How much foundation for a path is enough?
 

Hi,

I'm going for this look:

http://freeboundaries.com/path.jpg

I just had a contractor come and give me an estimate. He insisted that
what is required is to dig six inches down and pack the opening with
modified stone.

I was hoping to just build up to the grade that I wanted with fill and
tamp it down. Here's what I have so far:

http://freeboundaries.com/path1.jpg

Do you agree with the contractor or will I get satisfactory results
with my approach?

Thanks,

Aaron

How much foundation for a path is enough?
 

On Sep 14, 9:49�am, Aaron Fude wrote:
Hi,

I'm going for this look:

http://freeboundaries.com/path.jpg

I just had a contractor come and give me an estimate. He insisted that
what is required is to dig six inches down and pack the opening with
modified stone.

I was hoping to just build up to the grade that I wanted with fill and
tamp it down. Here's what I have so far:

http://freeboundaries.com/path1.jpg

Do you agree with the contractor or will I get satisfactory results
with my approach?

Thanks,

Aaron

if you dont do it right the stones will tilt and crack..... espically
if you live in a freezing area.

do it once and do it right

How much foundation for a path is enough?
 

On Sep 14, 9:54*am, bob haller wrote:
On Sep 14, 9:49 am, Aaron Fude wrote:





Hi,

I'm going for this look:

http://freeboundaries.com/path.jpg

I just had a contractor come and give me an estimate. He insisted that
what is required is to dig six inches down and pack the opening with
modified stone.

I was hoping to just build up to the grade that I wanted with fill and
tamp it down. Here's what I have so far:

http://freeboundaries.com/path1.jpg

Do you agree with the contractor or will I get satisfactory results
with my approach?

Thanks,

Aaron

if you dont do it right the stones will tilt and crack..... espically
if you live in a freezing area.

do it once and do it right

So which way is right?

How much foundation for a path is enough?
 

On Sep 14, 9:54*am, bob haller wrote:
On Sep 14, 9:49 am, Aaron Fude wrote:





Hi,

I'm going for this look:

http://freeboundaries.com/path.jpg

I just had a contractor come and give me an estimate. He insisted that
what is required is to dig six inches down and pack the opening with
modified stone.

I was hoping to just build up to the grade that I wanted with fill and
tamp it down. Here's what I have so far:

http://freeboundaries.com/path1.jpg

Do you agree with the contractor or will I get satisfactory results
with my approach?

Thanks,

Aaron

if you dont do it right the stones will tilt and crack..... espically
if you live in a freezing area.

do it once and do it right

So which way is right?

How much foundation for a path is enough?
 

On Sep 14, 9:02*am, Aaron Fude wrote:
On Sep 14, 9:54*am, bob haller wrote:





On Sep 14, 9:49 am, Aaron Fude wrote:

Hi,

I'm going for this look:

http://freeboundaries.com/path.jpg

I just had a contractor come and give me an estimate. He insisted that
what is required is to dig six inches down and pack the opening with
modified stone.

I was hoping to just build up to the grade that I wanted with fill and
tamp it down. Here's what I have so far:

http://freeboundaries.com/path1.jpg

Do you agree with the contractor or will I get satisfactory results
with my approach?

Thanks,

Aaron

if you dont do it right the stones will tilt and crack..... espically
if you live in a freezing area.

do it once and do it right

So which way is right?

Depends on whether the ground ever freezes. If not, slap the stones on
compacted soil. If so, the substrate must be a drainage bed so freeze-
thaw cycles don't upset the paving. Both ways are right for specific
areas.

Joe

Joe

How much foundation for a path is enough?
 

Aaron Fude wrote:
Hi,

I'm going for this look:

http://freeboundaries.com/path.jpg

I just had a contractor come and give me an estimate. He insisted that
what is required is to dig six inches down and pack the opening with
modified stone.

