Archive for July, 2008

Paving as Lawn

Posted by admin on Jul 30 2008 | general

Naturally, a primary consideration returns to the ever-present issue of a good sub base below.  Bearing in mid most grass roots will literally firm soil up, the compaction levels necessary for pavers alone decrease just enough to consider the fact that the roots of grasses can replace a few percentage points of compaction.  We would still use a base material and compact it as much as possible.

Yet, what might lessen the impact for grass roots seeking a purchase would be the replacement of base rock with a washed sand product, every bit as compact able yet more root-friendly.  The grids and products are installed just like any other paving material, and are graded appropriately, and the driving surface becomes every bit as strong and solid as any other base. Just add grass and tell everybody to “Park on the Grass!”

More about lawns in our sister blog: Lawns Hub

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Concrete and Masonry Cut-Off Saw

Posted by admin on Jul 24 2008 | paving machinary

This beastly baby is a driveway and paving contractor’s best friend.  Powered by a gasoline and oil mix, it has the portability and the power to cut through any asphalt surface from asphalt to dense concrete in any form, poured or pavers.  It utilizes either a diamond blade or a relatively disposable asbestos or composite one, “disposable” because they lose the cutting edge in a faster time than the diamond blades. But they are also cheaper, so there is a trade off.
These little workhorses can run wet or dry.  By “wet”, I mean they most always have a connection device to attach a garden hose or some water supply.  Failing that, one can literally carry a hose in hand and water while cutting or have someone else handle the hose.  The reason this is a good idea is owing to the tremendous amount of pulverized dust these machines create.  It can be pretty amazing.  You look over and there is Kenny, lost in some uber-dusty fog, ripping and snorting on his bad machine, lol.  This machine can prove the adage of “The bigger the boy, the bigger the toy!”  While they require some getting used to, plus involve the back in a huge way by the posture required, they are a fast an totally efficient and versatile machine.
Inasmuch as this workhorse has a virtual open blade, needless to say safety concerns are huge.  Gloves, masks and eye protection are not optional, and I would also suggest protecting the ears from the noise level as well. Nasty little suckers, all in all, but a real indispensable buddy out in the field.
Click for full details at Amazon.com

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making curving paver sidewalks

Posted by admin on Jul 18 2008 | design elements

One of the very coolest-looking ways of using pavers is in the construction of sidewalks.  It is entirely possible to make an undulating, curving walkway out of even the most uncompromisingly straight paving blocks.One can see from the pictures above that a curved line is a most doable and attractive thing in a landscape.
Making curving paver sidewalks is actually not as hard as it might appear.  Generally, of course, being a contractor means I have to cut a lot of pavers to conform to any sort of curve.  Now, having said this. one can tweak and bend pavers by spacing without creating too much of a gap.  There is just this vague but obvious limit on how much space to leave between them.  The rule of thumb is not to exceed 1/4 inch, but that is a contractor’s statement. For us, the general demand is pretty steep.  For a homeowner, I would imagine there is a much larger tolerance, and many of these still look terrific.
Generally, I typically lay out the pavers beyond the lines to be cut, then scribe in a crayola-inscribed line often using irrigation pipe to form a smooth and consistent curve to where I want it, using the pipe held in place above the surface to trace alongside of.  We then go to our saw or guillotine cutter and cut along the line.  Amazingly excellent curves can have a series of very straight lines and still look positively curvy.  A look at the pictures here can prove this.  All of these examples were cut in this manner.

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asphalt paving

Posted by admin on Jul 12 2008 | paving materials

Asphalt paving is a very typical pavement surface of a tough and relatively durable nature that spreads easily and quickly and solves any number of specific driveway problems.  Particularly where cost is an issue, asphalt paving is one of the better solutions.  Long winding driveways for example can be cost-prohibitive when finished with concrete or brick pavers.  Asphalt can provide a pretty expedient and less costly solution in a fraction of the time. Finishing a 2 or 3 inch spread of compacted asphalt can cover an enormous amount of space in a pretty fast window of time.
The disadvantages of asphalt are in its durability over the long haul.  However, having said that, few items are easier to repair, nor is it particularly costly doing so.  Asphalt also has a flexibility that concrete lacks, thus allowing some alterations in grade or compaction problems underneath more leeway in determining the lifetime of a driveway. Where concrete literally breaks and sometimes even flakes away and deteriorates over time and exposure, asphalt remains pretty sturdy owing to this flexibility.  Still and all, asphalt requires the same attention to sub grade compaction and requires the same necessary materials composing an adequate and professional sub grade as any other product.  And maybe even more so.
Continual stress from heaving and sinking can alter the composition of asphalt to the extent that it will also break up into sections. When asphalt loses it monolithic element, it then is far more easily pulverized and broken up than concrete.

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Using Large Pavers

Posted by admin on Jul 07 2008 | general

One of the recent technological improvements in cement technology is the manufacturing of larger “pavers”, up to 2 feet square.  Compressed just as well as their smaller brick paver cousins and as highly PSI-rated, these gorgeous stones can be used in a wide variety of ways. Their potential in a landscape is endless. They are road worthy to a degree, provided the base beneath them is properly done.  Owing to their size, some rocking and thus breakage may occur when the base beneath them gives. As always, but even more so in this case, the sub grade work requires a definite level of professionalism.
Included here we have a picture of a walkway/patio where we used the larger units to provide an access to the water feature and lower lawn areas.  We cut the 2 x 2 stones in half to allow an interesting separation as a design feature, then filling the spaces with Thyme, a nice-smelling and gorgeous flowering ground cover which filled in nicely and smelled terrific, year round.
For patios, walks and even driveways, the ease of installation means a more rapid conclusion as well.  These large flat stones have abundant purposes and look marvelous in any application.

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Resin Bound Paving

Posted by admin on Jul 02 2008 | paving materials

An interesting new technology being developed and actually making a small splash is a process known as “Resin Bound Paving”.  It is primarily a surfacing technique, adapted to apply color, texture, depth and artistic applications on an existing hard surface. Crumbling or flaking driveways, sidewalks and patios suffering from too much sun or weather, or from the salts and chemicals used to get rid of snow and ice, can be freshened up and made to last longer with this resurfacing.  The fact is, it even offers a bit more longevity by providing a layer of protection.

This technique takes typically 4-6mm pieces of almost any natural gravel, crushed stone, imported marble and recycled materials and binds them in a mass, held together by the most durable adhesives now being developed, polymer resins. This clear adhesive is amazingly strong and works exceptionally well out doors.  It can stand up to weather and to traffic.

The epoxies and resins used act as the binding agent for the actual stones or pieces composing the overall surface look. The color comes with the materials themselves and they can be applied in any wild number of ways.  I have seen many of these last quite a while, still as pretty as ever, still composed of fascinating bits of gravel, glass or what have you.  The surfaces possible are absolutely mind-b;lowing in their wide variety and nearly unlimited imaginative scope.

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