Glad to hear it, thanks for the support!

Thank you, I really do love this work and industry. I always have honestly. I think that's why I am so engaged into the comments, It has been awesome connecting with others and sharing my knowledge. It all pays off when others send me pictures of work they have done because what they learned from the channel, very cool. I just want to spark an interest in this type of work because it is so rewarding. Thanks for the feedback man!

Thanks for the feedback man. It is not easy finding what you want to commit your life to for sure. There is something about construction in general that is fascinating and fun, I can't get enough of it. I started in the landscape maintenance side of the business. I did mowing, mulching, pruning, clean ups, etc.. until I was about 22. Then I switched to the construction side of the business. Doing lawn installs, plantings, grading, excavation, etc.. I did that until I was 25. During both of those periods I did hardscaping here and there, but I always loved it when I got the chance. So at 25 I made the full jump into strictly hardscaping. I am so glad that I did. I can't see myself doing anything different for the rest of my life. It has everything that I like to do. Equipment operation, designing, creating and building. Plus I am always outdoors! I am glad you are enjoying the videos, I appreciate the support! ✌

This was a sweet project, A little bit of everything. Thanks for the feedback!

Glad to hear it, thank you! ✌

Glad you are enjoying them, plenty more to come! ✌

No problem, thank you!

That's awesome brother, Thanks for the feedback! And congratulations on taking the next step, This trade is very rewarding and a nice change from landscaping everyday. I did landscape maintenance and mowing for 6+ years before I got into the Construction side. Then I started doing plantings, lawn installs, excavation, etc... Then really focused on hardscape only for the past 5 years or so now. I love it and will never go back to landscaping if I don't have too. I do plan on getting into my estimating and planning this year, Just not quite sure how I am going to put a video like together yet... The grades and elevations I will go over in some of these videos, but will also try and think of some video ideas that focus mainly on that. Thanks again man, I love connecting with others in the trade on here. God Bless! ✌

Yea, this backfill method really helps with preventing the pavers from heaving in the winter. And I totally hear you on the damn pot hole repairs. They last a day or 2, that's about it..... Even if you don't deal with frost, this method is extremely helpful for allowing water to drain freely.

It is honestly the best method I know. Game changing, You will never go back once you start using it. ✌

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You are so welcome, I'm glad the videos are helpful for you. Good luck with your patio build! ✌

No problem 👍

Oh sweet! Glad to hear it, thanks for the feedback. I love this industry and I have been really enjoying making the videos for KZfaq. Plenty more to come man! ✌

Thank you very much brother, I appreciate it! I'm glad you are enjoying the channel and that it is helping you out. Good luck with your project, God Bless! ✌

Thank you very much for this awesome feedback! We like to make good quality hardscapes and enjoy our days at work. God bless you to!

Nice, thanks for the feedback! I totally agree, way better than sand or cement. Glad you like the videos ✌

Happy to share as much info as I can. I love this work and hope to do it for a long time..... ✌

No problem at all, glad the content is helping you with your project! Good luck! ✌

It is always pretty surprising how not many landscape supply yards around the country have or know about that type of material. It must just be more popular in freeze / thaw climates. It certainly would not hurt to go deeper with the base. Although you are in Florida, and won't have the freeze / thaw. It will do nothing but help with drainage of water. Good luck man!✌

Thanks for the feedback! I am glad you find the videos helpful and I wish you luck with all your projects! ✌

Thanks! It is nice to hear from someone that far away. Seems like you need to take a few extra steps than we do here. Glad you are building things to last. Too many contractors not doing quality work. Thanks for the feedback, God Bless! ✌

No problem, thank you for the awesome feedback! I'm glad my videos have helped with your confidence. Good luck with your projects!

It certainly is not easy...lol I'm glad the videos have been helpful and I hope the project is going smooth. Good luck! ✌

That is really cool! You will not regret going with this method, it always blows my mind how little suppliers / installers use this method. There are so many benefits with no downfalls that I have found. Good luck with your project and thank you very much for the feedback! ✌

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That sounds like a very fun project, I'm sure you both will be able to pull it off! Just takes a good plan and plenty of research. I'm glad my videos are helping with giving you confidence. And the faith in God giving you the strength and wisdom is key, anything is possible with Him by your side. God Bless and good luck! ✌

I'm sorry to hear that, what a nightmare... Glad my video was helpful. Good luck with your issue ✌

Thank you, keeping a strong slope is always good to keep the water away. Good luck with the front, this method will not let you down. God Bless ✌

Nice, you guys are professionals. So no surprise there! LOL. Thanks again brother!✌

@@TheChristianHardscaper thanks bro so are you and for our dry laid work we use a mix we call dry packs it’s 4 sand 1 portaland cement and we mix it dry. Then we lay our units in it and then we hose it down at the end of the day. It works pretty good for drylaid patios

@@maxg9999 oh nice, that's what's up! I used to work with a mason that would do that for bluestone steppers. Help lock them in place. I thought it was a pretty good idea.