I was hoping to just build up to the grade that I wanted with fill and
tamp it down. Here's what I have so far:

http://freeboundaries.com/path1.jpg

Do you agree with the contractor or will I get satisfactory results
with my approach?

Thanks,

Aaron


We have an area that looks just as yours does, but this is Florida (no
freezing). We leveled the soil, put down good landscape fabric, then
the pavers and river rock. We used larger rock so that we could clean
it with a leaf blower and not disturb the rock. Graded the soil beneath
it all so that there is a bit of slope to keep heavy rain (downspouts
drain on rock) from accumulating. Eventually, enough soil/silt deposits
on the stone area that an occas. weed takes root, but very easy to pull
the few that grow. With enough slope to the soil, can use a hose to
help keep the silty stuff from accumulating. We used heavy duty black
plastic edger (the stuff that looks like a hose lying on the ground,
with flange that is buried), as you want to keep rock out of the way of
mower.

How much foundation for a path is enough?
 

In article
,
Aaron Fude wrote:

Hi,

I'm going for this look:

http://freeboundaries.com/path.jpg

I just had a contractor come and give me an estimate. He insisted that
what is required is to dig six inches down and pack the opening with
modified stone.

I was hoping to just build up to the grade that I wanted with fill and
tamp it down. Here's what I have so far:

http://freeboundaries.com/path1.jpg

Do you agree with the contractor or will I get satisfactory results
with my approach?

Thanks,

Aaron

I agree with the contractor. You need the base for stability, so things
don't move around, and to protect the flagstones from breaking, and to
greatly reduce weed problems.

How much foundation for a path is enough?
 

On Sep 14, 11:07*am, "
wrote:
Aaron Fude wrote:
Hi,

I'm going for this look:

http://freeboundaries.com/path.jpg

I just had a contractor come and give me an estimate. He insisted that
what is required is to dig six inches down and pack the opening with
modified stone.

I was hoping to just build up to the grade that I wanted with fill and
tamp it down. Here's what I have so far:

http://freeboundaries.com/path1.jpg

Do you agree with the contractor or will I get satisfactory results
with my approach?

Thanks,

Aaron

We have an area that looks just as yours does, but this is Florida (no
freezing). *We leveled the soil, put down good landscape fabric, then
the pavers and river rock. *We used larger rock so that we could clean
it with a leaf blower and not disturb the rock. *Graded the soil beneath
it all so that there is a bit of slope to keep heavy rain (downspouts
drain on rock) from accumulating. *Eventually, enough soil/silt deposits
on the stone area that an occas. weed takes root, but very easy to pull
the few that grow. *With enough slope to the soil, can use a hose to
help keep the silty stuff from accumulating. *We used heavy duty black
plastic edger (the stuff that looks like a hose lying on the ground,
with flange that is buried), as you want to keep rock out of the way of
mower.

Thank you for the responses.

To give a little more info:
This is in Philadelphia, PA
There is substantial slope
And hardly ever anyone walks on these

How much foundation for a path is enough?
 

On Mon, 14 Sep 2009 06:49:34 -0700 (PDT), Aaron Fude
wrote:

Hi,

I'm going for this look:

http://freeboundaries.com/path.jpg

I just had a contractor come and give me an estimate. He insisted that
what is required is to dig six inches down and pack the opening with
modified stone.

I was hoping to just build up to the grade that I wanted with fill and
tamp it down. Here's what I have so far:

http://freeboundaries.com/path1.jpg

Do you agree with the contractor or will I get satisfactory results
with my approach?

Your way will look nice when you're done. A couple feet of snow & a
freeze-thaw or two, and it will start to look ragged & there will be
nothing you can do about it.

Dig down 6 inches, cover with landscape cloth, *MACHINE* compact, add
a good barrier between that grass & your stone, treat each spring with
an herbicide that lasts all summer, and you've got a beautiful walkway
for 25 years.

