Project Summary:
The site had been a grassy slope between a residence and a tennis court. The owner wanted a low-maintenance set of steps, so after several suggestions Garden Square Landscaping decided upon a pre-cast step system by Paxton Precast of Harrisburg, Pa. As an ICPI-certified installer, Ross Causey knew about the importance of the foundation with segmental paving systems. He overbuilt the base of the steps with eight inches of compacted stone. ?EUR??,,????'?????<

Knowing that foundations are the key to long-term stability, the team put in a hefty eight inches of compacted 2A modified stone under the sand layer (at lower left here). The crew finished the installation in five days. Photos courtesy of Ross Causey

Once excavated, the stairway bed was prepared with sand, then each 900-lb. stairway unit was placed, starting at the top and working down. The crew used a Berger laser level to align the segments.

The crew used a Case 1840 skid-steer loader, a Dingo 90 P loader and a Yanmar mini excavator (being used here) to excavate and level the stairway bed.

Residence and Shopping Center, California

PBC Companies, Inc.
(Peterson Brothers Construction)
1560 W. Lambert Road
Brea, Calif. 92821

Project Summary:
The Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance, Calif. included 110,000 sq. ft. of concrete pavers as well as over 10,000 sq. ft. of concrete walks, bands and curbs. In collaboration, the property owner, the general contractor Bayley Construction and the design team at PBC were able to lay out the general concept. The project was successfully completed within an impressive 60 days. The residence shown here is in Corona, Calif.

These 60 mm pavers are Antique Cobble, a two-toned charcoal gray by Angelus Block. The center field is a random patter, enclosed by a running bond. The project took about two weeks to complete. Sales rep. Tom Kelly and the homeowner designed the layout. Photo: Tom kelly

The pavers installed at this Southern California shopping center include 12 x 12 mm, 6 x 6 mm, and 80 mm pavers in Pewter, Sierra, Pebble, Sand Stone and Mesa Buff. The patterns used here are running bond and stock bond. Photo: nick koon

Residential Patios and Driveways, California

Handcrafted Stone Specialty Flooring and Tiles
1000 West Bradley Ave.
El Cajon, Calif. 92020

Project Summary:
An existing, but worn, concrete deck around a backyard pool provides a sound foundation for an updated flagstone surface. The installation crew custom-shaped each flagstone segment at the site, fitting together an original jigsaw puzzle of stone anchored to the concrete base with a layer of thin-set grout. The project used a product called Terra Roma, made of a proprietary concrete formula that is cast in rectangles and then split into natural-looking segments at the jobsite.

The process starts with a layer of thin-set grout on an existing concrete surface. The concrete tiles are then arranged on the adhesive surface, with smaller pieces set between the gaps. The final step is to fill the gaps with grout, bringing the surface up to flush level.

The molded concrete tiles are strong and can withstand 6,000 psi when installed, but can be shaped when quick downward pressure is applied while the tile is balanced on an angles length of iron or steel. A little practice enables most workers to create unique shapes and desired sizes.

The finished pool deck. The thin-set mortar and ?EUR??,,????'?????<

Erie Canal Residence, New York

Greg Thompson Enterprises LLC
1118 Ogden Parma Townline Road
Spencerport, N.Y., 14559

Project Summary:
This residential project transformed a home overlooking the historic Erie Canal in western New York state. The house had a swamp for a yard, rotting railroad ties lining a dirt stairway, grass three feet tall, no driveway and shrubs covering the entire front of the house.

We installed an Old World-style paver walk and patio, a sienna-toned stone stair and path with a 12-foot elevation change, cultured stone walls and a pond. The team also brought in 200 tons of fossil rock boulders for retaining walls (recycled from local hedge rows) and crushed red sandstone for pathways. We also raised the back yard almost two ft. in places to get it to drain. (This final step required 150 cubic yards of fill and topsoil.)

These multicolored Olde Village Pavers by Unilock seem to blend with the foliage in this autumn scene. The product style comes with half a dozen paver sizes and at least four recommended laying patterns that give contractors flexibility for individual sites.Photos courtesy of Greg Thompson

A portion of the 200 tons of boulders hauled to the home site were used to construct the pond and the retaining wall that supports it. These stones were collected and recycled from local hedgerows, where they?EUR??,,????'?????<