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Calling OT landscapers, DIY'ers & knowitalls (pics)

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  1. theredbaron theredbaron is offline

    Edmonton
    Canada

    Posts: 789
    Joined: Aug 07

    Jun 24th, 2011 (6/24/2011 5:14am)

    So I have this little section out back of my place where there was an impromptu patio installed. This was done before I moved by the previous owners. The so called patio basically consists of rows of sidewalk blocks that are poorly spaced. They are straight, but the gaps in between vary.
    [IMG]http://www.pocketfives.com/%20By%20maddbeatz%20at%202011-06-23[/IMG]
    Over the last few years with basically no upkeep, the grass has started to completely overgrow the blocks. I have a few issues with this as: I no longer have a patio, Looks like shit, and more grass to mow.
    [IMG]http://www.pocketfives.com/%20By%20maddbeatz%20at%202011-06-23[/IMG]
    Now since I dont really have money to build a proper deck or patio but I want to improve what I have, I am wondering what you would do? The key to this project is that it has to cost nearly zero. I have several other home improvements that cost money that are more of a priority.

    The way I see it I only have a couple of options. I can dig up all of the blocks and re seed it or sod it thus losing my patio. I can pull all the grass and weeds out like I did on the test blocks and go with what I have in place. This seems the most logical to me except that under the grass/weeds there is gravel and not just dirt. I dont want all the little rocks all over the place. I could leave the grass/weed in the cracks and just edge it nice and square. I could just pour weed killer over all the cracks and kill whats there and it will leave the gravel covered. So what would you do?
    IMG]http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/1712/patiopic3.jpg[/IMG]
    By maddbeatz at 2011-06-23

    [IMG]http://www.pocketfives.com/%20By%20maddbeatz%20at%202011-06-23[/IMG]
    Edited By: theredbaron Jun 24th, 2011 at 05:27 AM
     
  2. SlayNL SlayNL is offline

    Posts: 2,456
    Joined: Oct 10

    Jun 24th, 2011 (6/24/2011 5:22am) in reply to theredbaron

    The only thing you can do that costs "nearly zero" is rip up the pavers and put down new lawn...

    If you think you could pull it off, dig up the grass around the pavers and cement the gaps
  3. Cmoney3 Cmoney3 is offline

    United States

    Posts: 12,399
    Joined: Dec 05

    Jun 24th, 2011 (6/24/2011 5:35am) in reply to SlayNL

    that looks like shit. dig up those awful blocks that anyone should be ashamed to call a patio. lay some grass seed and ffs man, but a weed whacker.
  4. theredbaron theredbaron is offline

    Edmonton
    Canada

    Posts: 789
    Joined: Aug 07

    Jun 24th, 2011 (6/24/2011 5:43am) in reply to Cmoney3

     
    Originally Posted by Cmoney3 View Post

    that looks like shit. dig up those awful blocks that anyone should be ashamed to call a patio. lay some grass seed and ffs man, but a weed whacker.

    lol...my weedwacker crapped out on my a few weeks ago and havent gotten a new one. For what its worth those weeds are growing from my neighbors side of the fence though.

    I am not 100% convinced of digging it all up and laying seed/sod. It is kind of nice to have a pad of blocks for when I need to work on the lawnmower or whatever. I am thinking I might just pull all the grass and weed and live with the gravel.

    [IMG]http://www.pocketfives.com/%20By%20maddbeatz%20at%202011-06-23[/IMG]
     
    Thread Starter
  5. bluefront bluefront is offline

    FL
    United States

    Posts: 2,230
    Joined: Mar 07

    Jun 24th, 2011 (6/24/2011 6:12am) in reply to theredbaron

    if you arent building over it all; dig up stones, put in some new dirt and seed. easy game

    if you dont want to deal with it all, and/or deal with a wood deck whathaveyou, pour some cement in the new entire hole and have a slab
    Edited By: bluefront Jun 24th, 2011 at 06:14 AM
  6. dams dams is offline

    MA
    United States

    Posts: 9,501
    Joined: Oct 06

    Jun 24th, 2011 (6/24/2011 6:16am) in reply to theredbaron

    patio? more like rocks in lawn. "Yo dude, I'm thrownin a party on my rocks on lawn, we are also playing jenga."
  7. theredbaron theredbaron is offline

    Edmonton
    Canada

    Posts: 789
    Joined: Aug 07

    Jun 24th, 2011 (6/24/2011 6:30am) in reply to dams

    haha..very funny Dams. I know it looks like shit. I hadnt thought of the cement pad idea. I wonder how much that would cost? Might be worth looking into as I have heard of people getting cement poured for free from trucks that had too much for a given job and then the company needs a place to dump it at the end of the day.
     