BTW-- I was thinking you were doing this in a garden or something.
IIRC you're in the frozen north? If you're going to clear snow from
that walkway in the winter you might want to rethink the whole thing.
Gravel is impossible to shovel and makes swell missiles from a
snowblower. . . . which you'll re-launch with a mower in the spring.
Makes you real popular with the neighbors.

Jim

How much foundation for a path is enough?
 

Smitty Two wrote:
In article
,
Aaron Fude wrote:

Hi,

I'm going for this look:

http://freeboundaries.com/path.jpg

I just had a contractor come and give me an estimate. He insisted that
what is required is to dig six inches down and pack the opening with
modified stone.

I was hoping to just build up to the grade that I wanted with fill and
tamp it down. Here's what I have so far:

http://freeboundaries.com/path1.jpg

Do you agree with the contractor or will I get satisfactory results
with my approach?

Thanks,

Aaron

I agree with the contractor. You need the base for stability, so things
don't move around, and to protect the flagstones from breaking, and to
greatly reduce weed problems.

My understanding is that the "modified" (ground?) stone base is to
promote drainage and prevent frost heave....weeds would be prevented by
laying landscape cloth under the pavers/stone.

How much foundation for a path is enough?
 

We live in SoCa and have no freezing problems. We poured 4" concrete over a
dirt base. Worked fine, no cracks after 15 years. The walk is 5'wide to
accommodate two persons walking next to each other.

I would not recommend separated, ungrouted flagstones in the main walk
leading to the entry. People will not be able to walk next to each other in
unison, they will be hopping around. Have you considered solid concrete with
some enhancement in the top surface? Can also lay tile on top, looks great.
If you insist on flagstones, make sure they are grouted together. But,
without a solid base of concrete, you will get cracks along the grout lines.

--
Walter
www.rationality.net
-
"bob haller" wrote in message
...
On Sep 14, 9:49?am, Aaron Fude wrote:
Hi,

I'm going for this look:

http://freeboundaries.com/path.jpg

I just had a contractor come and give me an estimate. He insisted that
what is required is to dig six inches down and pack the opening with
modified stone.

I was hoping to just build up to the grade that I wanted with fill and
tamp it down. Here's what I have so far:

http://freeboundaries.com/path1.jpg

Do you agree with the contractor or will I get satisfactory results
with my approach?

Thanks,

Aaron

if you dont do it right the stones will tilt and crack..... espically
if you live in a freezing area.

do it once and do it right

How much foundation for a path is enough?
 

wrote:

-snip-

My understanding is that the "modified" (ground?) stone base is to
promote drainage and prevent frost heave....weeds would be prevented by
laying landscape cloth under the pavers/stone.

No- the landscape cloth prevents the soil and drainage layer from
mixing, defeating the purpose of the drainage layer.

One dry leaf lands on the gravel, gets stepped on, crumbles and gets
below the surface and it will hold enough moisture to sprout a weed.

The only way to preve . . . er. . . control weed growth is to spray
each year with a weed-killer with a pre-emergent additive.

Jim

How much foundation for a path is enough?
 

Jim Elbrecht wrote:
wrote:

-snip-
My understanding is that the "modified" (ground?) stone base is to
promote drainage and prevent frost heave....weeds would be prevented by
laying landscape cloth under the pavers/stone.

No- the landscape cloth prevents the soil and drainage layer from
mixing, defeating the purpose of the drainage layer.

Landscape cloth that I use is water-permeable, drains well. I have seen
solid plastic sheet used under stone, which is bad news. L.c. is
available, I believe, for up to 20-year life.

One dry leaf lands on the gravel, gets stepped on, crumbles and gets
below the surface and it will hold enough moisture to sprout a weed.

Step on the pavers, not the gravel. After seeing the OP's photo, and as
others have mentioned, snow removal might be a problem with the planned
installation.

The only way to preve . . . er. . . control weed growth is to spray
each year with a weed-killer with a pre-emergent additive.


We have little weed growth on our rock/paver area, and the few that do
start are very easy to pull by hand because there isn't soil for them to
establish in.

Jim