Thanks! Doing a home project for an outdoor kitchen. How to you set the layer and level your base material before compacting and then setting up screed rails? Thanks for sharing the information you do!

Nice, There a good handful of others in my area that use it because they see the benefits. But there is more that don't. They refuse to switch from dense grade / sand. I don't understand why, It is clear as day that this method is better... Some old dogs can't learn new trick's..... 🤷‍♂️✌

@@TheChristianHardscaper either that or they prefer either or both of the negatives in their wallets at the expense of their clients... lol. Less excavation, less grading, less everything except the money coming in.... and, if something lasts a few years, people have been conned into thinking that's just the way it goes... so they call back the culprit every so often and they make money several more times... I'd rather have my work reflect strength, durability, and longevity. Something I can be proud to put my name on, and that someday I can point out to my children and it still is as it was when I built or layed it. It's not the most intelligent thing to do in this society, one where money rules all... but, it's the right thing to do on another level. Something well made, functions correctly, is not only pleasing to the clients and passersby, but its safer for everyone (speaking more to my more common repair jobs restoring historic buildings after careless others have left them now literally collapsing just to earn a quick buck (or, due to pure ignorance or lack of education), but, families live in these homes... its sad.) Funny, I am a convicted felon, and while running this business I have somehow become one of the few who isnt a "crook," some of the stuff I see blows my mind. But, stubbornness also plays a huge role. God bless and keep up the good work!

I'm glad to hear it, following this method will not let you down. Good luck on your project! ✌

Nice, I love it! You are one of few women that watch the channel, most are not interested in this stuff so It is awesome hearing from one that is. I definitely agree it must be in the blood. Male or Female, when you grow up around construction, you fall in love with it. You must hold on dear to those pictures. I have a few older pictures of me and my father in some equipment and trucks. Very cool. Thanks for the feedback, God Bless! ✌

Hi Kyle I was looking for a way around removing the entirety of a cement walkway with flagstone finish my dad and I installed 51 years ago. After viewing this I believe you will recommend complete removal and make a fresh start. Your explanation of how open grade base accommodates water and potentially it's expansion into ice makes sense. I found your channel looking for an alternative to fabricating a paver border and settled on your cement technique. I liked your reference to the master masons and builders of the Roman empire. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and supporting your reasons for and against the methods you mentioned.

@@georgedalton4816 Thank you very much for this great feedback. When I switched to this method 4+ years ago, I did a lot of research and everything I explained is what I learned. Now that I have put it to the test with over a hundred installs, I completely stand by it. I think it is the best method for any natural stone or concrete paver / block project. I'm glad you found the explanation understandable. The romans definitely knew hoe to build things. The roads and paths they made lasted 1000's of years, so modeling my backfill method after theirs seemed like a very smart thing to do. This country has been laying asphalt, concrete, pavers and bricks on hard packed dense grade for a long time now... And all we have to show for it is deteriorating roads and sidewalks. We need to start building the way the romans did sooner rather than later.... Thanks again for the feedback. I really appreciate it! ✌

You are spot on with all of it. Once you lay the fabric and backfill to height with the clean stone, yes, tamp it to settle the stones tight. Then lay your steel bars and add the bedding material. You can use the bedding material under the bars to get the correct pitch. Then screed and lay the pavers! Thanks for the feedback, I’m glad the videos were helpful. Good luck! ✌🏻

That's great to hear, I appreciate the feedback! And you are right on the money with your understanding. Here is a link to the fabric that I use 👉srwproducts.com/product/ss5-woven-fabric/

Hello, That sounds like a fun project! This method certainly will work with travertine. I'm glad the videos have been helpful and I wish you the best of luck!

Glad to hear the videos have been helpful! We do compact the second layer of stone, I did not show that in this vide but we did compact the top layer once we got the grade to the correct height.

No problem. Do you mean you are going to build it as a raised patio? Is that why you want to use the wall block on the edges? If so, yes, that is a great way to not damage roots and the geo grid will definitely help stabilize the base stone. Just keep in mind that you need a couple inches at least on top of the roots so that the blocks / pavers don't start moving after a couple years of the tree growing.

Thank you! You can use any size smaller compactor for foot traffic only applications. I even use a hand tamper on some smaller projects. So whatever you can get your hands on will work for that project. Good luck with your project!

