DIY: Paver Installation

Paver installations can be a lot less cheaper than having a concrete pad laid out. Concrete has a more tendency to crack if the base isn`t prepped correctly. Repairing pavers is a lot easier than repairing concrete. Repairs to concrete also can be ugly to the eye. Don`t get me wrong as I still enjoy concrete along with paver patios, walkways, & driveways. Pavers just give a more unique design as you can change the pattern & design when laying them out. A good experience too is to go out and see what nurseries & gardens have to offer for pavers, this will help you get an idea of what you want. This will also help in the planning of the paver installation.

Planning and laying out your design is the first step in paver installation. The decision on where the pavers will go as well as will they fit play into the design. The best way is to measure out the site then do a rough draft on paper. Once this is done, you are ready to lay out your plan. A garden hose or rope can be used to lay out the outline of the design, Then simply mark it with chalk or paint. Try to stay about 8 in. out from the your hose or rope when marking the layout. Also remember if the area needs to slope to help the runoff of excess water. This helps to avoid any damage over a period of time.

Next, it`s time to figure out how many pavers will be needed for the job. The simple way to do this is, measure length times width of the area. This will give you the square feet of the area. Remember to add in 5-10% over that for any tricky curves or extra cuts for the design.  Once you have all that, most landscape material stores can tell you how many pavers are needed for what you desire.  

Now it`s time to do some digging.  There are some things to keep in mind when doing your excavation of the area. Establish the height of your pavers, and do not exceed this. Water always drains down hill, so slope the area away from your home or any buildings. When sloping a large area, a good rule of thumb is go down one inch. for every four to five feet.  Placing stakes around the perimeter helps give you guide lines when digging out the area. You can also use stakes to show you where to slope the area more when needed. Calculate the total depth now of what will be needed for all the material. This is done by adding the thickness of the pavers, with the inches required for your base and sand bedding. You are now ready to dig out the area.  Compact the ground after excavation for the next step. You can rent a compacting machine usually from any tool rental company.

Now comes the time to lay out your base material. A good base consists of crushed stone that can be either limestone or gravel. Make sure there are a various sizes of stones in your base. This helps with the compaction. Try to make sure your base has no moisture in it. Compacting the area will be mush easier than if it was wet. This is known as a dry lay out. Depending on what your sub-base is helps to determine the thickness of your of your base. This is what creates a good foundation for the pavers. Spread out the stones in different phases, compacting each phase as you go. Once all the stone is down go around in a circular pattern with a compacting machine.

Remember to use edge restraints when installing the pavers. This helps to keep your pavers from moving after installation. Now its time to start laying out your pavers in the desired pattern. Once the pavers are laid, spread out your sand and use a push broom to manipulate the sand into the paver cracks. A good sand will help to keep out weeds from the area. The sand will bond after being spread out and moistened down. You can then use a sealing compound to finish up the job.

Santa may be a pro at walking on roofs and climbing down chimneys, but most homeowners are not.

This is a small article I found on the web I would like to share with everyone:

Thousands of Americans end up in the emergency room each holiday season due to falls when hanging holiday lights or decorations. While broken bones are the most common types of injuries, falls can be fatal.

• Around 165,000 Americans require medical treatment for ladder-related falls each year (CDC Study).

• Four out of five American homes use ladders around their homes to prepare for the holidays. (Home Safety Council Study)

• 97% of ladder injuries occur at home. (American Journal of Preventative Medicine)

• Winter weather adds risks – wet/icy conditions and condensation make ladders and roofs slippery, and blustery wind can cause ladders to become unstable.

• Men are 40% more likely than women to be treated for ladder-related injuries (CDC).

• Injury severity increases with age.

To ensure you and your family have the happiest of holidays, your safest bet is to hire a professional to handle hanging those Christmas lights and decorations for you. We offer holiday lighting set-up and removal. You buy the lights and we do the rest.

If you choose to handle it yourself, however, here are some ladder safety tips from OSHA to remember:

• Make sure your ladder is on secure and level ground before climbing.

• Keep the area around the top and bottom of the ladder clear.

• Space the base of the ladder one foot away from the wall for every four feet it extends up.

• Stay centered between the rails of the ladder. Do not overreach. Move the ladder instead.

• Do not stand on the top two rungs of the ladder.

• To reach a roof, extend the ladder at least three feet beyond the top of the roof.

