Weekend Warriors

I think I took this whole wasted space idea too literally. I made use of a friends wasted space and my wasted time. For our wedding gift my wife and I helped transform a wasted space in the newly weds back yard (with their help of course). A lot of sweat and a few aching backs and we made the best use of what they had. Take a look at the before and after. I go into a step by step process on my blog for more pics

Our friends had an existing area where there were some stones laid in sand from the previous homeowners. None fo the material was level, the area did not drain and their dog kept tracking dirt through the house. We wanted to revitalize the space for their grill and a future firepit/seating area.










First we removed all the sand and existing rocks from the area and pulled string lines to set our patio level and determine how much material to dig out. We also had to check to make sure that the water would be directed toward our new drain and away from the house. Typically you want to have a slope on any patio of 1/4" fall for every 4' feet of patio.














Our second step was to dig into the dirt so that we could fill it back in with an appropriate ROC base.













The entire patio sloped toward the house before so to eliminate this problem we added a drain by the porch.
















After we were finished digging we added 4" of ROC Limestone base. ROC stands for "Run of the crusher." This material is an inexpensive limestone product that has large pcs as well as small fines that when compacted combine together to provide a solid base.























After adding the ROC we rented a maching compactor from the Rental supply place. Approx $50. When ran the compactor back and forth over the area the area several times and followed up by using a hand tamper around all the edges.





Laying the Stones







Check out my mixing crew. You have two options when it comes to mortar. You can by the pre-mixed variety that they sell at Lowes that allows you to just add water (more expensive). Or you can mix your own. I would recommend Type S Mortar for laying flat stone. The mixture is 1 part mortar to 3 parts sand. You should first dry mix this and only do half a bag at a time. Once the dry mix is thoroughly mixed slowly add water to a cake like consistency.






While you are laying the stone it is always important to make sure your stones are level. Constantly check with a 2 foot and 4 foot level. Also it is important to make sure the stones you are laying do not get out of square. Every so often it is important to pull out a string line and check the patio for square and that the joints line up.













I always save all the cutting to the very end. If you cut the pcs as you go you will have trouble with your mortar getting stiff on you as well as creating a lot of dust in the area you are trying to work.








Check out the Finished Product

Granite Curbstone

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Bee St and MUSC Street Renovation              On going construction with the City of Charleston and the department of transportation has been upgrading the sidewalk and streetscape around MUSC, Bee St and the Crosstown.  Tim Crump Hardscapes has been installing Granite curbstone for general contractor Gulfstream Construction.   The contract also has updates for the paver sidewalks and ADA handicap access ramps.  The finished product updates the current streetscape to resemble the historic curbstone installed on other streets downtown on King St and the Market.

Citadel Daniel Library Renovation

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Daniel Library Renovation            The Post and Courier described it best last week in their article on the renovation.  "The Citadel's Daniel Library was a beautiful and modern facility when it opened in 1960. But until recently, it still "looked like "a 1960s library," said library director Angie LeClercq."  We worked with Liollio Architects, general contractor Stenstrom and Associates and stone installer Paverscapes to create a new look for an aging library.  The money for the library came the Citadel alumni, so we put forth extra effort to create a unique space for everyone to enjoy.  The architect picked a Select Blue Thermal Bluestone for the entry and staircase.  David Lugo of Paverscapes fabricated the tread stones for the staircase on site.  As you can see below the color contrast of the stone give the library a very modern updated look.  Click here to see the Post and Courier article.      In the project you can see that the select blue colors with a thermal finish really added interest to the lobby floor.  The pattern chosen by the architect was a 4pc Museum Pattern. Here is a photo before the final bluestone step treads were fabricated and installed by the contractor. The entrance to the library was also given a face lift with a new cast stone retaining wall cap and bluestone entryway.

Fountain to Relax

The key to a successful outdoor space is that you feel like you can get away for a while. Adding a fountain can make your backyard even more relaxing. In the past few months we have added several new items to our inventory to help make your water feature unique. You can choose from millstones, decorative urns or a core drilled boulder. Adding materials around the outside of the feature helps it stand out from its surrounding landscape. The fountain below used recycled glass and black Mexican beach pebbles to bring more color to the area. You can choose from several different sizes and colors of river rock to accent your creation.

