Summer Project - Build a patio

I have been shamed. My wee younger brother, who is about to become a father for the first time has pointed out that I have not updated my blog in more than 6 months. Shame on me. But what to write about? What's going on that's worth writing about? Well, there is the patio project which involes digging up a couple cubic yards of concrete, a few more of sod, and then about 6 of topsoil. That will do!

My old patio was sick and ailing. A solid slab of conrete about 10'x10' that had split into three sections. It was too small for entertaining and and was in need of work. I started plotting this out last year, but the logistics seemed daunting to manage on my own. By the time I squared it all away it was too late. So I started in June of '08 so that I can finish it by the end of the summer. Ultimately, it will cover nearly 350 sq. ft. and be suitable for entertaining, grilling and sunning comfortably. The plan was to have it done by the end of July...Okay, that was optimistic, but I'm still hopeful I get to use it at least once before the end of the sunny season (which has arrived a month late this year, I hope it doesn't end a month early!).

The plan is to install a patio of pavers. simple gray squares in an offset pattern. But since my house is on a rise, the challenge comes from moving the tons and tons (literally) of gravel, sand and pavers from the street level up to the back yard. It simply isn't practical to have the gravel sand and pavers put on the house level. Ugh. I'm going to have a very strong back or a very hurt back by the end of this summer!


The easy part was smashing the old concrete. I bought I nice 10 lb. hammer and casually tore the old patio to pieces in less than 3 hours over 3 days. Then came pulling up the sod. That too, was fairly simple. I just used a flat shovel to cut the sod into sections and pile it up on the side of the house.

But the excavating. Man. That is hard, hard work. I started yesterday and made disappointing progress. But today I bought a pick-axe that has been the best purchase of this project so far! Today in about 1 hour I was able to move more than double the earth I moved yesterday.

Groovy. Back on track and back on schedule.







I hope to be done with the excavation by the end of this week (ever the optimist). It will take me another day or two to level and tamp the ground, then I'll have the 1/4-minus delivered and the sand. That will take another week to move, level and tamp down. Then the simple matter of installing the pavers! No problem...Yuh.

I'll be keeping you posted!