• Ensure step ladders are securely locked open. Never use a folding step ladder if it is closed.

photo credit: Gamma Man via photopin cc
*Source Ecleanmag. com 

What is there to know about snow removal?

St. Louis weather brings many changes in the winter. Bitter cold & strong winds are  sometimes the case. Our winters around here have been slightly warmer in the past years though. The Farmers Almanac is predicting a snowy winter this season. With that in mind, here`s a few steps to prepare yourself for the snow. Obviously, first rule of thumb is to dress warm. Put enough layers on to keep warm outside, but don`t over due it as natural body heat can get hot quick. Try to do a short as you would when you work out. This helps to loosen the muscles in your body. "Always lift with your knees, and not your back."  This is a phrase we have all heard before as it also applies to shoveling snow. Stay hydrated and schedule short breaks as to not over exert yourself from the cold weather. Or if the thought of being in front of a warm fire sounds better than old man winter, let us remove the snow for you. Sit in your window sipping hot cocoa as we battle the St. Louis winters. We offer residential and commercial snow removal services in St Louis city and county for walkways & driveways.

photo credit: quinn.anya via photopin cc

How to winter proof your plants

Winters coming soon many of my Lawn care customers are asking me "How do I winterize my plants?" Here are a few ways to prepare your garden before old man winter hits. Of course with fall comes all the leaves from the trees for all to clean up. Try and remove all leaves from your landscape before any snowfall is expected. Leaves can harbor fungus and diseases from all the moisture they retain, which in turn can be harmful to your lawn and plants. Dig up all of you tender bulbs, summer blooming bulbs have a hard time surviving winter months. Pulling weeds in the fall will give you a head start in the spring. This is the time when weeds try to germinate and spread. This is also a key thing when it comes to bed maintenance too. Weeds can take nutrients vital to your lawn & plants. Cut back perennials to ground level as the foliage becomes unsightly. A small layer of mulch added too can help protect plants during a hard ground freeze. This can be done with pine needles, straw, & shredded leaves. Be sure to remove the mulch in the spring. Water small trees and shrubs when there is a dry spell in the fall months. Watering helps the foliage to stay plump for protection from the dry winds. Broad leaved evergreens can also be sprayed with an anti-desiccant spray to help add protection too. After the first frost, pull up any annuals that were affected from it. Many potted plants can be brought in doors during the winter. Keep them by a window where the sunlight comes through. Keep the soil moist too. Avoid placing them near heating vents as this can dry out the plant.

photo credit: [Duncan] via photopin cc

When should I aerate my lawn?

Aeration can be done almost all season long. Aeration is the process of making small holes in your yard. This in turn delivers more air, nutrients, & moisture to the root system. Causing the roots to grow deeper and develop a stronger root system. A deep root system on a lawn helps in times of heat stress & when the lawn is in its dormancy state.
There are actually two good times to aerate your lawn, in the spring and fall with each having its own benefits. Aeration in itself will help to loosen up thatch which nutrients have a hard time passing through when the thatch is thick. It will also help to reduce water run-off from the spring rains in this area. The only downside to aerating in the spring is that you can`t apply a pre-emergent to combat crab grass. Pre-emergent will not let new seed germinate and it's hard on the exposed root system from aeration.
Fall is a good time to aerate if you plan to over seed afterwards. You reap all the benefits as before plus also supply a new home in the soil for the seed to germinate. This gives the seed a chance to germinate and gain a root system before the dormant state in winter. It will also develop more in the following spring before the harsh summer elements affect them. This is best done in September.

Welcome to KPN Lawn Care

Thanks for visiting my blog.  I'm Kyle owner of KPN Lawn Care in St Louis.  I`ve always had a passion to work in outdoors and be in mother nature.  Our company offers a variety of lawn care services in the St Louis area including lawn mowing, fertilizing, aerating and leaf removal. We've been in business for 2 years with over 10 years in the industry. St. Louis is a great town to live in and have a great looking yard. It`s sometimes fun to go down the street, grab some Ted Drewes and look at the different landscapes around St. Louis. We are a locally owned business giving back to the community whenever possible .  We would love to come out and give you a free consultation on your yard.  Fall is a great time to repair your yard from the summer heat. Its also a good time to fertilize one more time before the grasses winter dormancy establishing a good root system for the upcoming spring.

If you are in need of any lawn care services in the St Louis metro area, give us a call at 314-810-9348 to schedule your estimate.

You can also visit our website KpnLawnCare.com to see a list of our services.