Choosing rock for fire pit area

BigWaylon

BigWaylon

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For those that have been there, done that…what have you been pleased with? And what have you used that you wish you’d done differently?

This is only asking about the rock that will be the ground…so I’ll call it all gravel. The Vulcan near me has #57, #67 and #78. (They do have larger sized rocks, but I can’t imagine that would be the choice).

(Quarter for comparison)
The price sheet lists #78 as 1/2”:

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#67 as 3/4”:

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and #57 as 1/2”:

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I’m not sure any are real comfy for barefoot, but don’t know how often anybody would be on it without shoes.

Or is it ditch this type of material and find some small river rock type material (so it’s round/smooth pieces) at a landscaping supply place?
 
The smaller rock would be better if it gets kicked over in the grass where it can get hit with a lawn mower. How deep are you planning to make the rock? Putting any kind of weed/grass barrier under the rock?
 
Those are great for under firepit for drainage. Id choose some type of more rounded stone for around seating.

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beamernc said:
The smaller rock would be better if it gets kicked over in the grass where it can get hit with a lawn mower. How deep are you planning to make the rock? Putting any kind of weed/grass barrier under the rock?
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It shouldn’t get kicked into the grass based on the design. Yes, I’ll be putting a barrier.
 
I just had some experience with crushed recycled cement, no fines. Its around #57 size, locks in good when walking on.
Price is right and looked good around a fite pit.
 
For the size area you are doing. I'd get a tote of the granite chips from lowes. Should be just enough to do that size area.
 
7.36 tons of white #57

Anybody need a workout? Or have a tractor they want to come practice using their scoop? 😁😎🤣

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There’s also 10-15 yards of mulch split into two piles.

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I would say you want 57 or the 78 stone size. The 78 will stay looser and tend to move about more when you walk on it and crawl around. The 57 will compact and lock together better so thats probably more of a prefrence on the look and feel your going for.
 
I was thinking smaller going into it. Once I got there to pick it up, some of the guys working convinced me to go with the #57. Said the 78/89 stuff would move all over the place if I had to blow leaves off of it…and would also end up in shoes/slides when you walked on it.

Got a guy coming over on the 17th to help move it all around. Need to do some prep work before he gets here, but looking forward to getting it all done.
 
Almost ready for the tractor on Friday. Just need to level out a spot in the middle for the fire bowl. Have four pavers that will go under it, so I’m going to dig it out a little and get it level.

I’ll have the guy move all the rock (and mulch) into piles/rows. Then once he’s gone I’ll lay out the decorative rock I picked up for free. (Pic of it in my backseat, and also visible stacked up next to stairs). I didn’t want to put it out and have the tractor driving over it pushing it into the ground. Once it’s laid out, I’ll spread the rock/mulch into place.

Probably could’ve skipped the mulch and just used leaves. 🤣

I’m getting a fan (not a ceiling fan style) for Christmas from the in-laws. And I have lights in my Amazon cart…just waiting for it to all get done first.

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Well after seeing all the leaves, I would say you need stone large enough not to be blown away by a leaf blower, lol.

J/k...kind of.
 
Round , smooth rocks/gravel sink in when you walk on them. Ragged, rough rocks/gravel support and don't
 
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mj1angier said:
Well after seeing all the leaves, I would say you need stone large enough not to be blown away by a leaf blower, lol.

J/k...kind of.
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Did you miss one of my posts above? That was the exact discussion I had on-site (at the quarry) that convinced me to buy the #57. 😁
 
Took the guy ~90 minutes to spread it out to 90% complete. Now I have to put the pavers in and spread the gravel and mulch up next to it. Also need to dig out and level the fire bowl spot. Here’s how it looks for now.

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Put the pavers in one spot just to see how it’s gonna look:

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Kubota B2410 with scoop and box blade (I think that’s what it’s called?):

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Nothing like yard work while it’s sleeting. Probably 2/3 done with the pavers. Still have to fix the fire bowl spot. But gonna stop for today.

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Pavers are done. For now, the to-do list contains:

• install hanging lights (ordered today, due early next week)
• install outdoor fan (getting for Christmas from in-laws)
• run power for two items above (probably gonna just tap into the outdoor outlet from the crawl space and add another outlet close to the fan)
• finish staining
• clean up
• maybe finish spreading out some mulch that’s still in piles

But here’s how it looks:

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I made 5 of these last year. Pretty simple plan and comfy chairs. If you do decide to make them, let me know and I'll tell you a couple small things I would change.

MOST POPULAR Adirondack Chair | Ana White

Here's Some Tips to Build Better Outdoor Furniture
www.ana-white.com www.ana-white.com


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Carolinatlc said:
I made 5 of these last year. Pretty simple plan and comfy chairs. If you do decide to make them, let me know and I'll tell you a couple small things I would change.

