For this week’s post I’d like to begin a series of posts all designed to help through the decision making process that is involved with creating a new hardscape.

But first, a little background.  I set out to write a single post helping clients through the decision making process.  But as I started typing, I realized that there was just too much information.  The more I wrote, the more decisions that needed to be made presented themselves.  It’s like those “Choose your Own Adventure” books for young readers, where you have to choose between trusting the evil Magician or not.  Once you make a choice, then you are presented with a series of new information forcing you to make another choice – should I follow the wizard into the cave or not?  If so, then do I trust him enough to lift the forbidden stone.  On and on the decisions go – kind of like life, actually.

True to form, I’m rambling.  Anyway, there was just too much information for a single post, so for the next few weeks I’ll be focusing on some of the specific choices that need to be made in conjunction with your hardscaping plans.  I’ll wrap up the series with a handy bullet-list formatted post highlighting the basics.

Anyway, this week I’d like to focus on what could be a simple choice when it comes to flagstone.  A linear design vs. random irregular shapes.

What am I talking about?  

Quite simple actually.  A linear design is a pattern of squares and rectangles, all cut to specific dimensions that fit together nicely with consistent joint widths.  The size of the stones may vary based on the scale of the space, but typically dimensions run in 6” increments, with 12x12 being the smallest size, and usually up to 36” pieces being the largest dimensions, but sometimes smaller on narrow pathways or small patio spaces. Since the stones are pre-cut to exact specifications, this allows for a nice consistent joint width between stones, typically measuring approximately ½” to ¾”wide.  The stones may be set in a pre-determined pattern, or in a randomly occurring sequence with all the individual pieces fitting together nicely.

A random irregular design consists of irregular shaped pieces of flagstone that are fit together almost like a jigsaw puzzle.  To maintain a sense of scale, I usually try to pick pieces that are somewhat similar in size, again ranging between 12” on the smallest pieces to no more than 36” on the largest pieces.  Because of the natural organic shape of the stones, some irregularities may occur in the joint widths, but we’ll usually do some cutting or chiseling of the stones to avoid joints that are any wider than 2” at the most, but mostly with joint widths in the ½” to 1” range.  We also avoid using any extremely small pieces to avoid what I like to call the “mosaic” effect, with an overly busy pattern.

From a cost perspective, the two options are about the same in terms of installation price.  The pre-cut linear dimensional stones are usually more expensive from the supplier, but the labor is more straight-forward.  The irregular shaped pieces are sold at a discounted bulk rate from the supplier, but more labor intensive on the installation end.  So any price differences usually come out in the wash.

So what’s right for your project?  

Well this is where your decision making process comes in.  The linear design usually offers a cleaner, more formal look (but not always), and lends itself to formal or more modern designs.  The irregular option is slightly more organic, and lends itself more to informal spaces or garden walkways and landings.

But there’s really no right or wrong application.  It’s just what you prefer.

Our series on hardscaping options will continue next week, as we discuss the difference between a wet-set flagstone option and a dry-set installation.

I walked out the door the other morning to go to work, and I quickly did a 180-degree heel pivot to return inside and grab my hoodie, which had been laying untouched in my workclothes pile since about mid-April.  Yup, the first of the fall chill had moved in, and while my hoodie ended up being shedded pretty quickly in the day, it was a surefire reminder that the fall season is upon us.

The sales and business end of my business tends to go in ebbs and flows throughout the year, and I’m experienced enough to know what to expect and when to expect it.  And once we get past labor day I typically experience a significant bump in new calls coming in.  Homeowners are back from vacation, the kids are back in school, and people start looking at the calendar and realize that winter weather is just a few months away (AARRGGHHH!).  Limited time to complete those outdoor projects they’ve been putting off.

And, true to form, the calls started coming in a few weeks ago.  It’s a busy time of year for me, between after-work client meetings, estimate preparation, and of course managing my projects during the bulk of the work day.  All simultaneously while getting the kids off to school in the mornings and shuttling them off to extracurricular activities like soccer and Cub Scouts.

Fortunately, we still have some scheduling availability remaining for the fall – plenty of time left to get that new fence installed or hardscaping project completed before winter truly moves in.

We typically work straight through until about mid-December, give or take a week or two depending on when Old Man winter wakes up.

So at the risk of sounding too “advertising-y”, I want to remind people that if you’re thinking about completing a project before the advent of winter, now’s the time to contact to us to get the project ball rolling.  Whether it’s a new deck, flagstone walkway, paver stone patio, garden walls, or custom-built wood fence, fall is a great time to get these projects completed, so they’ll be in place and ready to go come the first signs of spring next year.

For a free project consultation and estimate give us a call and we’ll be happy to see what we can do for you.

A few months back I posted about Swarthmore College’s bucolic Scott Arboretum, and the great recreational opportunities available.  As I mentioned in that post, the arboretum is situated along the banks of Crum Creek, a decent-sized creek that meanders through the heart of Delaware County, PA.

What I didn’t mention in that post is that Crum Creek is one of three large creeks that run through the heart of Delaware County, and all converge within just a few miles of each other into the Delaware River;  The aforementioned Crum Creek, Ridley Creek, and Chester Creek.

And each of these three creeks has its own unique characteristics, history, and recreational opportunities.

Chester Creek originates in East Whiteland Township, Chester County, and flows 24 miles to its confluence with the Delaware River in Chester City, Pennsylvania, near the park named for William Penn’s first landing.  In addition to be a drinking water source for parts of Chester and Delaware counties, the creek is a well utilized trout stocking fishery and home to a number of hiking trails and nature preserves. The lower portion of the creek near Chester City has been referred to as Chester River, and historically has been home to a number of mills that were vital to the early colonial development of the region.

