# My latest Covid 19 project



## Danman1957 (Mar 14, 2009)

I haven't been very active on the forum lately because I took on a big project and wow it made me realize I'm not getting younger or stronger. I bought most of these pavers used from an add on marketplace and it took 3 trailer loads because of the weight to get them home. The soil where I live is that darned clay ! it is so hard to dig that I hired a mini excavator to do that. I buddy needed land fill so I was pleased I did not have to pay to get rid of it. Top quality geotextile was used and then 5 trailer loads of 3000lbs. of 0- 3/4'' crushed stone and a load of stone dust. All compacted every 4'' with a vibrating plate borrowed from a family construction company. Over 300 sq.ft. later and I am enjoying the look. A bit of soil and grass seed or sod around the edges and it will be complete.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

nice...


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## OCEdesigns (Jan 31, 2019)

Very nice! And that is a lot of heavy work!


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

OCEdesigns said:


> Very nice! And that is a lot of heavy work!


I got a backache from looking at the pictures...


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Really nice job, and surely a LOT of work. Question, my eyesight is making it hard to distinguish detail, but it looks like you laid concrete pavers on the gravel. Are you able to pull tools out and use them on the pavers? Did you put a weed-stop underlayment in?

FIY, we did the front yard rockscape using small crushed rock, about the same size as pea gravel, but it compacts down and doesn't shift when you walk on it the way pea gravel does. As it has packed down, I am able to drive on it and haul big wheeled trash containers filled with yard waste on it without leaving tracks. It might as well be concrete. If you have a weed stop underlayment, the crushed stone holds it down far better than pea gravel. Crushed rock gravel is generally more expensive than pea gravel, especially if it has color. No criticism intended, just information for others doing yard pathways, something I learned by trial and error. 

All that aside, it really looks nice and is certainly going to help prevent tracking dirt and such into the house. I think you spent your Corona "jail" time well. I bet your wife loves it too. Worth a hundred tousand husband points at least, which should cover at least one, "why didn't you call if you knew you'd be late" event.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Moisture and frost heaving are a serious problem up here, Tom. Drainage is_ really_ important!


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Looks great,Dan, That looks like a heck of a lot of work, like Stick commented, Oh, my aching back.
Herb


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Herb Stoops said:


> Looks great,Dan, That looks like a heck of a lot of work, like Stick commented, Oh, my aching back.
> Herb


not to mention the knees...


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

herb stoops said:


> looks great,dan, that looks like a heck of a lot of work, like stick commented, oh, my aching back.
> Herb


there's the other issue...

.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Wow Dan , great outcome . Certainly looks sharp


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## Multiwood (Feb 24, 2013)

Great job Dan


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## marecat3 (Nov 30, 2010)

Looks great


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## sreilly (May 22, 2018)

I expect Mamma's happy! There was a time but that's long behind me now........my son will have to lead the charge on this project. Excellent results Dan.


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## TenGees (Sep 12, 2012)

Looks great, Dan, very nice.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

You're a better man than me, Gunga Din! Great job, Dan.


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## Danman1957 (Mar 14, 2009)

Tom, Yes I used Geo textile of the highest quality available. I used 8'' of 0-3/4'' crushed stone/gravel compacted every 4'' and then about 2'' of stone dust leveled but not compacted. After the stones are laid, we then installed the borders with the 10'' spikes and applied the Polymeric sand and then re-compacted everything, then a final layer of sand swept in the cracks with a soft broom and finally a light spray of water to lock the sand and pavers permanently(I hope). Yes my wife likes it but at the front I used cold asphalt to create an angled transition between the asphalt driveway and the pavers, and of course the wife does NOT like that part. TOO bad I said, I like it and it's staying ! she asked why I did not use a piece of wood ???? I think the asphalt is appropriate and wood would have looked out of place and in our climate it would not last very long. I am not sexist, but, sometimes a man's got to do what a man's got to do !


