My Garden Overhaul .... Why Did I Start This ..Picture heavy
Discussion
OP great effort and looks like you're using decent materials and doing a good job of it.
If and when you come around to planting, I am a bit of a keen amateur so would be willing to comment on what you're looking for once you have completed the landscaping. A good mix of evergreens and perennials should make for a reasonably low maintenance but developing garden. You're best planting fruit into the earth really and there are dwarf rootstocks which don't grow much more than 6ft but will heavy fruit.
I'd also recommend seeding the lawn from lawnsmith however turfing is a quick fix. There is something very satisfying about seeding though, and September would be perfect for it. By next spring you could have a beautiful lawn.
If and when you come around to planting, I am a bit of a keen amateur so would be willing to comment on what you're looking for once you have completed the landscaping. A good mix of evergreens and perennials should make for a reasonably low maintenance but developing garden. You're best planting fruit into the earth really and there are dwarf rootstocks which don't grow much more than 6ft but will heavy fruit.
I'd also recommend seeding the lawn from lawnsmith however turfing is a quick fix. There is something very satisfying about seeding though, and September would be perfect for it. By next spring you could have a beautiful lawn.
I do this for a living and have to say that's bloody good for a first attempt, it's actually better than a lot of the so called competition I allegedly have to compete against 
The planning, levels and cuts are all good, my only criticism would be the joints are quite big but that's because you haven't laid them before and I'm guessing were or are planning to use cement. We only used resin based compounds now as you can get away with much tighter joints (sandstone due to it's nature of crap tolerance means you either end up with skinny or massive joints). If you know your using resin you stick to smaller the better iykwim. However it will be ok when pointed. I strongly recomend using gtfk vdw 800 for that. It's what I use and have used since 07 now. It certainly helps mask the inconsistency in sandstone sizes.
Can I ask one genuine question though.
How do you feel about the price you may have been charged if you hadn't spent the time doing it yourself. Let's assume you get someone like me to do the job and he's doing it properly, is vat registered and has usual overheads of a small buisness. Does it still look expensive?
The planning, levels and cuts are all good, my only criticism would be the joints are quite big but that's because you haven't laid them before and I'm guessing were or are planning to use cement. We only used resin based compounds now as you can get away with much tighter joints (sandstone due to it's nature of crap tolerance means you either end up with skinny or massive joints). If you know your using resin you stick to smaller the better iykwim. However it will be ok when pointed. I strongly recomend using gtfk vdw 800 for that. It's what I use and have used since 07 now. It certainly helps mask the inconsistency in sandstone sizes.
Can I ask one genuine question though.
How do you feel about the price you may have been charged if you hadn't spent the time doing it yourself. Let's assume you get someone like me to do the job and he's doing it properly, is vat registered and has usual overheads of a small buisness. Does it still look expensive?
Cracking work OP! Will be stunning when finished.
I too laughed and damn near fell over when a landscape company quoted me for a more modest garden landscaping. Set about it myself and now wish I hadn't. Saying that it's immensely satisfying but a real slog indeed. Could have used that digger myself shifting muck about.
Looking forward to the updates, and good luck with the new born.
I too laughed and damn near fell over when a landscape company quoted me for a more modest garden landscaping. Set about it myself and now wish I hadn't. Saying that it's immensely satisfying but a real slog indeed. Could have used that digger myself shifting muck about.
Looking forward to the updates, and good luck with the new born.
david mcc said:
M3jappa I'd be interested to know roughly how much a professional would charge for a similar job? Even a ball park figure
I've seen some of the quotes of what I would call pretty basic garden design with some not particularly challenging ground works and they've been into the tens of thousands - like £40,000 to have a small sloping garden levelled and some retaining walls built and a medium sized patio paved. The planting hasn't even been particularly expensive either and they haven't been using £2000 mature trees!We were quoted £8000 for about 8m of retaining wall and Laurel hedging by a landscape company. Got it sorted for about £2500. They're constantly busy though and not short of work!