In the project below we used a salvaged temple window as our backdrop with water spilling over into a hand carved granite trough. These architectural garden elements make the space feel rustic and serene.

Charleston Home and Design Show

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Home and Design Show   Our exhibit at the Charleston Custom Home and Design Show last weekend received great reviews from the crowd.  Our outdoor fireplace with a "Sunbrite" waterproof TV received the most attention.  Throughout the show we periodically wet down the TV to show its waterproof abilities.  For those of you who stopped by to see our exhibit we will be honoring a 10% discount off your next purchase at the Fieldstone Center through December, so come by and see us.

Pine Hall Brick: Permeable Pavers

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Pine Hall Brick: Permeable Clay Pavers  New to the Fieldstone Center line of products Pine Hall Brick has an extensive line of clay pavers that range from traditional, to tumbled to permeable.  Stop by our showroom today and pick up some literature or e-mail me and I can send you some spec sheets.  Their website is www.pinehallbrick.com Pine Hall Storm Pave: Permeable Clay Paver Pine Hall Brick's StormPave allows rainwater to filter down through a specially constructed paving system and to dissipate into soil instead of going in to storm drains. Designed to look like traditional English Edge pavers but with larger spacer nibs, the permeable pavers are suited for institutional and commercial projects where impervious surface restrictions apply and joint openings need to meet ADA restrictions (less than 1/2") when on-site retention or infiltration is mandated. The pavers are available in red and full color.

Design Ideas

Much like sitting out on the water in a boat, your backyard should be surrounded by all the things you enjoy most. Narrowing down your list of must haves and ranking your priorities always helps. Should I include a firepit or a sitting wall for extra seating? Do I want a claming fountain so I fell like I am sitting on a lake or by the ocean? The number one inspiration for me is looking a pictures whether it be in a magazine or a slideshow on the Internet. How can I make a space look larger or how can I block out the noise from the neighbors or nearby traffic? Take a look at some of these ideas.

In this project we were able to create a space with lots of areas of additional seating. The homeowner likes to cook and entertain at the same time so you can see how the two spaces are very close so that the cook is never too far from the party.

Adding a fountain creates a serene and calming atmosphere. In this picture we were able to make a bubbling fountain out of a basalt column where the water flows into a pondless gravel bed. By making the fountain pondless you eliminate the constant irritation of maintenance and the attraction of mosquitoes to the standing water.

This space was created in a courtyard of a downtown residence on Broad street. One of the man objectives was to make the small space seem bigger. To the left you can see storage containers that also work as additional seating. The mirrors in the background although not common in an outdoor space make the space seem larger when entertaining a large amount of guests. Please click here to see additional ideas.

The above project has Dakota flagstone all around the pool but they wanted additional stone to be built into the waterfall and "sunpod." Prior to this project I had never heard of such a thing, but in the upper right hand corner you can see behind the waterfall a small pool with shallow water in it. This is lined with stone and is meant to resemble more of a naturally occuring spring for sun bathing. It turned out very well.

Adding a small firepit can serve two functions. In the winter you can use it as a warm gathering place to sit around and enjoy some warm cocktails and in the summer time when you feel it is to warm to enjoy a cozy fire it serves as additional seating and a place to put down your food or set a drink. I built the firepit shown above out in front of our showroom to give me a place to sit and warm up when I have been kicked out of the office in the cold months. You are not allowed to critize my masonry skills it is hobby not a profession.

Creating different levels in a landscape area is important but sometimes hard to do in our low lying areas of Charleston. It is very common to build up and area and create a raised patio, or to do several large natural stone stairs down off a deck or spa. Take a look at these natural Sequatchie Variagted steps pictured above.

Not the best of pictures but to the right of the walkway you will see a beautiful dry creek bed made out of tan river rock. I have always enjoyed the look of a dry river bed and in areas where you have major drainage problems this can disguise some of those issues. It is also a good replacement for areas where there appears to be an excessive amount of pine straw or mulch or where you are sick of groundcover growing up all around your landscape beds.

Last but certainly not least the use of a small bench for relaxation is always a great added touch. Like the one pictured above utilizing a thick piece of flagstone out of our yard and fixing it to two small legs you now have a peace spot to take a load off. We have several premade benches as well for sale in our showroom.