Paver patio

It was the first summer in my new house 2017! It was time to grill and when I rolled it out, the ground was unruly. I couldn’t find a decent level spot to place the grill and cook so I built a patio.

I cleared out a 15′ square for a 14′ square patio by hand shovel. Add a pick ax to the equation to uproot three tree stumps along the house. I dug 6″ into the ground. The ground here in Texas is mostly clay so I’m not so worried about shifting/sinking. I used 4″ of base and 1/2″ sand which is less than what you’ll find online in patio instructions. They typically recommend 8″-12″ base and 1″ sand…I halved my budget, bags, and hauling. Time will tell if I made a bad decision.

Update 7-1-21: minor settling has occurred however the surface is still holding it’s slop and uniformity.

I laid down two rolls of weed barrier and staked off both a level line and a slope line of mason’s string.

Using only a 1/2″ of sand which was a little tricky as it’s not much tolerance for error. Using 3/4″ PVC would have been easier as it’s longer than the dowels I used. Pavers set just fine though, leveling them with a rubber mallet. They sit firm and steady. After removing 1/8″ tile spacers as I go, all the grout lines were filled with polymeric sand. Pavers were sealed with Rustoleum natural penetrating sealer which did not alter the color. Edges were infilled as well.

Update 7-1-21: the sealer didn’t appear to be of any use and didn’t prevent grease stains from the grill. Still need to power wash and apply a clearcoat product.

Ladder golf set #2

Made my second set of ladders & bolos for more backyard fun. Added a coat of polyurethane on the rungs and golf balls to prevent chipping. The dark blue is a plastic penetrating formula. Time will tell if that along with poly ensure a chip/scuff resistant finish. I filled the light blue portion of the base legs with sand to weigh down the assembly since the ladder wants to sway back when the bolos catch. The T joints in the base legs are stuffed with a plastic bag so the sand stays in the front blue portion. The legs and the ladder have PVC cement. The legs should remain removable so the set can be easily packed into a car. Bolos were hand drilled and brown/green paracord was used. The ends are tied off and taken a light flame to melt and solidify the nylon.

My first set featured a square base but I find the crossbars in the front and back unnecessary. I used white nylon rope which is slightly thinner and melds together a bit better but the paracord functions just as well and it looks better. The first set is blue and yellow and after years of use, there are plenty of scuffs on both colors, hence the poly on this second go round.