Pheo said:
Looks epic. Makes a real difference having gone to the effort to design something, especially having curves
To make the pointing easier, have you looked into resin based solutions? Have a look at paving expert. It's brush in then and dead easy to do.
I will have to look at that ... I remember helping point my last patio ... awful, back breaking!To make the pointing easier, have you looked into resin based solutions? Have a look at paving expert. It's brush in then and dead easy to do.
Sticks. said:
Looks like it's going to be great.
Here's the place for fruit trees. Usually plant over Winter. There's a lot of information on varieties, pollination etc, almost too much. Mail order or collect. I bought one in 2008 and it's done well.
http://www.keepers-nursery.co.uk/searchresults2.as...
Excellent, website noted. I know nothing about trees/flowers etc.Here's the place for fruit trees. Usually plant over Winter. There's a lot of information on varieties, pollination etc, almost too much. Mail order or collect. I bought one in 2008 and it's done well.
http://www.keepers-nursery.co.uk/searchresults2.as...
Muppet32 said:
Yes. Use this stuff:
Easy to use and it's more resilient than traditional mortar.
Looks $$$$$ and I have big gaps ... the sign of an amateur Easy to use and it's more resilient than traditional mortar.
rufusgti said:
Look fantastic. I'd love to have a go at a complete garden makeover.
Those raised beds though.... Surely they're the most expensive raised beds in the history of gardening??
Go on, how much is that oak per metre?
They're not cheap. Each sleeper was £19 the big bed is using about 15 sleepers. I bought 30 to do all the raised beds, and then some more green oak to do the pergola. Around £900 in green oak ... also spent an unreal amount on a couple of tins of Osmo UV oil to protect them. £50 for 2 litres I think!Those raised beds though.... Surely they're the most expensive raised beds in the history of gardening??
Go on, how much is that oak per metre?
MrChips said:
OP that looks superb and certainly inspiration for those of us desk bods who think they'd be up for doing similar amount of work! 
So... what bits of learning would you say to someone just about to start a similar job? What tools have come in handy etc?
I'd definitely be interested in how you've achieve the curved cut on the paving slabs, set them then mark up then cut with a circular saw?
I'm a few months behind you, having had to remove a large tree and i'm now just starting to draw out the designs and order materials. The wife is going mental that i've killed the (100% moss) lawn I'm going to paint the fencing when she's away for a week at the end of July and that should definitely make a step forwards. Trying to decide on the colour is taking ages as we have to plan how it will look at the end rather than now.
Loads of potential in that garden, from what I have learnt so far, determine which way your garden faces and build patio round that, make a patio bigger than you think and look at loads of photos online... or any mates in the business. So... what bits of learning would you say to someone just about to start a similar job? What tools have come in handy etc?I'd definitely be interested in how you've achieve the curved cut on the paving slabs, set them then mark up then cut with a circular saw?
I'm a few months behind you, having had to remove a large tree and i'm now just starting to draw out the designs and order materials. The wife is going mental that i've killed the (100% moss) lawn
I'm going to paint the fencing when she's away for a week at the end of July and that should definitely make a step forwards. Trying to decide on the colour is taking ages as we have to plan how it will look at the end rather than now.As for the curve, not sure if you can see in the later photos, there is a pipe right in the middle of the garden, i run a tape measure off it to get the circle for the grass, and holding the tape and a bit of chalk I mark the patio once its dried, then simply patience with a grinder, because it's such a large diameter curve the cuts not as hard as it looked.
paulrockliffe said:
Yeah looks ace. I'm beginning to get a plan together for my garden, but I'm going to end up doing it piece-meal over the next few years I think. I'm starting from a position of having a nice, but nothing special garden, so there's no rush, just gradual improvements to work through. I've got far too much drive, so a huge amount to dig out and replace if I can motivate myself.
