Rock Bed Along Drip Line

[Dreamaloud1]

Customer wants me to install a rock bed along the drip line of his house. He's down at the oceanfront and it's always windy so the dripline extends several feet from the wall.

He wants river rock in the bed with a timber edging. The previous owner built the beds way up to the point it was against the siding of the home. So, he wants us to dig it down several inches and recess the timber.

Here's my intial plan:

#1 Dig out the bed area. (not sure what I'm going to do w/the dirt....)
#2 Put down a layer of tamped gravel.
#3 Put down 2-3 layers of landscape fabric.
#4 Use PT 4x4s for the timber edging. I think 6X6 is a bit overkill here. I will be using hardware to secure the edging together and also putting gravel under it make sure it doesn't sink.
#5 Put down river rocks.

Thoughts? Can I skip the gravel maybe?

[Seascape]

I dont get step # 2. may be just me but it wont hurt thats for sure.

Fabric........ ya if he's got it in his head you aint gettin it out.

#4 6x6 is never ever ever ever ever overkil.Ever. Discard your 4x4 theory and use 6x6 ,,,,, no way 4x4 goes in if it was my job,,,,,,,, Id walk first.

36" x 1/2" rebar every 3' min and 1/4" gal twist timber spike every 3' on tops and centers.................4" tamped 57 under all bottoms. Or somebody else can do it.

The dirt? You gotta haul it out,,,,,,,,, unless you have another area to dump it on the site.

[Dreamaloud1]

OK Step #2 is because the bed that this is going in is really years of built up mulch. I'm worried the stone will settle in a few months and have valleys/high spots. Overkill?

Gotcha on the 6X6

The timbers are only 1 course high. We're do you buy rebard like that? I've never done anything bigger than a stack of 4x4 and used the galvanized railroad spike from HD...think there 1/2X18 or so.

As far as the dirt...Yeah I know. I don't have the capacity to do that though. Maybe could rent a roll off container and let them mess with it. I'm measuring tomorrow but I bet there's 150'X3' to eb dug out. Thats a lot of dirt. Alternatively, they are getting a pool put in a few weeks from now. Myabe I'l just make a nice pile where the pools going and let them take it out.

[Seascape]

OK Step #2 is because the bed that this is going in is really years of built up mulch. I'm worried the stone will settle in a few months and have valleys/high spots. Overkill?

Gotcha on the 6X6

The timbers are only 1 course high. We're do you buy rebard like that? I've never done anything bigger than a stack of 4x4 and used the galvanized railroad spike from HD...think there 1/2X18 or so.

As far as the dirt...Yeah I know. I don't have the capacity to do that though. Maybe could rent a roll off container and let them mess with it. I'm measuring tomorrow but I bet there's 150'X3' to eb dug out. Thats a lot of dirt. Alternatively, they are getting a pool put in a few weeks from now. Myabe I'l just make a nice pile where the pools going and let them take it out.

You spikes you can buy at Home Depot. Hint: Go to the garden section and ask for "timber spikes" this way you dont have to buy a 40lb plastic tub over in hardware. About 7 in a pak for like 5.99 usually somewhere near that crap weed barrier they have there hanging on a peg board isle display. But......... you wont need those unless you stack 2 timbers high.

Rebar...... in the building materials over by the cinder blocks and concrete,,,,, just tell them you need 1/2" 36" long. Or at least 24". You'll also need a 1/2" wood auger bit and a 1/2 drill......... I use a tanaka gas drill but you can use a reg 1/2" just go slow. If I am stacking i dip the rebar tip in motor oil before pounding in......... but dont do that because it leaves a stain and you arent stacking.

If you start pulling more jobs of this caliber better suppliers will be in order for you, theyre probally all around you and will open you up to other ideas and oppurtunities.

Your dirt ideas?????????? Hummmmm you say 150' x 3' deep? Are you sure? Thats alot of dirt. Yer gonna dig that by hand? The dumpster thing might work but you better talk it over with em so they know what kinda weight they have hauling. You might be able to sub that portion out? 3' deep?:alien:

The pool guys idea? Ewwwwwwwwww not sure Id bring that up. kinda . unprofessional to just dump it in the yard? But F*** who knows? Maybe kinda........ nah i aint touchin that one.

Put 4x4 behind you dude.... yer a pro now.