I'll be going over it in the next couple videos ✌

I would recommend this exact method for sandy soils. Sandy soil is excellent to have under pavers, you will never have water issues. Just be sure to spread the thin layer of stone and compact before the geotextile fabric. Then follow the steps of this video.

No problem, I did see it and responded. Thanks!

3/4 crushed concrete is much weaker than stone. It will break down quicker and has too much dust in it, which restricts water flow unlike clean, crushed stone. The old method I used was using (Dense Grade) for the base material, which is 3'4 inch crushed stone minus. Meaning it is made up of 3/4 stone, stone dust and sand fine particles. This material gets compacted every couple inches as you backfill. Then we would use sand for the bedding material to lay pavers on. I have found that method is inferior because water has a very hard time traveling through it and draining into the sub soil. This method is made up of a (3/4 "clean" crushed stone) meaning it has no stone dust, sand or fine particles mixed in, allowing water to flow through freely and drain into the sub soil very easily. Then we use a 3/8 inch "clean" crushed stone for the bedding material that we lay pavers onto. Which again, has no stone dust, sand or fines in it, allowing water to travel through freely. That is key to paver installs, making sure no water sits in the base beneath the pavers. This method assures that.

Nice, glad to hear it! This method will be fine for your situation, even with the heavy clay. I think excavating to 12" will be fine. My only advice would be to include a 4" corrugated drainage pipe into the backfill stone and divert it through a trench to a lower grade to make sure the water can escape. In well draining sub soil conditions that is not necessary but with clay, it is better safe than sorry. Thanks for the feedback and good luck with your project!

@@TheChristianHardscaper Thanks for the reply and drainage tip. It was on my mind to maybe install some corrugated pipe to help with drainage. Its a very inexpensive solution that will just help improve the drainage and give me some peace of mind. Thanks again Kyle!

@@shoe7146 Exactly, my pleasure!✌

My pleasure, thank you! And yes this method will work with clay subsoil. But if you are building it in the lowest grade of an area, you may need to add a drain pipe from the base stone to another area to divert the water.

@@TheChristianHardscaper Thank you!🙏🏽

Nice, I would definitely still recommend this base prep method for a warm climate. It is very helpful with drainage so the benefits are still there for you. Also, the bedding stone is 3/8" clean, crushed stone. Sometimes you can find 1/4" but 1/8" is very small... Good luck!

Thank you for the prompt response. I have one more for ya. Should I use plywood between the plate compactor and the pavers? I have 3 piece blue stone 2 5/8" pavers with a textured top.

@@king4brisbane No problem, you should definitely use something to protect the pavers from the compactor. A dense foam or rubber that does not scuff is best but plywood would work. Only problem with plywood is sometimes the wood breaks into small pieces that can make a mess...

It really depends on the pavers and the pattern. You need to check the spec sheet of the pavers you are buying and the specs of the pattern in that same sheet. If the pattern is from the manufacturer, they will have a ratio for you to follow. Then you need to figure that out on your own with the supplier. I typically do not follow patterns. I usually use 3 piece design pavers and lay randomly. As long as you follow a few basic rules of laying randomly, you will have no issues. What kind of pattern are you planning to go with?

No problem, I'm sorry you are having a hard time finding this material. But #57 is very comparable to what I use here. It may be a little dustier than the stone I use but it is clean, crushed stone. Which would be considered open grade base. On the bedding material, you need something with no dust or fines. If not, the dust and fines will migrate into the base stone, causing sinking / shifting in the future. I would recommend calling around for 3/8 inch crushed (Pea Stone). Most aggregate yards sell something like that. It may not be considered (Chip Stone) but if it is clean, crushed stone that is less than a 1/2 inch, you will be all set. Worst case scenario, use #57 for the base, then lay fabric and spread the CR-6 you are talking about over it. That will prevent the bedding material from migrating. ✌

If you had very dense clay as a subsoil, digging deeper helps allow water to drain. Also for vehicular traffic paver applications. You want a deeper / stronger base when prepping for vehicular traffic. ✌

You can use a hand tamper / compactor, just be sure to spread the thin layer of stone 1st.

Every layer. We slope the sub soil, base stone and bedding stone. ✌

The 6' was not quite enough to go up both side of the walkway excavation. You really want to make sure it goes up the sides and that is the best way. Plus it helps with drainage to have more seems for the water to drain through.

Sounds like a nice project. The fabric would probably help prevent the stone from migrating, so yea, I would use the fabric for sure. Good luck!

Thanks!

