Dream Outdoor Kitchen

Charleston to Bermuda Race 2011

So I turned 30 years old on Sunday and don't feel much different but somehow realized that my 20's flew by so fast. They were fun and I feel like I have made a lot of progress in the growing up category but I didn't have one of those chalk in up on the bucket list for the defining moment of my 20's. That's not completely true I guess. October 4th, 2008 wasn't a bucket list item but by far the defining moment of my 20's. I married the girl of my dreams and after our wedding she convinced me to move to Charleston. The first three years of marriage have filled my life with a whole new appreciation for life. I have opened my mind up to things that I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be experiencing. My wife introduced me to life on the water. Living near the ocean and its beauty is a powerful experience. Being out in the middle of the ocean in a small boat takes you back hundreds of years to more primitive times. You are all of a sudden less powerful and have a whole new appreciation for your surroundings. My attention is now drawn toward to the wind, the changes in the tides, and the phases of the moon. My curiosity toward my surroundings is constantly spiked.





Last weekend my wife and I competed in the Dragonboat Charleston Festival at Brittlebank Park with her co-workers. The very last race was an extreme challenge for our team. We wanted to win so badly. As a storm was approaching and the tide coming up the Ashley River, we were faced with a nasty windy race against the current. Our team was very focused and got off the starting line first. However, as the wind howled in our ears and the splashing of our oars and boat against the tide, we started to get out of rhythm. We couldn't even hear our drummer. What started as a team effort ended as each individual forced their paddle into the water as hard as they could to keep the boat moving. We came in third, but it wasn't because of a lack of effort. We failed to consider as a team that rhythm and staying together was more important than our individual efforts and enthusiasm. The wind and tide were the catalyst for distraction or loss of concentration. Had we paid more attention to the weather we might have ended with a different result. This example may be blown a little out of proportion but it made me realize the powerful forces around us that are much bigger than we are. Or bigger than 21 very focused paddlers are on a dragonboat.




This same realization is what made me decide that I wanted to sail across the Atlantic Ocean to Bermuda. Several months ago I was asked by a friend of mine if I wanted to sail with him to Bermuda in the Charleston to Bermuda Race. I knew my wife would not be a fan but I told him I would think about it. I will be the first one to admit that I don't have near the amount of experience needed to participate in this race but I believe my focus and diligence is going to help me in the end. I have gone over and over with my crewmate the safety precautions and feel confident in my abilities to make quick decisions under pressure. The thing that I am looking forward to most is growing in my appreciation and knowledge of the blue water. If my wife knew back when we got married that moving to Charleston would lead me to crossing off my first bucket list item of my 30's by sailing to Bermuda 777 miles in a boat she might have reconsidered. The only thing that would make the journey more special would be if she were there to do it with me. Feel free to check in on our journey across the Atlantic beginning May 21st at 1PM. You can track us here http://yb.tl/c2b2011. I will be on a J-130 Solarus.

Historic City Market Restoration

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The Fieldstone Center of Charleston has had the pleasure to work in conjunction with the City of Charleston to redefine the focal point of downtown tourism in Charleston. Under the direction of Glenn Keyes Architects and Hightower Construction, Bubba McLeod of Superior Surfaces has torn up and reassembled the beautiful bluestone walks that line the middle path through the entire market. We supplied Superior Surfaces with bluestone to replace and mix in with the original bluestone paving. Many of our other products have been highlighted in this restoration. Superior Surfaces installed new Pine Hall clay pavers in areas to replace the old deteriorating brick. The restoration has been a learning experience for us all. (Click here to see the rest of the renovation pictures) In the picture above you can see the first completed phase of the city market restoration as it looks now. The renovations give the market an open air feel and the crowds can file through them more easily. The floors of the entire market were ripped down and replaced from the ground up. In the picture above the workers are repouring the base. The entire city market has been re-tuck pointed. Our Masonworks Historic mix is great for these types of projects. The compressive strength of the mix will hold up overtime and extend the life of the brick. All of the ceilings in the market were raised and natural light was added to make the space feel more open. The reinstallation of the bluestone was difficult to match color and sizes and to blend the old with the new material. Over time you will not be able to tell the difference. Flaming the new joints with a torch allows the stones to appear weathered as if they were in place for hundreds of years. We are patiently awaiting the completing of the final phase of the City Market Restoration.

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.