What have you used for your patio? Looks really quite nice. I've a patio to do at some point, but maybe not for a while.
The patio is Indian sandstone and it's the "Rippon" type, that's the colour, fairly common, lots of places sell it.I love it as they're so different and vibrant, once pressure washed up will look better.What have you used for your patio? Looks really quite nice. I've a patio to do at some point, but maybe not for a while.
spaceship said:
Very impressive. Excellent work you're doing there.
I'm hoping to start my own garden makeover later in the year ( crappy weather but won't get grief off the wife for my daughter not being able to play outside). I'm like you, not a pro but can turn my hand to most things. If it turns out half as good as yours is looking, I'll be doing well.
Plan, measure, measure again, sit, look, patience, and take it slow and steady with attention to details. But then also remember it's just a garden so don't go to OTT. That is what I have learnt so far.I'm hoping to start my own garden makeover later in the year ( crappy weather but won't get grief off the wife for my daughter not being able to play outside). I'm like you, not a pro but can turn my hand to most things. If it turns out half as good as yours is looking, I'll be doing well.
Chicken Chaser said:
OP great effort and looks like you're using decent materials and doing a good job of it.
If and when you come around to planting, I am a bit of a keen amateur so would be willing to comment on what you're looking for once you have completed the landscaping. A good mix of evergreens and perennials should make for a reasonably low maintenance but developing garden. You're best planting fruit into the earth really and there are dwarf rootstocks which don't grow much more than 6ft but will heavy fruit.
I'd also recommend seeding the lawn from lawnsmith however turfing is a quick fix. There is something very satisfying about seeding though, and September would be perfect for it. By next spring you could have a beautiful lawn.
I shall be keeping this thread updated, and I will welcome all input on planting.If and when you come around to planting, I am a bit of a keen amateur so would be willing to comment on what you're looking for once you have completed the landscaping. A good mix of evergreens and perennials should make for a reasonably low maintenance but developing garden. You're best planting fruit into the earth really and there are dwarf rootstocks which don't grow much more than 6ft but will heavy fruit.
I'd also recommend seeding the lawn from lawnsmith however turfing is a quick fix. There is something very satisfying about seeding though, and September would be perfect for it. By next spring you could have a beautiful lawn.
m3jappa said:
I do this for a living and have to say that's bloody good for a first attempt, it's actually better than a lot of the so called competition I allegedly have to compete against
The planning, levels and cuts are all good, my only criticism would be the joints are quite big but that's because you haven't laid them before and I'm guessing were or are planning to use cement. We only used resin based compounds now as you can get away with much tighter joints (sandstone due to it's nature of crap tolerance means you either end up with skinny or massive joints). If you know your using resin you stick to smaller the better iykwim. However it will be ok when pointed. I strongly recomend using gtfk vdw 800 for that. It's what I use and have used since 07 now. It certainly helps mask the inconsistency in sandstone sizes.
Can I ask one genuine question though.
How do you feel about the price you may have been charged if you hadn't spent the time doing it yourself. Let's assume you get someone like me to do the job and he's doing it properly, is vat registered and has usual overheads of a small buisness. Does it still look expensive?
Good to get praise from a pro. My mate who designed it is passing on Thursday so popping in to check it for the first time... genuinely nervous!The planning, levels and cuts are all good, my only criticism would be the joints are quite big but that's because you haven't laid them before and I'm guessing were or are planning to use cement. We only used resin based compounds now as you can get away with much tighter joints (sandstone due to it's nature of crap tolerance means you either end up with skinny or massive joints). If you know your using resin you stick to smaller the better iykwim. However it will be ok when pointed. I strongly recomend using gtfk vdw 800 for that. It's what I use and have used since 07 now. It certainly helps mask the inconsistency in sandstone sizes.
Can I ask one genuine question though.
How do you feel about the price you may have been charged if you hadn't spent the time doing it yourself. Let's assume you get someone like me to do the job and he's doing it properly, is vat registered and has usual overheads of a small buisness. Does it still look expensive?