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## Danman1957 (Mar 14, 2009)

Thank to all for the positive feedback.

As for the sore parts of this old body, well some noninflammatory pills helped and so did the 26 year old neighbor that I hired to do the knee parts. My knees are finished and I was able to do very little of that part. I did most of the rest though and unloading the trailer loads of crushed stone definitely helped me sleep well those nights.
My next project outside will be staining the pool deck I built 2 years ago and the fences I built last summer. Then My son's recording studio needs some finishing touches and some shelves and then maybe I can finish my table saw sled !
My boss has told me I may not be back to work for quite some time. Being a technical sales rep means going to many different regions and for now the law is forbidding this activity. Who knows, I might be off for the summer ! I would sure like to get back to normal paychecks though, this 60% salary sucks !
Cheers,
Dan


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

Impressive. Take some well deserved time to sit back and enjoy it.


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Dan that looks great. Too bad they will not let you travel, you could have come down here and done my whole driveway and entry to the shop and house. Of course, that would be a lot of traveling to haul all the stone and pavers down here.:grin:


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## roxanne562001 (Feb 5, 2012)

Looks super nice job Dan


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## OutoftheWoodwork (Oct 4, 2012)

@Danman1957 you need to sneak over the border and come next door and do mine from the deck to my workshop! That is some AMAZING work you did there!


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## MYB506 (Dec 5, 2012)

Excellent job Dan. I did a couple of walkways at my first and second house but I was under 30 years old at the time. I need another at my current home but someone else is going to have to do it for me. Maybe next your are driving through New Brunswick you could stop by


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

You’ve got plenty to show for your hard work Dan.


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## papasombre (Sep 22, 2011)

i Dan.
Now you will add civil construction works to your resume. Very nice.


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## Bushwhacker (Jun 16, 2009)

Stick486 said:


> there's the other issue...
> 
> .


That's me too Stick. I do a morning inventory each day just to be sure nothing fell off during the night.

David


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## Bushwhacker (Jun 16, 2009)

I hear you Dan. My old body talks to me when I start some thing that it knows is going to hurt in the morning.
A project we have been talking about getting into for several years was a room for Sandra to work out and do her sewing in. Plus other projects she has going.

We had some work out equipment in a part of the garage, but was still too small to get all of her stuff into.
I sectioned off about a 1/4 of the garage, ( the rest is my shop and material storage) can't bother that area.

In the attached pictures, I raised the floor of this part of the garage 16 inches, due to the floor cracking from tree roots and too much trouble to fix.
I framed it and decked it with 3/4 cdx, and tore out a 15 foot section of the outside wall. 
I extended the original room out another 10 foot, to give her a 20 x 15 room.

I had the door and the windows in my storage and was glad to get them out of there.

I still have to wire it up and insulate ( yes Rick, I am going to do the big "I") then sheet rock.
I am not looking forward to hauling those shingles up there, I usually carry 1/2 a bundle at a time.

I plan to add a 4 foot deck on the front and window boxes at each window.

There will be a wooden walkway from the house to the addition, plus an outside cook area, and a fire pit. 

I will add a couple of 8 foot raised planter beds back in the corner of the fence for her veggies and flowers.

I started a compost pile behind the garage a that should be ready to go into the planter boxes this next spring.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

That looks like quite a projects. Your doing a good job, that will add a lot more room to your place.
Herb


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## Danman1957 (Mar 14, 2009)

Mark,

My boss claims I won't be going anywhere any time soon. Darned Covid!!! If you send me your coordinates I will call you before my next trip to NB.

Dan


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## Danman1957 (Mar 14, 2009)

David,
Another big job ! 
I just finished re-doing the entire basement to create a recording studio for my son. I bought this home 3 years ago last week, and I still haven't tackles the kitchen and bathroom. More work to keep me out of trouble ! LOL
Dan


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## Danman1957 (Mar 14, 2009)

Mike,
I think I'll need new tires for the trailer, they are still the original Michelin from 1995 !

Dan


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