Ridley Creek rises in eastern Chester County in East Whiteland Township in the campus of Immaculata University, and then flows 24 miles southeast through Chester and Delaware Counties to its confluence with the Delaware River between Chester City and Eddystone Borough.  It is the primary water source for approximately 40,000 Delaware County residents.  Ridley Creek is perhaps best known as being the central feature of its namesake state park Ridley Creek State Park, with numerous recreational opportunities centered around the creek.  In addition to being home to a native Brown Trout population, it is also stocked annually with Brown and Rainbow Trout.

Crum Creek, meaning “Crooked Creek” in Dutch, flows 24 miles from the Schuylkill/Delaware drainage ridgeline that follows Monument and King Roads in Malvern and Route 30 in Paoli, through Chester and Delaware Counties to its confluence with the Delaware River in Eddystone at the Boeing plant.  In addition to supplying drinking water to 200,000 Delco residents, Crum Creek also provides numerous recreational opportunities.  Unlike Chester and Ridley Creeks, there is no stocking of trout in Crum Creek, however it is host to the largest native trout population of the three creeks. Recreational opportunities include biking and hiking trails in Smedley Park straddling between Springfield and Nether Providence Townships, and the Swarthmore College Scott Arboretum.  Like Chester and Ridley Creeks, Crum Creek also was host to a number of mills and manufacturing plants during the colonial and industrial era

As a long-time resident and native of Delaware County, I grew up playing in these creeks from an early age, and they still hold a special place in my heart. To me, they are the central arteries of Delaware County.  
 
However, like many waterways throughout the country, they are threatened by pollution, development, sediment, stormwater runoff, erosion, and a number of other threats.  
 
Fortunately there is a group is working hard to preserve these creeks and maintain their livelihood.  The Chester - Ridley - Crum Watersheds Association (CRC) is a nonprofit organization devoted to the protection of water resources and the natural environment of the Chester, Ridley, and Crum Creek Valleys, and the health, recreational, and quality of life benefits they afford the residents of this region.  For more information about these creeks, check out their website at www.crcwatersheds.org.

** The above map and some of the information above is courtesy of the Chester Ridley Crum Watersheds Association

Over the past 12 years plus in business I’ve installed all types of hardscaping – dryset, wet-set, concrete, bricks, pavers, and flagstone.  Big projects.  Small projects.  Easy projects.  Difficult projects.  All shapes and sizes.

And one thing that has come up on more than a few of these installations is the presence of leaching.

No, I’m not talking about the little blood-sucking worms, thank goodness (I really don't want to get labeled as the blood-sucking parasite blogger, although this is two weeks in a row the word "parasite" has come up).  No, I’m talking about efflorescence.  And it’s not necessarily a bad thing, but in some cases it may require a bit of patience.

Leaching, or efflorescence as it also referred to,  is simply the extraction of water-soluble salts from inside the masonry.  Here’s how it happens.

Lets say you just had a new wet-set flagstone patio installed.  There’s the gravel sub-base, the concrete footing, the bed of mortar, and the visible stones on the surface.  Each of those layers contains various types of salts.  And as the concrete and mortar dry and cure, those materials need to extract the salts.

So your contractor has finished the project and completed the final washdown.  You’re thrilled with your new outdoor living space, pay your contractor and begin to enjoy your patio.  But after a few weeks and perhaps a few rainstorms you begin to notice a few whitish stains on the surface.  At first you think nothing of it, but after a few more weeks you notice more stains. Maybe you call your contractor back and ask for another wash-down to remove the stains.  And maybe he does.  And then, a few weeks later … it’s baaaaack.  More white stains a few weeks later.  What the heck is going on!?

What is happening is that as the concrete and mortar dries, its tendency is to want to suck up more moisture from the sub-base.  This moisture slowly works its way through the surface stones and joints and evaporates. But what’s left behind is the deposits of salt from the groundwater and inside the masonry.  Now plainly visible and messing up your beautiful stonework. 
 
So should you be concerned? 

Simple answer – no.  

Typically the leaching cycle lasts no more than a month or two on new hardscape installs.  Once the supply of salts from within the masonry is exhausted, the process is complete and you have nothing more to worry about.  In extreme cases, I have heard of the leaching cycle lasting as long as a year or two, depending on how much salt may be in the natural existing soil.  But personally I’ve never seen any leaching lasting this long, but if you’re in an area with particularly salty soil you might want to prepare yourself for this. I’ve also seen it occurring from behind retaining walls, again if the native soil has a high salt content.

But the good news is that there is no compromising of the integrity of the masonry. I’ve seen it happen mostly with wet-set flagstone and brick, but in a few cases I’ve even seen it happen in dryset paver installations.  After all, those pavers are made from concrete, and may still have a few salts to extract upon arrival from the manufacturer.

If the efflorescence is particularly unsightly, or you absolutely can’t wait for the process to work itself out on its own, there are a number of products designed specifically to remove the efflorescence.  These products are typically acid-based products designed to neutralize the salts and remove them.  These products can vary slightly from each manufacturer, so be sure to ask your hardscaping supplier which products they carry and the appropriate application instructions.

One last word, many clients and homeowners may be interested in sealing that new patio or walkway to protect the hardscaping and perhaps even give it more of a glazed finish. While sealing certainly isn’t going to hurt the hardscaping, I always recommend waiting at least a month or two before applying the sealer.  This will allow ample opportunity for the salts to work themselves out and wash away, without being trapped under the sealant.

Now stay tuned for next week's post on parasitic hookworms.  (Just joking -- I'll try and stay away from the parasite references for at least a few more weeks!)