The joints are probably a bit big I agree now. They range from 20mm to 30mm in places. Difficult to get them all bang on, I spent far to long at the start with a metal ruler trying to get them bang on 20mm. But due to the nature of the stone, as you know, it was taking to long, and just not working.
I shall have a look at these resin ones. I know my mate does it with a dryish mix of mortar. Although I have seen on Youtube a guy using a wet mix, slapping it in, then cleaning with sponge and water as he goes. Results looked good.
I think the price he may have charged was reasonable. He said probably 3 of them for two weeks. so effectively 6 weeks work (working days only). He would of done it for me for about £9-£10k. He would of charged normally about £12k. He basically said he'd charge labour like normal (which is fine, he has to live and pay his lads) and just made no money on materials. He also couldn't fit me in until September 2017. So his price must be right, as his books are full. Although I was shocked at first, when you break it down, about £5k will be materials. so £5k isn't a lot for all that manual labour.
dazwalsh said:
Cracking work OP! Will be stunning when finished.
I too laughed and damn near fell over when a landscape company quoted me for a more modest garden landscaping. Set about it myself and now wish I hadn't. Saying that it's immensely satisfying but a real slog indeed. Could have used that digger myself shifting muck about.
Looking forward to the updates, and good luck with the new born.
It is immensely satisfying doing it, there have been times when I wanted to just throw a towel in... Mainly the levels, found that difficult. I also constantly ache at the moment!I too laughed and damn near fell over when a landscape company quoted me for a more modest garden landscaping. Set about it myself and now wish I hadn't. Saying that it's immensely satisfying but a real slog indeed. Could have used that digger myself shifting muck about.
Looking forward to the updates, and good luck with the new born.
Shall keep the updates flowing, although the imminent birth may delay them a touch!
Craikeybaby said:
This looks great? Is the lack of updates due to a new arrival?
My wife wants something like this in our garden, although I'd rather tone it down a bit, keeping as much grass as possible. Will be a job for next year though.
You are bang on the money, currently on hold for a couple of weeks due to the amazing arrival of our first born, our lovely daughter Sophie:My wife wants something like this in our garden, although I'd rather tone it down a bit, keeping as much grass as possible. Will be a job for next year though.
IMG_0565 by joe L, on FlickrI did manage to cram in some hours before the birth.
First was to finish the main raised bed:
Garden by joe L, on Flickr
Garden by joe L, on Flickr
Garden by joe L, on FlickrJust need to put something to stop soil falling into neighbours garden!
Carried on more with the pergola which is joined to the raised bed and goes over the path:
Garden by joe L, on Flickr
Garden by joe L, on Flickr
Garden by joe L, on Flickr
Garden by joe L, on Flickr
IMG_0535 by joe L, on FlickrPut a beam across, one of the four there will be. did some carpentry for the joints:
Garden by joe L, on Flickr
Garden by joe L, on FlickrThat's as far as I have got, I will do some this weekend, although maybe shouldn't expect too much.
On a side note, and as we are a car forum. My mate who designed the garden for me (as he is a landscape designer thingy) turned up in his new motor to check progress. I am a tad envious, it is amazing, it's the V6 version. Lovely motor:
IMG_0533 by joe L, on Flickr
IMG_0534 by joe L, on Flickredited 12/04/2017 - Photobucket and Pistonheads don't get along - Moved photos to Flickr
Edited by joestifff on Wednesday 12th April 15:12
If you haven't pointed your paving yet, have a look at Flowpoint. I used it (DIY) on our sandstone patio and it was brilliant. Easy to use and FAST. Flows into all the nooks and crannies and bonds everything together minimising any movement cracking later on. Much cheaper than resin alternatives too.
Congratulations! Our first daughter came along right in the middle of my garden renovation too - so as you can imagine it's still ongoing a year later...
