In the last post for this project we saw the sonotube footings beneath the four corners of the concrete slab.  When the decorative stone & brickwork is complete, each footing will secure and support a pavilion column.

Within the 12″ wide bluestone border is a row of brick to visually tie-in the surrounding brick patio. The remaining area is finished with “pattern” bluestone.

The 2 X 4″ you see sticking up next to the the stairway marks where a 4″ PVC sleeve is located (see photo left). It should be routine that sleeves are installed whenever hardscape construction causes a barrier from getting future wires and utilities from one side to the next.  Make sure you indicate on the landscape plan where these sleeves are located.  I guarantee sometime in the future you’ll need to find them.  Another little trick is to grind a small mark in the stone where the sleeve is – a mark that will be there forever.

With the patio areas complete it was time for the pavilion construction to begin. Dalton Pavilions, located in PA, sent a crew along with the pavilion components.

Their first task was to locate and square the 4 corners of the pavilion. If the mason contractor did his job well, those 4 points should be directly over the sonotube footings.

To the right you’ll see the electrical conduit and wire to power the paddle fan and light for the pavilion.  This feature was planned from the beginning and was specified in the construction drawings.  The mason had to locate the conduit precisely in the footing to accomodate a predrilled hole in the flange of the steel column.

These 5 X 5″ square steel columns are the essence of the pergola’s strength.  They are responsible for supporting the balance of the structure above them, and to secure the entire structure to the ground.

For each steel column four holes were drilled through the patio and into the sonotube footings.  Threaded steel rods could then be anchored into the holes using Hilti Epoxy.  In a short time the epoxy is hardened enough that the steel columns are set and bolted down securely. With the decorative white columns slid over the steel the true strength of the pavilion is beautifully concealed.

In the next project post we’ll see the pavilion come together as a key focal point and shelter in this landscape.

Here’s the next post for this project.

Appearance vs. Specifications

This is not to say that one should win out over the other, but rather both should be considered for the end result. And yet it often comes down to a competing situation in a way. In all construction and home improvement projects, you should have the concern that what you’re doing will perform as intended and last for a good amount of time.  Today I think the word is “sustainable” – I still call it just “building it right”. But what a minute! Take a step back and ask yourself: “How’s it looking?” In positioning and installing this waterslide, appearance and specifications were constant considerations.

This particular waterslide was built in modular sections to fit this situation. There were critical setback limitations that required the slide fit within a certain space. In addition, the slide arrives from the manufacturer with installation specifications to insure it performs as designed.

To meet the installation requirement of the slide’s height over the water, crewmen had to cut a notch in the boulders. The result was a waterslide that looked even more integrated with the boulders and setting. Notice in the first picture at the top, to the left of the slide there’s a open space where the waterfall rock-work was stopped while awaiting the slide installation.  Now, with the slide in place, one carefully selected boulder fills that void.  This gives support for the earth and landscape which will surround the waterslide, but also visually connects the descending rock work with the slide.

Overkill?… Not With Footings

How about these sonotube footings? There are 3 and the bottom of the slide is resting on boulders (which are mounted on the beam of the pool). Overkill? Think of it this way: Now all the earth, additional boulders, landscape plantings, etc. are added to complete the project; you will never have to worry this slide will move out of position. This is a phone call no contractor should ever get and no homeowner should ever have to make.

Here’s the previous post for this project.

The cabana was designed to be built on a concrete slab – a very common approach to seasonal structures.  The architect was aware of the imported fill on the site and specified the concrete pier footings be dug down to virgin ground.  The fill was a minimum of 5′ deep.  You can see the ladder coming out of the excavation where the sonotubes are set.  The builder used The Bigfoot System with sonotubes to provide maximum load bearing capacity.

Once the sonotubes were filled with concrete the excavation could be closed and compacted.  A wood form for the concrete slab was then constructed and filled with clean gravel. Fill dirt was added to the outside of the forms for support.  There was no concern for “settling” because the entire structure was suspended on the concrete footings.

While the cabana had its own utilities planned, the pool equipment was to be positioned directly behind the building.  This scenario works out well because they actually share many of the services (e.g. electric, water, gas, etc.) and the integration is fairly straight forward.

With the wood form set and supported, steel reinforcing rod is positioned per architect’s specifications.  I should mention that every criitcal step of this process has been inspected along the  way.  As much as a nuisance as these inspections can be, they are there to protect the homeowner.  I keep telling myself that while we’re anxiously awaiting an inspection that will allow us to continue to the next step of construction.

Finally, we’re able to pour the concrete slab and get ready to frame the building.  The slab is a visual milestone as it clearly shows its footprint on the site and its relationship to the other elements.

Also, having the concrete slab in place allows any other nearby grading or site work to be done.  Often this milestone enables other aspects of the project to proceed such as base prep for the pool decking.

As you would expect, communication is key among all the different contractors.  Good project management moderates this communication and weaves together contractors’ schedules with project phases.

Here’s the previous post for this project. And here’s the next.

Let me start off by saying there is obviously a place in landscape design for both decks and patios. Sometimes the decision can be very clear.  The style and configuration of the home, the lay of the land, all come together into one clear choice.

Sometimes, the decision is not so clear; very often it can be either a deck or patio.  When the design concepts allow for a choice I’ll promote a patio.  Here’s why:

• A patio is more easily integrated into the surroundings, both visually and structurally.
• A patio is normally made from materials that do not deteriorate.  They therefore last a long time and require very little maintenance.
• The psychological feeling and experience on a patio is usually more secure and comfortable.

Certainly cost and personal preference come into the play here. If cost is the deciding factor, I would suggest getting estimates for both a deck and patio in different material scenarios.  For example: wood deck vs. composite deck, and stone patio vs. paver brick patio.

And within those material choices are often other options such as types of railings on a deck and whether the patio is dry-laid (without concrete) or wet-laid (with concrete). Know your various options and their costs to help make the best decision for you.

The Project

This was an interesting renovation project. The outdoor living space for this home included a wood deck area that you stepped out onto from two back doors. This wood deck was awkward in that it occupied quite a bit of square footage without allowing for any real functional use other than a transitional platform from the house to the stone patio.

The existing patio space was adjacent to the driveway/garage area with no screening or means of separation. Linden trees were improperly chosen and planted along the old patio. Their canopies were already competing with one another and their root systems would ultimately compromise the wall they were planted behind.

Work began with the mason (and LA.com contributor), Lester Szajna from Ringwood, NJ.

The new design eliminated the wood deck and provided stone masonry stoops for each of the two back doors. This enabled people to go right from the house down to the new stone patio.

The existing fieldstone wall along the drive was removed and a new wall was constructed with Kearney stone. This stone is an ashlar-type. Ashlar stones are predominately rectangular, allowing for tight fitting joints and a more formal look. The wall stonework was dry-stack.

Kearney stone was also used as a veneer on the masonry block for all steps including the long radial steps down to the future lawn area.

The cardboard Sono Tube in the picture to the right is filled with concrete and a galvanized pipe. This Sono Tube and several others are installed behind the new wall as it is being built. These footing structures will support a decorative trellis screen to provide privacy to the new area.

Check out this project’s progress in the next article.