Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Jul 29, 2009 5:16 pm We have a slight slope going from the back of the house down to the front, showing the slab. http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll235/radinovic_bucket/DSC04583.jpg http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll235/radinovic_bucket/DSC04584.jpg http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll235/radinovic_bucket/DSC04585.jpg We want a decomposed granite(granitic sand) 'path' with a series of landings containing stepping stones, down this side wall. In othe words, very large steps something like these (shape only) : Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Now for the questions : 1.What do we use to contain the granite ie prevent it spreading into garden beds/grass? 2. What do we use as a 'riser' to contain the granite when the path changes level ? Any suggestions guys ? TIA. Built the Eden Brae Cambridge 34 Family with Boston Corner Facade Re: Decomposed Granite Path/Steps 2Jul 29, 2009 5:31 pm From this thread viewtopic.php?f=19&t=21217 I like the idea of the wide pavers between it and the garden/grass. Not sure about the rise of the step though 'A bottle of wine contains more philosophy than all the books in the world.' Louis Pasteur Vegie garden: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=27637&start=0 My Backyard Adventure Re: Decomposed Granite Path/Steps 4Jul 30, 2009 9:42 am Southies We have a slight slope going from the back of the house down to the front, showing the slab. http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll235/radinovic_bucket/DSC04583.jpg http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll235/radinovic_bucket/DSC04584.jpg http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll235/radinovic_bucket/DSC04585.jpg We want a decomposed granite(granitic sand) 'path' with a series of landings containing stepping stones, down this side wall. In othe words, very large steps something like these (shape only) : Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Now for the questions : 1.What do we use to contain the granite ie prevent it spreading into garden beds/grass? 2. What do we use as a 'riser' to contain the granite when the path changes level ? Any suggestions guys ? TIA. There are many different ways but I would: Lay down sand, and blue metal (rocks) and lay down pavers on top and fill cracks with fine sand. To contain it used treated pine and stakes at each end. You can almost cover the wood all with dirt if you care about it being seen. Riser? You could use treated pine and stain it the colour of the pavers or cut pavers in half and place them on their end (like a mini retaining wall). You will need to shape the dirt into the shape of the path and steps and then used the sand and rock to fine tune the shape. This will support the path. Re: Decomposed Granite Path/Steps 5Jul 30, 2009 10:48 am moody There are many different ways but I would: Lay down sand, and blue metal (rocks) and lay down pavers on top and fill cracks with fine sand. To contain it used treated pine and stakes at each end. You can almost cover the wood all with dirt if you care about it being seen. this is what DH wants to use but I don't like the look of pine Quote: Riser? .............or cut pavers in half and place them on their end (like a mini retaining wall). Now that's more what I had in mind Many thanks moody Built the Eden Brae Cambridge 34 Family with Boston Corner Facade Re: Decomposed Granite Path/Steps 6Jul 13, 2010 1:40 pm Southies - hopefully you'll see this! What did you put down underneath the decomposed granite? Just aggregate? Or sand as well? After 4 years - we're in! Re: Decomposed Granite Path/Steps 8Jul 13, 2010 3:36 pm Merbu decking is what im using.... looks a hell of a lot better than t.pine, but will cost you more. Cheers Cozmo ______________________________ Building a PD Heywood 29 http://fromevetoeternity.blogspot.com/ Re: Decomposed Granite Path/Steps 10Sep 21, 2010 2:33 pm Lex i dont have any pics but here is a list of pro's and cons as I see it pro's: Cheap (a few hundred dollars vs a few thousand for concrete) Easy to DIY Looks good You can plant same grass's/srubs into it if you want to (have not done this myself) Con's: Can look a bit crud if dirt gets onto it The dog can dig into it A little bit of sand comes inside It contains clay so shrinks and grows with the seasons 9this has caused a couple of my stepping pavers to crack) Cheers Cozmo ______________________________ Building a PD Heywood 29 http://fromevetoeternity.blogspot.com/ Re: Decomposed Granite Path/Steps 11Sep 21, 2010 4:35 pm I've just finished a DG path Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Coverage of 36m2 cost $780 including hire of a plate compactor for a day and pavers over 2m2. We laid recycled road base to depth of 5cm, compacted, then layers of DG to a total depth of 5cm. You can go more for the DG, but we're going to see how it goes with this depth. This is a whole day job for 3-4 people. If it was just hubby and I - it would have been a 2 day job. Luckily we had the help of deletedpenguin and Tigachick to move the road base. More pics on the blog http://www.stonecuttersridge.blogspot.com/ It does break up a little and track a little dust - hence the reason why we laid some pavers near our laundry and garage doors - gives you somewhere to put a mat to brush off any dust so you don't track it into your house. All up we're very happy - the alternative would have been a decorative gravel or pebble - but we've tried pulling wheelie bins over gravel/pebbles before and it gets cumbersome. After 4 years - we're in! Re: Decomposed Granite Path/Steps 12Sep 21, 2010 7:23 pm Oh bummer! And thanks guys!! Bummer 'cause I thought this was the next best thing to concrete ... but it looks like winds will blow the sand around etc etc ... so what seemed like a perfect solution might turn back into a concrete solution (: OK, we have a back garage door (into the backyard) and