If you don't mind me saying, I'm concerned about soil retention in your raised beds.... You're going to a lot of trouble to ensure the sleepers aren't pushed over by the weight of soil - to my amateur eye it seems that maybe you could concrete sleepers in along the back edge too just inside the fence.
I'm slightly behind you, but in the top left of this picture I have a similar issue with my boundary after digging out tons of old topsoil and rubble - I've concreted in 600 flags vertically to retain the back edge of the bed. We're on a corner and rather than have a sloping garden I've terraced it with retaining walls which has caused some awkward levels.
I absolutely agree that it's very hard work for an office desk worker doing this part-time evenings and weekends!
If you don't mind me saying, I'm concerned about soil retention in your raised beds.... You're going to a lot of trouble to ensure the sleepers aren't pushed over by the weight of soil - to my amateur eye it seems that maybe you could concrete sleepers in along the back edge too just inside the fence.
I'm slightly behind you, but in the top left of this picture I have a similar issue with my boundary after digging out tons of old topsoil and rubble - I've concreted in 600 flags vertically to retain the back edge of the bed. We're on a corner and rather than have a sloping garden I've terraced it with retaining walls which has caused some awkward levels.
I absolutely agree that it's very hard work for an office desk worker doing this part-time evenings and weekends!
Genuinely impressive stuff here - well done!
I have a 3.5yr old daughter and have to confess, I barely get anything done other than just mowing the lawn and tending to the hedges & flowerbeds. Insanely jealous about what you've managed to achieve, but guess it'll be slowing a bit going forward.
I have a 3.5yr old daughter and have to confess, I barely get anything done other than just mowing the lawn and tending to the hedges & flowerbeds. Insanely jealous about what you've managed to achieve, but guess it'll be slowing a bit going forward.
m3jappa said:
Can I ask one genuine question though.
How do you feel about the price you may have been charged if you hadn't spent the time doing it yourself. Let's assume you get someone like me to do the job and he's doing it properly, is vat registered and has usual overheads of a small buisness. Does it still look expensive?
How do you feel about the price you may have been charged if you hadn't spent the time doing it yourself. Let's assume you get someone like me to do the job and he's doing it properly, is vat registered and has usual overheads of a small buisness. Does it still look expensive?
This is something I have come to appreciate greatly over the last year. I'm happy to throw a chainsaw, stump grinder, pick ace and shovel around, despite being a full time desk jockey. We had two landscapers quote us for what we had in plan longer term for the garden, but also to seek some advice on what prep-work we could do in advance.
The quotes for the front driveway, double garage build and rear landscaping were all around £35-40k, which initially we thought was horrifically expensive. However, once the costs were broken down into materials and labour, it became a bit more understandable, and after spending the last few months removing trees and stumps, and muck shifting by hand, I now fully appreciate the cost of labour aspect, but also the time taken. I get 4 hours free time at the end of each day, maybe 12-16 over the course of a weekend. I don't want to spend all of my free time doing heavy manual labour - the occasional weekend or evening is fine, but the size of our garden would take me months to do by myself.
I'm now of the opinion that £35k is excellent value for the work we have planned...
Only months to do yourself? It's taken me quite literally years!
I couldn't agree more. It's easy to balk at the considerable size of quotes for someone else doing the job, but it takes an incredible amount of time, commitment and hard work to do the job yourself. I'm sacrificing whole weekends and evenings trying to get everything done, not to mention the many hundreds of hours done to date.
I have to admit I'm running out of commitment now... even though I'm starting to see some finished surfaces go in for the first time. Although saying that, a dash of patio and a sprinkle of topsoil and turf and it'll finally be done....
I'm starting to realise that my time is more valuable to me than the cost of paying someone else. Also watching "Love your garden" really does not help!
I couldn't agree more. It's easy to balk at the considerable size of quotes for someone else doing the job, but it takes an incredible amount of time, commitment and hard work to do the job yourself. I'm sacrificing whole weekends and evenings trying to get everything done, not to mention the many hundreds of hours done to date.
