Old World maiden voyage

[OldWorld]

I really appreciate this site, and all of you craftsman and contributers here----I have learned a great deal from all of you

now don't hold it against me...I'm a homeowner DIYer in St. Charles MO...I do enjoy/need hardscaping, too.

I'm going cold turkey here with this first post ---trying to post pics below of a back raised terrace in progress--

I'm ready to take the heat from everyone from all of you pros-- to get any expertise/help you will dish out...

...used 4"+ minus, compacted with a jumping jack in 2" lifts all around for base...used drain tile per everyone's recommendations here--with openings for out drainage in extreme conditions...buried at least 1 course all around...planning to remove existing slab to allow for one base material and not short cut by leaving in the existing slab...using good materials (creta & probably Navastone stone tile for the terrace top)

...should have removed the slab before doing the wall, but wanted to split the project into fall and spring half & half--and wanted to leave the slab in as long as possible...

stairs: I poured a footer at bottom to try to control any movement downgrade...stair caps have been finish cut since the photos...photos are in progress

working on cutting wall caps now---slow but gettin er done...yes--only using a hand circular saw with diamond blade---but my new angle grinder acquisition has done wonders for fine trimming...also have a small MK diamond saw ready to use on the 1.5" thick stonetile...

yet to do: remove slab, prepare base, install Navastone stone tile and stairs up to entry doors...BBQ/party/enjoy.

thanks
if I am accepted here as a DIYer without scorn , I can contribute some things learned on a front stonehenge paver porch I did and also ask a lot of questions as I finish this one up and tackle other upcoming projects

I appreciate your time and thanks for all your (unknown) help thus far...hopefully pics will be posted soon...I emailed pics and HELP to STONEHENGE....

sincerely,

Old World (believe it or not, I thought I was computer savy until I couldn't load these pics--sorry)

http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/images/before-begin.jpg

http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/images/base-prep1.jpg

http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/images/back-drain-fill.jpg

http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/images/left-mini-stairs.jpg

http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/images/left-from-gutter.jpg

http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/images/view-from-left1.jpg

http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/images/view-from-left1.jpg

http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/images/stairfront1.jpg

http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/images/stairclose1.jpg

http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/images/right1.jpg

http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/images/right2.jpg

http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/images/stonetile-example.jpg

[OldWorld]

sorry--pics didn't load

can anyone help the new guy who can't post pics?

I've sent them to Stonhenge and maybe he'll be kind enough to post pics or advise me

thanks

Old World

[Stonehenge]

I didn't see anything in my inbox - here's a tutorial on how how to post pictures (http://www.groundtradesxchange.com/forums/posting_pictures.php)

Moved to the Homeowner forum.

[OldWorld]

PATIO PIC1--BEFORE

[OldWorld]

PIC2--BASE PREP

[OldWorld]

PIC3-BACK DRAIN FILL

4" DRAIN TILE IS BELOW THE 1" CLEAR GRAVEL ALL AROUND.
DRAINTILE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF WALL AT 3 SPOTS AROUND THE WALL

[OldWorld]

PIC 4--WALL SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE

LEAVING A SMALL OPEN TO LATER REMOVE THE SLAB

SIDE STAIRS ARE ROUGHED IN & CAPS ARE YET TO BE FINISH CUT

[OldWorld]

PIC 5--WALL SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE

CAPS YET TO DO

[OldWorld]

PIC 6--STAIRS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE

CAPS YET TO DO

[OldWorld]

PIC 7--Side SHOT OF STAIRS
YOU CAN BARELY SEE ONE OF THE DRAIN TILE OUTLETS RIGHT AT THE SHADOW OF MY HEAD...A 1" SPACE WAS LEFT BETWEEN WALL BLOCKS AND A T-JOINT ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE WALL FEEDS INTO THE 1" DRAIN OUTLET....MY UNDERSTANDING IS DRAINTILE DISPERSES RATHER THAN "DRAINS", BUT IN EXTREME CONDITIONS DRAINAGE CAN OCCUR SO OUTLETS WERE BUILT IN

a very roughed in footing was later poured were the blocks are randonly laid at stair bottom in an attempt to prevent erosion and base movement... planning to dirt-fill & grow grass right up to a few inches below the bottom stair...
interested on your take on this approach....pitfalls? on a limited budget, what other approach might be as good or better???

[OldWorld]

PIC8--TALL PART OF PATIO WALL

see the drain oulet space in middle bottom of wall

...don't like the look of the gap on the drain outlet but I really wanted to take all precautions on drainage and I think it won't be as noticeable after grass and landscaping are installed

[OldWorld]

pic9--TALL WALL VIEW #2

[OldWorld]

rocca blue 16"x16" is being considered for the patio surface...
anybody have feedback about this?

see a stonetile example in the pic below...ideas are welcome..thanks!

[Stonehenge]

Hi Old World,

Maybe I missed it, but were you asking a question? It looks like everything is pretty much complete, so I'm not sure there's anything we can advise.

Looks fine to me. The fabric looks like weed fabric (which would tear and break), I might daylight the downspout one course deeper, and I'd be careful about breaking out the slab, to make sure that post isn't sitting on the slab.

[TrickyDick]

I think he was just looking for a critique. I'm no hardscape expert but the one thing that stands out to me is that you could have cut your stair treads to get a tighter fit on those curves. Other than that it looks okay to me.

[OldWorld]

thanks

here's some questions:

how do you keep the bottom of the stairs from eroding and sliding down in a situation like this? Is a concrete footing surrounding the bottom stair OK?

replacing the square pole...post column company recommendations/rreferrals? I want to use a fluted tapered round column, but the height is such that I would have to cut into the column fluting at the botton of a 9' column, since there is only a 5" trim tolerance on those columns. Do you think a fluted column with flutes starting at the base would look OK?

Navastone's Stonetile Tuscani 1.5" concrete paver tiles are about $4 a sq ft, are there cheaper alternatives that look like exterior tile? I can get EARTHslate exterior tile for about $2 a sq ft and I've got about 550 sq ft to cover...Can exterior tile without grouting somehow be used for the patio floor?

any suggestions on preparing the base in the middle?
on leveling base on a budget without fancy screeds and laser levels? on making the stairs to the french doors?

I'll revisit all the posts on the above but if anyone feels like responding specifically to this project--I'd sure welcome it--thanks!

--here's a pic of my front porch project (now finished) ...it had some interesting twists and turns...

[OldWorld]

pic 2 of front porch while in progress

[OldWorld]

front porch --before...a semi-circle drive was being poured in front of the house at this time, hence the grading in front of the garage