we'd like to do SOMETHING with this area, but not necessarily concrete, and not gravel-style of material which is too loose. So smething bigger (not sand) but whihc can be really massively compacted (to be almost as good and compact as concrete). This area has to be able to accept an occasional car coming onto it (like washing the car here), but it also sides to laundry door, so needs to have a solid clean (no sand) walking surface along the side wall (those large pavers would be ideal). So if we could have some "SUPER compacted gravel" and then paver paths where we see fit, that would be fantastic. Trouble is, is there such material? My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: Decomposed Granite Path/Steps 13Sep 22, 2010 7:33 am Lex Who's got decomposed granite?? Southies?? Any pics?? Any pros and cons that you could see so far?? (sorry didnt read the whole lot) Hey Lex, here you go : http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll235/radinovic_bucket/DSC04668.jpg http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll235/radinovic_bucket/DSC04668.jpg Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ DH & FIL did it themselves. They laid sand down 1st, then the decomposed granite on top - no roadbase & no cement. I agree with cozmo as far as the pros. Cons? well...... The biggest con I find is weeds, but then weeds would be appearing no matter what we had down (barring cement). Every few weeks I zap them with Roundup or similar. They're just a pain because they seem to stand out more. .....and yes it can look dirty if soil gets on to it but that's usually only when I've been careless when planting ...though the dirt is easy to sweep off with a hand broom if necessary. .....we don't have sand coming inside........it's so hard-packed, only larger bits come loose & that's only when the dog has disturbed it & gets it on the pavers. Those few bits then end up on our doormat. Not a major problem at our place. .....we have some shrinkage around a couple of pavers but the rest is great. Again not a problem. Overall, we're very happy with how it's turned out. We will be topping it up in a couple of places only because we didn't have enough the 1st time 'round. I would do it all again but only make the pavers more closely spaced. Built the Eden Brae Cambridge 34 Family with Boston Corner Facade Re: Decomposed Granite Path/Steps 14Sep 22, 2010 7:58 am Thanks Southies! Yours looks awesome!! Our other big factor is timber flooring at the back door, so we obviosuly need to keep it in mind in terms of minimising or hopefully eliminating the amount of sand which could be carried into the house (no matter how hard we try with mats etc.). I just imagined that this material would be in much larger particles but it seems quite small / sandy . I think this guy mentioned that it could be somehow "set /pinned down" (can't remember exactly, it was information overflow and very quick ), perhaps with help of cement , will have to check with him again as it did sound like a very good solution for us ... My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: Decomposed Granite Path/Steps 15Sep 22, 2010 8:53 am Lex - as long as you've got a door mat - you shouldn't have any problems - I remember reading something about DG and floorboards http://thehumanfootprint.wordpress.com/ ... d-granite/ Also - if you want it more like concrete - up the cement mix - 1.5 bags per tonne, once compacted, spray down with water and compact again - that will turn it rock hard! After 4 years - we're in! Re: Decomposed Granite Path/Steps 16Sep 22, 2010 10:22 am stonecutter1309 Lex - as long as you've got a door mat - you shouldn't have any problems - I remember reading something about DG and floorboards http://thehumanfootprint.wordpress.com/ ... d-granite/ Also - if you want it more like concrete - up the cement mix - 1.5 bags per tonne, once compacted, spray down with water and compact again - that will turn it rock hard! SC is right Lex. The doormat is sufficient . We don't have the stuff being tracked into the house. I would go mad if it were , as the tiles would get scratched. But seriously, this is not a problem for us AT ALL!! But if you want to be absolutely certain , just do what SC suggested & add the cement to it. Built the Eden Brae Cambridge 34 Family with Boston Corner Facade Re: Decomposed Granite Path/Steps 17Sep 22, 2010 12:27 pm Thanks, ladies ... Just want to be precautious as our floors are not the very hard ones Read this article and was starting to relax more, until I hit this: "Next warning. Do not install DG directly next to an indoor situation. DG tracks. It’s granite and granite gets on your shoes and gets in the house. You need at least a few steps (not many) before you go inside. My son’s elementary school built a new gym for millions of dollars. The landscape architect speced DG as the hardscape all around the gym. That was a disaster. All those kids tracked that DG into the new hardwood floor and ruined it! They finally installed concrete as a spacer." OK, we'll have quite a bit of a "spacer", but still ... And I have to admit, I'm sure that at some stage I will just chuck the mats , at least temporarily, as I hate having to be too careful and having loose "stuff" over which I need to step Will have some serious habit adjusting to do Hopefully a good thing is taht we'll have a pro doing all of this. I think he already mentioned some "hardener", since that's how it got stuck in my head that it would be really suitable for us. Oh BTW, does anyone else just love the good old cobblestone Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: Decomposed Granite Path/Steps 18Sep 22, 2010 3:10 pm Oh I love cobblestones! But it doesn't suit our place The hardener would be concrete or builder's lime. I actually have 2 mats - one bristle-style mat outside the door, then a softer carpet one inside - just to catch any of the fine stuff that might be missed on the tougher mat. 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