Nothing makes us happier than getting a call from a former client who has purchased a new home and wants Archadeck to make it right. The homeowners whose project is featured here moved from one Circle C Ranch home to another. The project we completed for them at their prior home went well. When they began planning a new outdoor living space for the home they had recently purchased, naturally they gave us a call.
Our clients wanted to remove a wooden deck at the back of the home and replace it with a patio and outdoor kitchen. They already had a covered patio leading from the home to the deck. It was the perfect spot for a kitchen addition. The components we installed for the kitchen include a burner, storage drawers, garbage can holder, a Blaze refrigerator and a Kamado Joe smoker. We used white limestone for the kitchen stonework to match the columns and other stonework on the home’s exterior.
After we removed the old deck, we began building the new patio in its place. For the patio surface, the homeowners chose smooth Lueders stone in Autumn Blend. Our patio design included a limestone planter that spans the length of the patio. The planter serves as a border between the patio and the adjoining area, where the ground is covered with synthetic turf.
Before Archadeck of Austin began the transformation.
After – WOW!
The railing our clients selected for the upper patio is a black Fortress iron railing with 2” posts. The railing also extends down the stairs that lead from the upper patio to the new patio below. We built the new stair risers with white limestone. For the steps we used the same smooth Lueders stone used for the patio surface.
A Simple Circle C Ranch Stone Patio … with a Twist
When you work with Archadeck of Austin, you’ll find that we are quick on our feet and can adapt to changing circumstances as needed. This particular project is a good example. While we designed and started building this patio project, the homeowners were considering adding a pool to the backyard. A little way into our project, they decided to move ahead with the pool. That decision affected our patio design. No problem! We were able to make the required changes.
The issue here was the need to limit the amount of impervious space in the home’s back yard. If you’re familiar with Austin’s impervious coverage restrictions, you know where this story is going. By itself, the size of the new patio fit well within the city’s impervious coverage restrictions. Once the homeowners decided to add a pool on their property, Archadeck’s new stone patio needed to qualify as a permeable area. They couldn’t get a permit to build the pool unless the patio was going to be permeable.
Ever nimble, we made the necessary changes to the new patio. To remedy the situation, we removed the polymeric sand we had used to fill the spaces between the blocks of stone on the patio floor. Polymeric sand is an excellent material to fill these spaces between pavers or stones – if you don’t need a permeable surface. The polymeric sand includes additives that, when you add water, create a bond joining the pavers or stones. This material “in the cracks” reduces the amount of water that can seep between the stones.
To remake the patio as a permeable surface and not an impervious one, we had to grind down the bond that had formed between stones. Once the bonding material was removed, we filled the spaces between paver stones with regular builders sand. This kind of sand won’t pack together, and it allows rainwater to seep into the ground. Mission accomplished. The homeowners are now enjoying their new outdoor kitchen, permeable patio and swimming pool!
Are you looking to create a new outdoor living space at your home? If impervious coverage restrictions will be a factor on your property, you can count on our creative designs to meet all requirements. Contact Archadeck of Austin to schedule your free design consultation.
Jim Schallon, senior designer Archadeck of Austin.
