Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson enamoured of sand

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=287x8961

Oh my.

The cooking and baking forum on Skins's island has been drearily dull ever since hippyhubby Wild Bill forbade hippywife Mrs. Alfred Packer from visiting there, so I went to the do-it-yourself forum to see what's up with the primitives.

Adsos Letter  (1000+ posts)      Sun Nov-28-10 10:38 PM
Original message
 
Has anyone had any experience with installing Decomposed Granite walkways?

I'm told I have to put down a weedcloth barrier, and about 3" of a/b gravel as a bed. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with this, and any helpful hints that might not be obvious?

Wash. state Desk Jet  (1000+ posts)      Mon Nov-29-10 01:11 AM
Response to Original message
 
1. Not my specialty

but, the weed cloth, I would spray RoundUp weed and grass killer before laying down cloth. The 90% strength works best.

Wash. state Desk Jet  (1000+ posts)      Mon Nov-29-10 10:11 PM
Response to Reply #2
 
3. Also

Keep the stuff around because it is the way to maintain your walkway along the lines of unwanted weeds and grass popping up. Roundup makes a strengthened formula now in a pre mix with on board pump that kills the unwanted growth instantly,within a few days the stuff drops brown ! You can just about take a broom to it after that !

The walkway should be pretty straight forward ,i've done brick ,cement,decor stones ,but not slate or granite decomposed or otherwise. Most of the work is in excavation,rake and shovel. Yer level is all and important.

Stinky The Clown  (1000+ posts)        Mon Nov-29-10 11:17 PM
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Response to Original message
 
4. Are you planning the decomposed granite as the walking surface or the base?

Adsos Letter  (1000+ posts)      Tue Nov-30-10 03:58 AM
Response to Reply #4
 
5. The decomposed granite will be the walking surface, with a/b crushed rock for the base...

I figure about 3" of each, and the granite will be screened to 1/4"-1/8" or smaller.

Stinky The Clown  (1000+ posts)        Tue Nov-30-10 03:12 PM
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Response to Reply #5

6. Okay, then I have no first hand info for you

We've used decomposed granite as a base, but never as the final surface.

I am very enamored of a new (to me) material to be used in place of sand for things like brick walks - polymerized sand. When wetted, it hardens to a sort of elastic grout. It allows stones movement such as for hot or cold weather, but stops weeds, allows water to drain, and stays in place very well. I thought that was what you were used the decomposed granite for.

Adsos Letter  (1000+ posts)      Tue Nov-30-10 10:39 PM
Response to Reply #6
 
7. Thanks anyway! The screened decomposed granite makes a really nice surface material...

blends nicely with the surroundings; comes in any number of natural colors, depending upon where they quarry it. Softer than concrete/stone yet still quite solid.

Stinky The Clown  (1000+ posts)        Wed Dec-01-10 09:38 PM
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Response to Reply #7

8. Wow. That's nice stuff! I had only known it as fines.

That's why I only knew about it as a binder for pavers or bricks. I had no idea it was such a nice surface material.

[DumbAss Tanker]

He must like sand, after all he's spent most of his life with his head stuck in it (Or somewhere worse).