MOST POPULAR Adirondack Chair | Ana White

Here's Some Tips to Build Better Outdoor Furniture
www.ana-white.com www.ana-white.com


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Written on 4/26/20…wonder how this statement holds up to today?
  • About $30 in lumber per chair

Imma swing by and sit in one of those next time I’m around, whether you’re home or not. 😁
 
BigWaylon said:
Written on 4/26/20…wonder how this statement holds up to today?
  • About $30 in lumber per chair

Imma swing by and sit in one of those next time I’m around, whether you’re home or not. 😁
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, I built them last April at the peak of lumber prices. Spent around $500 on all the material for 5 of them but that included stain, stainless screws etc…. Lumber has come down some so I would guess $75-80 a chair now. I’m also sure you could find a better deal on material and probably save more. I just decided to build them one night and went to Lowe’s the next day and bought everything.

Welcome to stop by anytime to check them out. If I’m not here, just clean up a little back there while you enjoy the comfy chairs. 😁
 
Started to hang lights, and figured out I needed another string to do it right. Ordered at 9:25a, delivered at 12:03p.

The little rope/string light I ordered to put under the deck rail showed up this afternoon. I hung it, then figured out it’s not gonna work. It has 8 modes, but it doesn’t come back on in the same mode as it was in when I turn it off. I just want steady lights, not flashing/chasing. And I’m using an app controlled outlet, so when I cut power off/on I need them to come back on steady. They’re boxed up to go back tomorrow and new ones are due here Friday. (You can see them in the pics below)

I’ll put the fan up tomorrow or Friday. Currently just using an extension cord to the outside outlet instead of running power…wanted to test it out for awhile before permanent install.

Took a pic from the neighbor’s porch since they’re out of town. 😎

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Oh yeah, meant to post this earlier. Got an aerial view when my dad and my son went flying earlier this week. 😎

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While I was installing the lights I noticed the instructions said 5’ was the longest a span should be unsupported. I’d already rigged up a way to keep the three strands connected using cable ties, so I’d hung the lights by their cord running to hooks in the trees. I know I’ve seen these style lights supported by cable/wire, and a quick search on Amazon gave me 168’ of black coated wire plus all the hardware needed…for $25 or so. There’s 144’ of lights, and some of the bulbs on each end are attached to the deck and wouldn’t need wire, so I knew that length would be enough.

Spent this morning running the wire and attaching all the lights to it:

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I’d already removed the under-rail lights and returned them. The replacements arrived yesterday. These are a simple plug in, no remote, no modes, just what I needed. Ran 72’ of that that around the deck and staircase rail this morning. Did have one moment of panicked one I had them all in place and the wiring done…as they appeared to not turn on. The light came on that’s on the Wi-Fi adapter, and the app indicated it was on, but nothing. Seems I’d somehow slid the dimmer down to 16%, which was dim enough I barely noticed they were on in the daylight. Here’s a portion of the stair handrail:

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Also got the fan mounted:

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The power is still an outdoor extension cord that will suffice until we’re satisfied everything works where it is. Then I’ll tap into some power under the house and run it out to an outdoor box I’ll mount under the deck for a more permanent solution.

Just as info, these are the Wi-Fi adapters I’m using. Two dimmable ones for the deck and tree lights, and one on/off for the fan.

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They run off an app. Gives me the ability to turn on off/on from the home screen:

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The dimmers stay on the percentage they were last on. But then if you click one, you get the slider bar to adjust them:

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I think there’s also a “scene” option where you can set percentage for all adapters and then turn them all off/on at the same time.
 
The calm before the (fire)storm. Two Christmas trees cut into thirds scattered around the edge of the mulch. A couple friends coming over.

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Wife will be staying inside making s’mores in the fireplace. 🙄

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BigWaylon said:
Started to hang lights, and figured out I needed another string to do it right. Ordered at 9:25a, delivered at 12:03p.

The little rope/string light I ordered to put under the deck rail showed up this afternoon. I hung it, then figured out it’s not gonna work. It has 8 modes, but it doesn’t come back on in the same mode as it was in when I turn it off. I just want steady lights, not flashing/chasing. And I’m using an app controlled outlet, so when I cut power off/on I need them to come back on steady. They’re boxed up to go back tomorrow and new ones are due here Friday. (You can see them in the pics below)

I’ll put the fan up tomorrow or Friday. Currently just using an extension cord to the outside outlet instead of running power…wanted to test it out for awhile before permanent install.

Took a pic from the neighbor’s porch since they’re out of town. 😎

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Geez, might as well be daytime out there. 😎
 
Forgot I had this in the garage. Hung it up a couple days ago.

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Backstory is it’s probably at least 50 years old. My grandparents had a pond and some property outside of Wendell somewhere for awhile. I remember going out there several times when I was 5-10 years old. There are pics of me fishing out there with my grandfather who died when I was five or six. My mom has a matching sign on her back porch and gave me this one several months ago. (Not that it matters, but the pond was owned by my dad’s parents, and my mom just kept the signs as a good memory of fantastic in-laws…even though my dad left her 15+ years ago, after 32 years of marriage). There is actually a small creek, really just a drainage ditch, that runs behind that tree….but nothing you could swim/fish in. Hung it high enough you can’t reach it from the ground just in case.
 
I hung a string of lights like that around the fire pit area I did. The next day a section was hanging on the ground as a squirrel had chewed through it. That day is now known as the day the great squirrel war began. Smart little buggers, they have begun to recognize the sound of my window opening from my sniper spot.
 
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