    Thread Starter
  8. Johnny Slippy Johnny Slippy is offline Pudding Slut

    Philadelphia, PA
    United States

    Posts: 5,178
    Joined: Oct 06

    Jun 24th, 2011 (6/24/2011 6:44am) in reply to theredbaron

     
    Originally Posted by theredbaron View Post

    haha..very funny Dams. I know it looks like shit. I hadnt thought of the cement pad idea. I wonder how much that would cost? Might be worth looking into as I have heard of people getting cement poured for free from trucks that had too much for a given job and then the company needs a place to dump it at the end of the day.

    Yeah, but most drivers know vacant lots that are easier to lose the cement in, as opposed to trying to squeeze truck into yard, or wait for slow moving people to wheel it back into the yard. Too bad you're in Canada...I used to be a great landscaper...and yeah, that patio-type-thang has to go.
  9. Senescent Senescent is offline

    Iowa City, IA
    United States

    Posts: 195
    Joined: Sep 09

    Jun 24th, 2011 (6/24/2011 6:57am) in reply to Johnny Slippy

    If you want a patio, save up $150 and: http://extras.berkshireeagle.com/Neb.../concrete.html

    If not: dig out all the stones and throw down some seed or sod

    If you want to try to half-ass a patio with little or no money: save your quarters, someone already did it for you
  10. Popperhead Popperhead is online now

    Toronto
    Canada

    Posts: 13,085
    Joined: Jul 07

    Jun 24th, 2011 (6/24/2011 1:43pm) in reply to Senescent

    Get A couple rolls of sod to full patches left behind from the stones you already threw away

    Weed killer of some sort wouldnt hurt either
  11. HK_MP5N HK_MP5N is offline

    Posts: 9,389
    Joined: Jul 05

    Jun 24th, 2011 (6/24/2011 1:45pm) in reply to Popperhead

    Just contact Lefty man....

    /thread
  12. SmokeyCasinos SmokeyCasinos is offline

    CA
    United States

    Posts: 8,014
    Joined: Mar 06

    Jun 24th, 2011 (6/24/2011 2:23pm) in reply to HK_MP5N

    Mindfuck, if you look closely you can see a Troll Face.
  13. Jaybone2315 Jaybone2315 is offline Professional Couch Ruiner

    San Diego, CA
    United States

    Posts: 27,293
    Joined: Jul 06

    Jun 24th, 2011 (6/24/2011 2:39pm) in reply to SmokeyCasinos

    Seriously, any thing cheap that you do... will suck.

    That said, if you dont want to rip them up and lay grass, your only option is do clean them off, dig up in between them, and lay concrete in between. Just make sure you rip them all up, clean up the area, then re-lay the brinks more evenly. Then go grab some bags of quickcrete or whatever and call it a day. Like 100% chance the shit will eventually crack tho. So keep that in mind.
  14. LeftyMark LeftyMark is offline Boss of Birds

    MA
    United States

    Posts: 22,779
    Joined: Jan 07

    Jun 24th, 2011 (6/24/2011 3:26pm) in reply to Jaybone2315

    Make a fire pit.





    Then jump in.
  15. snaggs snaggs is offline

    Lancaster, PA
    United States

    Posts: 3,706
    Joined: Dec 06

    Jun 24th, 2011 (6/24/2011 4:16pm) in reply to LeftyMark

    I laid my own patio it's not that bad, you could dig up the pavers prep the land properly and relay them better than your predecessor. PM me if you want details.
     
  16. Willywoo Willywoo is offline

    Colorado Springs, CO
    United States

    Posts: 17,801
    Joined: Jan 06

    Jun 24th, 2011 (6/24/2011 4:28pm) in reply to snaggs

    What do you want to use that space for?

    Therein lies your answer.
  17. StlngMyChps StlngMyChps is offline

    Great Falls, MT
    United States

    Posts: 677
    Joined: Jul 06

    Jun 24th, 2011 (6/24/2011 11:46pm) in reply to snaggs

     
    Originally Posted by snaggs View Post

    I laid my own patio it's not that bad, you could dig up the pavers prep the land properly and relay them better than your predecessor. PM me if you want details.

    Exactly. Its not that hard to do. You could try and break them up and relay them in a pattern that isnt square. Something like this.

  18. tommpat2000 tommpat2000 is offline Chief Asshat

    Saint Paul, MN
    United States

    Posts: 13,498
    Joined: Apr 06

    Jun 25th, 2011 (6/25/2011 12:40am) in reply to StlngMyChps

    Don't know if anyone said yet, but you should dig deep, lay plastic then a little sand in anyplace

    Poke some holes in plastic for drainage ( nit just a wallmart bag but landscape shot store will have it)

    That's how you stop weeds and grass from growing over
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