I made a video recently on how to do that. Check it out by clicking this link right here 👉kzfaq.info/get/bejne/or1-nNeg3KnDm2g.html

Absolutely. This is excellent for any part of the country ✌

It should be able to, but it honestly depends on the soil you have. Some jobs are easier to excavate then others based on that. If you run into a lot of rocks, that machine will have a tougher time digging without teeth on it. But if it is loam / sandy, it will dig it out no problem.

@@TheChristianHardscaper Thanks Kyle. Sure I will give a try. Also, have you ever posted any video on how to build retaining wall, I couldn't find any such. Please do share if you have it.

That machine is excellent. It is surprisingly strong and very smooth. Not sure I would ever buy a Bobcat, They are over priced in my opinion, but as a rental, could not be more happy with it. I have used it on numerous jobs now and has been extremely helpful. ✌

Yes I do, sometimes I will use 8-10 inches under the blocks depending on the soil conditions. but yes, same method ✌

I typically don't count the thin layer under the fabric. That is only about in inch and even les when compacted into the sub soil. You want a minimum of 4" on top of the fabric. ✌

@@TheChristianHardscaperThanks for that. In future videos, you might want to express the dimensions of the base as "X inches of 3/4" crush rock *ABOVE* the geotextile fabric"

That is cool that your are working for yourself, I did maintenance for many years before I switched to hardscaping. I learned by working for other companies but if you do not want to do that, I recommend selling some small projects. Little walkways or a basic square / rectangle patio. That way the risk is small and if you follow these videos, I can almost guarantee you will have no problems. As far as pricing for them, you just need to take some time figuring out the cost of materials in your area and combine that with your labor rate and overhead. You may not be perfect at pricing in the beginning but that and the experience just comes with time. Good luck brother! ✌

@@TheChristianHardscaper Thanks for the response! Your videos are great they’re really making me feel more confident in selling a job. We will see in the next few weeks. Wishing you and ole Benny a great 2024!

Yes, when you dump and spread the 3/4 stone, it is 98% compacted already up to 6 inches. Meaning when you compact, you are just tightening it up the rest of the way. That percentage decreases rapidly after 6 inches. So say you need 8 inches of 3/4 stone. You should spread out 4 inches then compact, then spread the remaining 4 inches and get it to the correct height, then compact again. If you are using 5-6 inches of 3/4 stone, just dump and spread to the correct height and compact only once 👍🏻

@@TheChristianHardscaper really appreciate

I have, but not a big fan of it. I always try to excavate to a proper depth. Not sure I agree with replacing the excavation depth with a piece of foam....

Thank you very much for the honest feedback. They say for every comment, many others are thinking it but don't mention it. So I really appreciate you telling me how you feel and I will keep that in mind for the future. ✌

Ok, so techo bloc will already have all 3 sizes on the pallet. Each layer will have a certain amount of each size. So yes, you just need to order the square footage. The only thing I would say is that if you’re just doing a patio, I would go with the Techo bloc blu 60. Not the blu 80. The 80 is 3-1/8 inches thick and designed for driveways. The Blu 60 is 2 3/8 inches thick and design for foot traffic. ( patios / walkways ) it is the same design and same sizes as the Blu 80, just not as thick. It will save you money and save your back when laying them… LOL. The other advice would be to get 5-10 extra sq ft in case some break during the install or in the future, causing you to have to replace them. I almost always get a broken piece or 2 on every pallet. Same goes for the border, get a few more than you need.

@@TheChristianHardscaper Thanks a lot I appreciate your help, have a great day.

@@theoceaneerz9883 No problem, you as well! ✌

@@TheChristianHardscaper For your bedding rock you use 3/8 in chip stone, Is 3/8in virgin rock crushed rock#8 the same thing?

It sounds like the same, just make sure it’s clean stone with the fines removed. But it sounds right

We have quite a few different soil types here in Massachusetts. This particular job is mainly sand / gravel. Some projects are done in areas that have a lot of top soil, But we run into clay like soils and often as well.

​@TheChristianHardscaper do you use the same base in clay soil?

Dang, really? It is a very common building material. Were you calling landscape supply yards?

@@TheChristianHardscaper yeah. They say that they are not responsible for fines. That it could be up to 25 percent fines. It’s ridiculous

@@roberto.gallegos wow.... that's wild. I would maybe call a concrete producer in the area. That is a key component to making concrete for foundations, walkways and driveways. They need that clean crushed stone for sure. Maybe you can get some through them or they will point you to someone who does have it...,.

@@TheChristianHardscaper thanks. I’ll do that. I’ll ask them about the chip stone too. What size is that?

@@TheChristianHardscaper also, thanks for your videos. They are very informative and have helped me a lot.

Those wheelbarrows are nice and strong, that helps ✌