I have to admit I'm running out of commitment now... even though I'm starting to see some finished surfaces go in for the first time. Although saying that, a dash of patio and a sprinkle of topsoil and turf and it'll finally be done....
I'm starting to realise that my time is more valuable to me than the cost of paying someone else. Also watching "Love your garden" really does not help!
I think that element of time gets even more critical when you have a family too.
It's not just the fact that the wife is yelling at you to do your share of the parenting, but it's also because you want to spend time with the bairn and not plugging away saving yourself a few quid.
Since my little'un has arrived, I've definitely gone from the mode of never paying anyone to do anything I can do myself to "my time is worth far more" and getting people in to do work I'd have previously done myself.
It's not just the fact that the wife is yelling at you to do your share of the parenting, but it's also because you want to spend time with the bairn and not plugging away saving yourself a few quid.
Since my little'un has arrived, I've definitely gone from the mode of never paying anyone to do anything I can do myself to "my time is worth far more" and getting people in to do work I'd have previously done myself.
So, work is slower when you have a little one, I feel guilty if I am in the garden and not helping the wife and looking after the daughter.
But I also appreciate that I want this done and dusted so we can actually enjoy the garden.
I have spent most the time sorting out this bloody pergola. I am glad I have done it, as it adds some height to the garden, but my God it's taken some time to get right, dealing with green oak that keeps moving naturally and then giving it a quick sand down to get rid of the rough sawn edges. Digging holes, etc etc etc. I havent even done the rafters across the top, I keep telling myself that is this weeks job! but rain has stopped play!!
So the pergola.... nearly done:
4th post in:
Garden by joe L, on Flickr
5th and 6th post in... Finally all posts done:
Garden by joe L, on Flickr
Garden by joe L, on Flickr
IMG_0646 by joe L, on Flickr
Carried on chiselling and whittling away at making the top beams:
Garden by joe L, on Flickr
Garden by joe L, on Flickr
Main posts lined up fairly well (pointing to my centre mark in the middle of what will be the grass) considering it's green oak and keeps bloody moving!!!
Garden by joe L, on Flickr
Final top beam roughly done:
Garden by joe L, on Flickr
A good sand, which did no good for my eyes or nose and some shaping of the beams, bolted one side in, got me to this:
IMG_0660 by joe L, on Flickr
I was worried the wind would blow it down, but this is going nowhere!!
Garden by joe L, on Flickr
Looks much better for a quick rough sand:
Garden by joe L, on Flickr
Garden by joe L, on Flickr
Garden by joe L, on Flickr
So I then got really bored of doing wood work, and left the rafters across the top for another day. I pulled up the old council style path down the side of the house, wackered it all done right to the foot path, over what used to be grass, then plants next to my car, so we will have a nice long path from road to garden, and mean we the drive has more space to push pram around on. It just wasn't quite wide enough before:
Looking from garden to road (you will see the fall I had to replicate once it gets to the drive):
IMG_0665 by joe L, on Flickr
Further down the path, looking towards the road. Defines the border with my neighbour, need to repair his grass when i dug mine up months ago!!!!
Garden by joe L, on Flickr
Looking back to the garden:
Garden by joe L, on Flickr
And that is how far I've managed. Like I said, hoping to finish the pergola this week!!!
I have briefly designed the decking subframe. Although advice appreciated:
Decking plan by joe L, on Flickr
So what you see is the half semi circle layout of the decking for subframe, this will be in the opposite corner to the big patio of the same shape at the back of the garden. It will be framed by the block edging as per the rest of the patio/grass etc.
It is smaller at 3m x 3m on the two long edges, then obviously curved. The decking board, which WILL be composite (probably Trex stuff) is going to be laid like this:
Smith-a by joe L, on Flickr
But obviously only a quarter of it, that picture is a full circle!!! Which is why my braces are at 90 degrees to it in my design.
