I did not think I needed chicken wire for reinforcement. I dug 2 to 3 inch deep flat holes in the lawn with a sharp spade, and filled them with a slightly colored concrete mix. I did not use any edging, but smoothened the corners. When nearly set, I shaped the surface to look like natural stones. My stones have endured the harsh winters here for more than
10 years without damage. Bernd |
RE: Pouring large concrete 'stones' in place
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RE: Pouring large concrete 'stones' in place
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