[Seascape]

Tell him to blow some dust off all that money

And build a short wall of demional block and pave it in with some uni lock cobble stone?

[Dreamaloud1]

Your dirt ideas?????????? Hummmmm you say 150' x 3' deep? Are you sure?

150'X3' to a depth of 3-4 inches. Obviously deeper for the timber areas.

Cubic yard calculator says its about 6CY. Thats what, 12000lbs or so? Pocket change for a roll off. The guy's cool and a long time customer so I don't mind bringing up the pool people thing. Unprofessional, yeah, but if he's OK w/it and it saves him $200 bucks so what? I wouldn't do it on new customer or a super high class one.

[Seascape]

150'X3' to a depth of 3-4 inches. Obviously deeper for the timber areas.

Cubic yard calculator says its about 6CY. Thats what, 12000lbs or so? Pocket change for a roll off. The guy's cool and a long time customer so I don't mind bringing up the pool people thing. Unprofessional, yeah, but if he's OK w/it and it saves him $200 bucks so what? I wouldn't do it on new customer or a super high class one.

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW "to a depth of 3" !!!!!!!!!! i was thinking 3' depth. my bad . Ya I thought I must be misundestandin sumthin.

Pool guys will bang him for the dirt though,,,,,,,, but I guess thats not your problem? It would change the whole scope of things as far as excavation and removal is concerned. can make a world od of difference.

[Dreamaloud1]

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW "to a depth of 3" !!!!!!!!!! i was thinking 3' depth. my bad . Ya I thought I must be misundestandin sumthin.

Pool guys will bang him for the dirt though,,,,,,,, but I guess thats not your problem? It would change the whole scope of things as far as excavation and removal is concerned. can make a world od of difference.

I'm trying to find what ever is the best value for the customer. It makes no difference to me whether I move it into a contianer or drop it in the back yard. Even with a full size truck and dump trailer it would take 2 trips and $60/ton dump fees.

[Seascape]

$60 bux a ton ? Thats crazy............................ no way Id pay that. Id find another dump.

Not for dirt especially,,,,, tell em I said ,,,, ah dont matter.

[Dreamaloud1]

$60 bux a ton ? Thats crazy............................ no way Id pay that. Id find another dump.

Not for dirt especially,,,,, tell em I said ,,,, ah dont matter.

Like where? We've only got 1 landfill in the area. Can't think of anywhere else that takes it.

Anyway its a moot point. I'm not hauling 12k lbs of dirt from the ocean front anywhere.

[mmlawncare]

Like where? We've only got 1 landfill in the area. Can't think of anywhere else that takes it.

Anyway its a moot point. I'm not hauling 12k lbs of dirt from the ocean front anywhere.

Yeah, that's how they get away with $60/ton!:alien::alien:

[Dreamaloud1]

He lives at the beach man. Land above water comes at a price. All their garbage gets shipped away.

Actually- There is only 1 landfill for the cities of VA Beach, Norfolk and Chesapeake. Thats about 1M people. It's called Mt Trashmore 2. The original Mt Trashmore was the worlds first landfill park. (think really big hill w/a lake) The second one is about 20x as big and when that one's full they're building Mt Trashmore 3 about 1000 yards away.

Long story short I've no idea where our garbage goes but dumping around here involves driving up "mountain" in one of the flattest cities around.

[Dreamaloud1]

BTW Seascape- How hard do you need to hit that rebar to knock it through 4" of tamped down gravel? I use #57 for this type of work.

[highlander316]

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW "to a depth of 3" !!!!!!!!!! i was thinking 3' depth. my bad . Ya I thought I must be misundestandin sumthin.

Pool guys will bang him for the dirt though,,,,,,,, but I guess thats not your problem? It would change the whole scope of things as far as excavation and removal is concerned. can make a world od of difference.

pool guys here won't take the dirt away. Most people don't know that, and when they buy a pool, they don't read the contract and it states that right in here. So they are left w/ a huge pile in their yard.

[Seascape]

BTW Seascape- How hard do you need to hit that rebar to knock it through 4" of tamped down gravel? I use #57 for this type of work.

Its not bad. use a 3 or 4 lb hammer you'll be fine. You need not build a highway or bridge on that 57, its merely a drainage/stability feature for a 60 lb timber............ hand tamp is fine. The timber actually resists more. Drill straight and dont bend any ........... cake.