The braces/noggins, whatever the word is are 400mm centres they main beams and noggins are 6"x2" wood and posts are 4"x4" of which they are cicular in my diagram, but square in real life, there are 11 in total (is that overkill, or not enough) spaced at most 1.2m apart. What I am not sure is how far to cement them into my lovely clay soil! I was thinking 30cm should do it (one place i read said 70cm... that's just madness!!!!!!), the deck will only sit about 20cm above ground level!
All advice on this decking build much appreciated.
Cheers all.
edited 12/04/2017 - Photobucket is an arse - changed to Flickr
But I also appreciate that I want this done and dusted so we can actually enjoy the garden.
I have spent most the time sorting out this bloody pergola. I am glad I have done it, as it adds some height to the garden, but my God it's taken some time to get right, dealing with green oak that keeps moving naturally and then giving it a quick sand down to get rid of the rough sawn edges. Digging holes, etc etc etc. I havent even done the rafters across the top, I keep telling myself that is this weeks job! but rain has stopped play!!
So the pergola.... nearly done:
4th post in:
Garden by joe L, on Flickr5th and 6th post in... Finally all posts done:
Garden by joe L, on FlickrGarden by joe L, on FlickrIMG_0646 by joe L, on FlickrCarried on chiselling and whittling away at making the top beams:
Garden by joe L, on FlickrGarden by joe L, on FlickrMain posts lined up fairly well (pointing to my centre mark in the middle of what will be the grass) considering it's green oak and keeps bloody moving!!!
Garden by joe L, on FlickrFinal top beam roughly done:
Garden by joe L, on FlickrA good sand, which did no good for my eyes or nose and some shaping of the beams, bolted one side in, got me to this:
IMG_0660 by joe L, on FlickrI was worried the wind would blow it down, but this is going nowhere!!
Garden by joe L, on FlickrLooks much better for a quick rough sand:
Garden by joe L, on FlickrGarden by joe L, on FlickrGarden by joe L, on FlickrSo I then got really bored of doing wood work, and left the rafters across the top for another day. I pulled up the old council style path down the side of the house, wackered it all done right to the foot path, over what used to be grass, then plants next to my car, so we will have a nice long path from road to garden, and mean we the drive has more space to push pram around on. It just wasn't quite wide enough before:
Looking from garden to road (you will see the fall I had to replicate once it gets to the drive):
IMG_0665 by joe L, on FlickrFurther down the path, looking towards the road. Defines the border with my neighbour, need to repair his grass when i dug mine up months ago!!!!
Garden by joe L, on FlickrLooking back to the garden:
Garden by joe L, on FlickrAnd that is how far I've managed. Like I said, hoping to finish the pergola this week!!!
I have briefly designed the decking subframe. Although advice appreciated:
Decking plan by joe L, on FlickrSo what you see is the half semi circle layout of the decking for subframe, this will be in the opposite corner to the big patio of the same shape at the back of the garden. It will be framed by the block edging as per the rest of the patio/grass etc.
It is smaller at 3m x 3m on the two long edges, then obviously curved. The decking board, which WILL be composite (probably Trex stuff) is going to be laid like this:
Smith-a by joe L, on FlickrBut obviously only a quarter of it, that picture is a full circle!!! Which is why my braces are at 90 degrees to it in my design.
The braces/noggins, whatever the word is are 400mm centres they main beams and noggins are 6"x2" wood and posts are 4"x4" of which they are cicular in my diagram, but square in real life, there are 11 in total (is that overkill, or not enough) spaced at most 1.2m apart. What I am not sure is how far to cement them into my lovely clay soil! I was thinking 30cm should do it (one place i read said 70cm... that's just madness!!!!!!), the deck will only sit about 20cm above ground level!
All advice on this decking build much appreciated.
Cheers all.
edited 12/04/2017 - Photobucket is an arse - changed to Flickr
Edited by joestifff on Wednesday 12th April 16:18
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