Pedestal paving systems
Jonathan
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
My garden is about 25cm lower than the doors from my house. At the moment there is a deck but it’s 15 years old and needs replacing.
I would like a patio but raising the level with hardcore seems labour intensive and expensive and so I was considering a pedestal system as commonly used on roof terraces and in retail and leisure spaces.
Has anyone got any experience of this at home? Is it cheaper than building up the levels with hardcore and a retaining wall? Are there drawbacks (for instance size of pavers or cost or future maintenance?)
Since they are widely used in commercial settings I tend to believe they are robust and work but what do people think?
Featured Answer
Comments (19)
Sonia
2 years agoRelated Discussions
Sitting room
Comments (30)Hello the days are brightening up by now and I'm sure the room is looking less drab for it. However I think furniture rearranging will work wonders. You seem to have nice low window sills: show them off. If the sofa goes to the left between window and built-in unit you'll have a view out to the garden and more light in the room. Equally: can you fit the piano between the radiator and the double doors? Again: more light through the window. Low sills are a god-send, and so many of us are stuck with high ones. The room will feel more spacious with a good view to outdoors. The armchairs then: one to the left of the fireplace and one between the other window and piano. TV then between the two windows. (No shine on the screen) Does that fit maybe? Or do you need all five seats facing the TV? I rather like those stripy cushions. Can you find a striped wallpaper in matching colors and with an irregular pattern repeat for your accent wall? if going with wood floors how about a sheepskin rug for each of your doggies? Black or white. One last detail. A lower table for your side lamps would be good: At sofa arm or seat height. Coffee table could work in corner between window and new sofa position. Btw: I liked the suggestion to replace the cupboard doors above the fish tank with full-height ones. In some kitchen shops you can find ready-painted, wooden, panel doors that might fit. It's a long shot but you could be lucky. It would brighten up the corner if you got a light colour....See MoreHow can I improve the curb appeal here.
Comments (5)Flowers in those flower boxes would be a good start, and then I'd tear out the conctrete or whatever the surface is next to the house and extend the driveway further out, closer to the camera, to make up for lost driveway space. The down spout must be removed from he driveway. The steps up to the house seem to be a confused assembly of different materials and should be reformed into a cohesive entry stairway, with plantings flanking it, or pots of greenery/flowers on it. The garage seems to be a different color from the house and if that is the came, I would change it echo the colors of the house. In the foreground of the photo is an opportunity for some beautiful landscaping. You have your work cut out for you, but nothing that you couldn't do over the next 3 months!...See MoreGarden help pleas: how to make a maintenance free garden on a budget?
Comments (16)Put in a few French drains where you dig a ditch and fill it with crushed rock to help the water drain. In low spots put in some drains [http://www.homedepot.com/p/Tuf-Tite-16-in-2-Hole-Drain-Sump-with-Grate-and-Seals-2HDS-4/203463511] with pipe running to the French drain. You might also need to bring in 10 yards of top soil along with some sand to raise your yard a bit as you're probably right at the water table level. We've had to do all this as we live in the Pacific Northwest in a reclaimed marsh [a nice word for a swamp] where we hit the water table if we dig down 3". We had to put down about 10 yards of top soil along with some sand to raise our back yard. We also dug a French drain along the back to connect to the associations drainage pipes through the neighborhood. My husband has put in at least 3 of the drains in strategic locations around the yard to help drain off the excess water. Our yard isn't perfect, but it isn't the swamp it was the first couple of years we were here. We have to apply moss killer every spring or it takes over the yard. My husband also puts down lime to soften the soil, and help the water drain easier. He and a friend rent an aerator every summer and do both our yards to help with the drainage as well....See MoreHelp with ugly view from living/dining area
Comments (13)I would use plants to brighten the space. The hardscapes are all good, they just look a bit naked and grim. It can be hard to make a space pretty but usable for the kids too, but its not impossible. You have a lovely sitting area to enjoy. Plant some lovely feature bushes in that gravel area. You don't need to completely hide the clothesline, but having something pretty and showy in front will create a boundary and the eye will be drawn to the plants instead of the washing. If you can't plant into the soil there, some large size pots will work. Maybe some medium sized (1-2metre) ornamental trees in pots, like citrus, a weeping ornamental cherry, or bay trees, moptop robinias are nice too. They will be compact. You could cluster some pots of herbs underneath or plant them and let them ramble a little. Herbs like thyme and rosemary and lavender will suit the gravel area and the heat and be hardy with kids playing around, the odd bike falling on them or crushing underfoot would be quite okay. bulbs in pots or planted around the edges of the lawn are great value low maintenance and hardy colour. You can get great seasonal variation in your view then. Online bulb stores like tesselar and garden express sell bulk landscaping bulbs at very reasonable prices. You can get hundreds of bulbs for $30-50. Bulbs are great hardy plants that won't be killed by the odd soccer ball either. The flowers may get knocked over or the leaves, but the bulb is safe under the soil. Cheap and cheerfuls like nasturtiums are good value colour that will self seed every season. Also, plant some very bright flowering shrubs behind the soccer net and against the far wall. Maybe some hibiscus? You need something to catch and entice the eye, plant some large flowering shrubs with larger or bright flowers or foliage you will be able to appreciate from a distance....See More
Victoria
2 years ago
Jonathan
2 years agoVictoria
2 years agopjdklm
2 years agoHi- we used pedestals in our garden and I highly recommend them. Our patio surface is now level to the house, but underneath the pedestals vary from 10mm shims to over 300mm in height. We used the taller pedestals to hide a sloped, moat-like, concrete drainage trench that surrounds our house. On the earth area we used gravel grids to help stabilise and level the surface.
faye_lloyd
2 years agopjdklm
2 years agoJonathan
2 years agoJonathan
2 years agoJonathan
2 years agopjdklm
2 years agosarh123
2 years ago
PROAGI Landscapes
2 years agoB P
2 years agoHU-29309451
2 years agoJonathan
2 years ago
Laura
2 years agoJames Briggs
2 years ago
Sponsored
Reload the page to not see this specific ad anymore
hedgehog99