You could say this project started years ago with a dream and a vision. When I say years I mean like 6 – 8 years ago when a good friend had a huge pile of bricks that she gave me and it took several trips from Jefferson Oregon to West Salem to get those free bricks home. Where they sat while that dream and vision continued to live. Then I decided to sell the house in West Salem and move to South Salem; the bricks came with me. I have been in the house in South Salem 4 years this month and those bricks finally have a final home.
Earlier this year I decided this spring would be the year that I built a brick patio. So I talked to my step-dad that has build lots of BEAUTIFUL paver patios on how to go about building a brick patio. All he told me was start with a good frame and not one built from wood that would warp. I decided to use cottage stones for my frame. So in early April Stephen (Jordana’s boyfriend) and I headed to Home Depot to start hauling a flat of cottage stones in the back of the van. I figured it would take several trips but when I got to Home Depot the loading guys said why not just rent one of their trucks and take them in one load. No one inside mentioned that when I bought them and was not willing to pay the $80 deliver fee. So off to rent a truck - $19.95 for 75 minutes. I never got an answer on how much it would cost me if I was over the 75 minutes so it was my plan to do it in time. Record time getting home and Stephen handed them down to me while I stacked in the driveway. No time to think about how much they weighed, how many there were, or how much ever muscle in my body was starting to ache. Finally an empty truck and off we were to top off the gas tank and we were back at Home Depot in 74 minutes.
Of course the patio I was planning was in the backyard not the front so Jordana, Stephen, and myself moved
that pile from the driveway
to the backyard.
Of course we were well supervised.
Stephen volunteered to help me build the frame and I am not too proud to have help. The first day we made great progress and got two sides and the “fire pit” circle done. I figured one side per day but the two sides went pretty fast. The second day of building the frame we were able to get the other two sides done. The one side was shorten just a bit when we ran in the biggest root from the grapes, rather than messing with that we just went along the side of it. Then it started raining and April became the wettest month in record. Go figure when I finally decide to build this patio we have to have most days of rain in the month.
It finally dried up and I was able to level the inside of the frame.
The bricks had some mortar still on them
so they were cleaned with the mortar filling the bottom of the frame.
After all the bricks were cleaned and stacked it was time to start filling the base with sand. So after work I stopped at Lowe’s for 10 60 pound bags of sand that should be plenty. Did I tell you the patio is in the backyard and the van full of sand is in the front? I hauled the bags to the back and poured them in the hole; it filled about a 1/3 of the frame. So the next night I was back for another 10 60 pound bags and the next night. The frame is finally full. Another delay more rain but the sand is being packed down!
Jordana helped me and we made several laps around the inside of the frame with bricks.
More rain delays. Finally another break in the weather and some free time and I am determined to get this patio done! I finished laying all the bricks and I have a hole in the middle of my patio that measures 51.5” x 70” so back to Lowe’s to find options for filling this hole. I decide on 12x12 concrete pieces and I get 20 of them and more sand since they are not as thick as the bricks. Not enough sand so back for more, there are 33 60 pounds bags of sand in that patio. The 12x12 pieces are not true 12x12 they are more like 11.5x11.5 and instead of 4’x5’ they fit 4’x6’ perfectly so I am now 4 pieces short. At this point I do not care if the patio is finished or not. I am starting to like the sand/beach scene and thought I would just stick an umbrella in the sand put in a couple of beach balls and have an ocean motif.
Jordana did not agree with me so on Memorial Day which is also her day off we were back to Lowe’s for 4 more bricks. We also got a couple very nice tike lamps. Did I tell you I am done with this project!
Jordana and Stephen got those last four 12x12 pieces in place and I helped get the last row of bricks set AND THE PATIO WAS DONE!!
The patio had to be tested so the tike lamps were lit,
a fire was started in the fire pit, and the smores were made. The patio turned out better then I imagined and
was loved by all!!
And no it does not take up my whole hard and I know if should as long as it took me to build!! I still need to fill some of the spaces with sand, yea more sand! And plant stepables along the sides.
That will have to wait for another day I am too busy enjoying a project almost done!
Hey...those white panels look so familiar...hmmm! Good job on the patio. It looks fabulous! Lots of nice summer nights ahead of you.....well, if the rain would go away!
ReplyDelete