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Stone Pavers Patio above grade. How to retain base? (Pics)
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Posted by fatlard Z5 CHICAGO (My Page) on Fri, Sep 14, 07 at 23:24
| Guys, I need your expert opinion. I had a pretty leveled patio installed with a gravel base with leveling sand on top. In order to get it leveled, the patio ended up 6-12 inches above grade in some areas and some areas below grade. I am concerned with the areas above grade. I do not want the sand to erode from rain or wind since it is pretty high above grade. Below are some pictures. What can I do to prevent the sand from running off and the patio falling apart? What should I tell the installers to do? Please so I would not lose sleep over this.
Pictures of the patio. The patio is 6-12 inches above grade
You can see the seat walls sit 8-10 inches above grade and sits on top of sand with edging installed.
Firepit sits on top of sand without edging
Closer look of seat walls
Areas of where gravel shows instead of sand
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RE: Stone Pavers Patio above grade. How to retain base? (Pics)
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I can't believe your installer did not put edging stone around! Highly unprofessional! I wouldn't think that would survive intact through the first winter. It's trickier to install edging stone AFTER the patio is installed, it should have been done at the time. Two choices that I can see:
- buy edging stone like large pieces of cut granite. Many cities use this kind of stone for curbs. It needs to go below ground level. I have a hard time seeing this work effectively unless you use VERY large pieces now. The problem is that years of water coming through the patio and frost heave will be pushing it out. It should have been installed with a deep foundation and probably mortared together. Might be too late. (your installer never thought of this???) - you may prefer to get a few loads of topsoil in and have a gentle slope from the patio to the lawn. It would probably be easier, and would nicely eliminate the step from the patio to the grass. To be effective and not look funny, it will have to be a small gradual slope, so you are probably looking at adding topsoil 8 feet or more from the edge of your patio. That is a lot of topsoil but I think would give you nice results. |
RE: Stone Pavers Patio above grade. How to retain base? (Pics)
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| I will most likely go with the top soil route. How much do you think it will cost in top soil? |
RE: Stone Pavers Patio above grade. How to retain base? (Pics)
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| Every area is different, $30 yard delivered here. Call to find out. |
RE: Stone Pavers Patio above grade. How to retain base? (Pics)
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| Cut and fill is landscape construction 101 your guy never took that course, obviously. This is a bad installation that no amount of top soil will cure. Somebody had to say it and I am sorry. It is easy peezy to throw those concrete pavers down and the guy now has your money too probably. You need to take it all up and do it properly or live with the consequences. |
RE: Stone Pavers Patio above grade. How to retain base? (Pics)
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- Posted by botann z8 SEof Seattle (My Page) on
Thu, Oct 11, 07 at 1:26
| It looks to me the plastic retaining edging has been installed and, if done right, will hold the pavers in place. Topsoil added around the perimeter will improve the situation and make a nice planting area. I like it. |
RE: Stone Pavers Patio above grade. How to retain base? (Pics)
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At this point forget about a retaining wall. My opinion would be to carefully remove some of the sand from the sides without loosing any under the base. From my opinion this should be screedings anyway, unless it is and I can't tell from the picture.
1. Remove sand from sides only be carefull not to loose the base under the edging.
2. replace with #8 stone fill around the perimiter while compacting by hand.
3. After getting to the point where the edging won't fall down and collapse, I would get a compactor and work from the outside in carefully.
4. With a remaining 4 inches from the top of the edging I would add topsoil and compact that also .
5. You will have to taper out for quite a distance, more than you think to make sure the topsoil won't erode.
6. Goodluck and a hardluck lesson learned. We all learn the hardway once in our lifetime. |
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