The Swamp

cerrano wrote: ↑Sun Jun 28, 2020 11:11 am so we're going to have a back yard patio installed (finally) and the price is right from a mason who everybody seems to like, but when it comes to picking pavers, the mason recommends cambridge ledgestone 3 piece which is a nice design, but it's hard to find reviews. i found a few and the reviews aren't consistent, but i know nothing about pavers.


has anybody installed cambridge pavers? if you've done a paver patio, what brand did you use for your pavers and do brands matter? if we don't have our heart set on a design or color, is there any kind i should avoid? i guess i'm just asking for any advice from you guys if you had patio pavers installed recently and learned anything.

rass wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 8:07 am Kicking off this process and I don't like making a decision based on little pictures in a glossy book. Which is too bad because that would be easier than having to go some place else to look at our options.

HaulCitgo wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 9:33 am I once had a client pick up a load of rock for a patio I planned to install. Fucker picked up crushed concrete instead and it had tiny bits of rebar in it. Half a dump truck or so in the front yard. So I had to pay someone else to bring the right rock and then river rock to go over that. So the entire backyard became gravel because I wanted a patio. Turned out nice though. Was shaded and hard to grow grass. Let me tell you moving that amount of rock with a wheelbarrow is a bitch. A couple of teens and some home depot guys helped to get it done in the better part of a weekend but that and moving dirt and digging stumps are really labor intensive. Of course we decided to sell the house before I got the patio part finished. After the rock I waited a bit to install the bricks. Do hire someone. Its rather difficult to screen sand flat and I didnt have the time to lay it all out in a day. So I tried to lay the sand as I went with the bricks. Not the proper technique and it shows. But the (smaller) patio I almost finished (cutting brick requires equipment) is still there. Suprisingly durable.

Rush2112 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 30, 2020 11:46 am We replaced our shitty ass brick patio 3 years ago. I got whatever the generic Home Depot bulk brand is and have had no complaints. The 'sheen' has gone a bit so they look a little worn but I think it looks better. We have had to replace the paver sand stuff that is in between the pavers this Spring, but some of that may be because we certainly aren't professionals so don't know if that's something you do or is something that was needed because we didn't do things up to 'code.'

Brontoburglar wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 10:56 am I'm now kind of curious as to what these cost when installed by the pros. we're going to be doing a retaining wall and patio in the next couple of months, but I'll be doing 90% of the labor. neighbor and I are renting an excavator for the week so that will be fairly easy/not that labor intensive. the fun part will be putting in all the paver bricks and installing the retaining wall evenly

Brontoburglar wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 11:13 am holy crap

my budget is like $3K

A_B wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 12:40 pm If you're doing 90% of the labor that's going to be huge. And naturally it will take you more time than a professional, most likely, but hey, it's your time. I'd get a cost for stone, sand, glue and gravel, add some overage then see what you think. I've only done a relatively small retaining wall (about 12-15 feet in total length and oh, 3.5 feet high. It wasn't bad and I got it done in a weekend but that's a lot smaller than what you're doing.