Ultimate Guide: Walks, Patios & Walls

by Creative Homeowner

Overview

Designing the outside of the home adds to curb-side appeal, creates ambiance, and increases the value of the home. Ultimate Guide: Walks, Patios & Wallsprovides the homeowner with all the information needed to integrate popular hardscape designs into the overall home landscape. Included are ideas for brick, mortar, and concrete walks and patios; flagstone and tile patios; and brick and mortared stone walls. Lavish color photographs provide design inspiration, while the extensive how-to section provides easy-to-follow information.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781580114844
Publisher:	Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Incorporated
Publication date:	06/03/2010
Series:	Landscaping
Edition description:	Third
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	695,575
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 10.80(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	10 Years

About the Author

Consumers recognize Creative Homeowner as their leading and trusted source for the best information, inspiration, and instruction related to the house and home. Creative Homeowner is the preeminent publisher of books on all aspects of decorating and design; home repair and improvement; house plans; gardening and landscaping; and grilling. Creative Homeowner's books stand out from other publications with their complete and easy-to-follow instructions, up-to-date information, and extensive use of color photography. Among its best-selling titles are Ultimate Guide to Home Repair and Improvement, Updated Edition; Ultimate Guide: Plumbing, 4th Updated Edition; and Ultimate Guide: Wiring, 8th Updated Edition.

Table of Contents

Ultimate Guide: Walks, Patios & Walls

Table of Contents

Introduction

WALKS

Designing Your Site

Making a Site Plan

Walk Designs

Hard Walks

Soft Walks

• Wood Walks

Edging

• Edging Materials

Grading and Drainage

• Drainage

• Changes in Walk Level

Soft Walks

Layout and Preparation

Stone

• Types of Stone Aggregate

Wood

Loose Aggregate

Lumber Walks

• Treated Lumber

• Untreated Lumber

Boardwalks

• Building a Boardwalk

 

Dry-Laid Walks

Tools You Will Need

Material Selections

• Brick

• Brick Patterns

• Adobe Blocks

• Stone

• Installation Tips

• Interlocking Pavers

• Concrete Patio Blocks

Setting Stone Directly on the Ground

• Possible Materials

• Laying Stone in the Ground

Walks on a Gravel-and-Sand Base

• Plotting and Excavating the Subbase

Laying Paving Units in Sand

• Spread Sand

• Set Pavers

• Fill the Joints

• Filling Wide Joints

Hard Mortar- Bed Walks

Anatomy of a Mortar Walk

• Site Conditions

• Mortar Mixes

•Tools for Working with Mortar
• Preparing Paving Materials

Preparing for the Concrete Base

• Install the Forms

Pouring the Concrete Bed

• Pouring the Concrete

• Begin the Pour

• Screed the Surface

Finishing the Concrete Surface

• Rough-Float the Surface

• Curing Concrete

Setting the Walk

• Set Forms

• The Mortar Bed

• Setting the Walk

• Fill the Joints

Ceramic and Stone Tile

• Suitable Types of Tile

Setting Tiles in Mortar

• Prepare the Surface

• Lay the Tiles

BUILDING

Steps

Step Design

• Finding the Run and Rise

Wood Steps

• Steps on Grade

• Building the Steps

Landscape Steps

Concrete Steps

• Determine Run and Rise

• Excavate the Site

BRICK STEPS

• Building Brick Steps

PATIOS

Creating a Comfortable Climate for Your Patio

• Making a Site Cooler or Warmer

 

Soft-Set Patios

Types of Patios

Installing Patio Pavers

Mortar-Bed Patios

Concrete Patios.

• Making a Concrete Patio

Patios on Concrete Slabs

• Flagstone and Brick Patios

• Tiling a Patio

 

 

WALLS

Dry-Laid Stone Walls

Tools

Types of Stone

• Selecting Stones

• Estimating Amounts

Wall Building Basics

• Building Requirements

Constructing the Wall

• The First Course

• The Second Course

• Cap the Wall

Footings for Walls

General Requirements

• Footing Size and Depth

• Footing Forms

Buying Concrete

• Dry Mixes

• Wet Mixes

• Estimating Amounts

Mixing Concrete

• Mixing by Hand

• Using a Power Mixer

Building Footings

• Building Forms

Pouring Concrete

Mortared Stone Walls

General Requirements for Stone Walls

Constructing the Wall

Concrete Block Walls

Types of Block

• Shapes and Sizes

• Estimating Amounts

Basic Requirements

Building a Block Wall

• Set the First Block

Stucco Finishes

• Applying Stucco

Brick Walls

Types of Bricks

• Brick Sizes

Types of Walls

• Anatomy of a Brick Wall

• Estimating Amounts

Basic Requirements

• Footings

• Reinforcement

• Mortar

Building a Single-Wythe Wall

• Wall Layout

Building a Double-Wythe Wall

• Wall Layout

Retaining Walls

Basic Requirements

• Excavation

• Drainage

• Footings and Reinforcement

Landscape-Tie Retaining Walls

• Building a Landscape-Tie Wall

Interlocking Concrete-Block Walls

Dry-Laid Stone Retaining Walls

• Building a Dry-Laid Retaining Wall

 

 

Appendix I

PLANNING AND DESIGN

Basic Landscape Design

What do You Expect From Your Yard?

• Working with Your Surroundings

• Formal Versus Informal

 

Basic Site Design

• Design Techniques

• Dividing Your Design Into Specific Parts

• Organizing Your Site Design

Appendix II

PLANNING YOUR SITE

Types of Soil

Dealing with Drainage

• Drainage Systems

• Grading Your Site

 

 

Resource Guide

Glossary

Index

Editorial Reviews

Following the 1997 and 2004 editions, this volume includes more detail on walkway construction and new motivational photographs. While the text hasn't changed much, it is still well organized and easy to follow, covering short walkways, patios, and low masonry walls. Certain photographs and projects also appear in the third edition of Ultimate Guide to Masonry & Concrete, but this remains a good purchase for most collections.

Library Journal