Hello, all,
I’m hoping that someone can answer a question for me before my husband is ready to drag out the cement mixer.
We’re almost ready to pour a sidewalk around the garage to the back porch and he wants the walkway to butt right up to the garage foundation while I want a planting area between the sidewalk and garage.
Aesthetics aside, is there a really good, practical reason why my idea is right and his is so, so very wrong? 🙂
Thank you,
Judy
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Replies
The wife controls half the money and all the sex. therefore you're right and he's wrong.
"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
LOL. I'll give it a try, but I'm thinking that he'll need some additional persuation.
Then get busy!!!!!!!!!!>G<
Your leverage is pretty minimal when you'va already cut him of from the...
other half.
BUTT, if you install a planter, DO NOT add irrigation unless it is on an automatic timer.
I still remember the water bills from 10 years ago after "someone" forgot to turn off the drip system....
agin and agin.A La Carte Government funding... the real democracy.
Sorry but there isn't that I can think of.
Seriously? Awww, dang. I was hoping that there'd be some compelling reason that we needed some soil in between. Knowing my guy, the next thing he'll want to do is slant the walk 6" away from the garage to avoid build-up or some such thing. If he could, he'd coat the house with an inch of plastic to avoid future maintenance. He's the cautious type.Sigh.
Course there is no practical reason not to put flowers between the sidewalk and the garage either. This is a political problem, not a construction problem.
Thank you all, but I think I'll let this one go. It's very important to him and for me...not so much. I'll pick another battle, but I appreciate your input.
really good, practical reason why my idea is right and his is so
Of course there is. With the planter strip you get shoulder room and you wont bash the wheelbarrow into the side of the garage sometimes.
Also, if you plant BIG rhody's in the planting strip, you can score points off and feel justified in yelling at hubby when he clips off higher branches that are over the walk (and had been slapping him in the face with wet leaves as he walks by) at the wrong time of the year (dont ask how I know this <G>)
Good one! That's the kinda thing I'm looking for! We can use less material if we have that shoulder room.Thanks!
Without the planter strip you cannot hang bells and such from the garage wall for the grandkids to ring, otherwise you bash your head in.
For rhodies, if you are 5'-2", you trim the branches only to clear your head, the higher ones are pretty. If he is 6-1",.he can duck.
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Edited 3/27/2009 9:27 pm ET by junkhound
Are those Redwood trees in the background? What part of the country are you in, Junkhound?
20 miles SE of Seattle.
Most of what you see in the pix are Doug Fir, biggest about 80 years old.
Did plant about 40 giant sequoia in the back 30 years ago, but none to be seen in the pix. The 'bare' tree behind the trampoline is a big leaf maple.
That's a beautiful part of the country. I thought it looked like the Northwest, but for the wrong reason...thought those might be small redwoods.We're transplanted No. Californians living in rural Alabammy. Don't take your wonderful scenery and great seafood for granted for one minute!
Similar problem here. Well, except for the witholding of athletic favors and such. The kids already perform that function.
Used to have a sidewalk that ran up right against our garage wall. Problem was 1) it's the only part of our property getting continuous sunlight and 2) no gutters for the garage roof means ice in the winter/muddy water when it rains.
Tore up the existing sidewalk, moved it over a couple feet, poured the new walk in 7' batches (with the kid's handprints in one) and filled in the interstitial space with gravel (with 'mater containers on top). No problems so far. Also a good excuse for buying another toy.
The only functional reason I can think of supports butting the walkway up to the house to help water drain away from the foundation.
But aesthetically, I think it looks a lot better with a planting bed or even just stone next to the foundation and that's the way I intend to do mine.
Don't know where you are, but in my neck of the woods, when the dry season rolls around we have to maintain the moisture in the area around the foundation to control movement. Couldn't do that with the walk hard against the foundation. Just a thought.
We're in rural Alabammy and we don't really have a dry season, per se. Thanks, though.
I hope you were able to extract some practical information out of the many humorous replies. As is often the case there is no 'right' or 'wrong' answer, it's a matter of conditions and opinions. I myself have done it both ways based on my ideas at the time. Some things to think about: if you don't have gutters, the water will splash off the walk more onto the siding and result in premature deterioration; also w/o gutters the walker will be in the drip-line (and get wetter); if you do pour the walk against the house be sure to provide for proper perimeter drainage, esp. for the capillary water under the walk and of course proper fall; be sure to use a control joint between the house and walk if abutted; adjacent to the house often makes better use of a narrow side yard; you have to decide if you believe in 'foundation plantings' which have pros and cons- if improperly planned or maintained can again contribute to moisture and resultant decay problems. I hope these ideas give you some food for thought, no answers, but often by further clarifying the question it will be better revealed what you really want.
David
Peedee, do you think that the increased splashing against the wall would be a factor with Hardiplank? If so, this is something I can work with. :)Judy
Ideally no as the integrity of this material largely unaffected by exposure to moisture (though I don't expect they recommend submerged applications ;) ). I can't say make any claims as to how the paint coat will respond though I imagine if it was properly prep'd it shouldn't pose a problem). As long as the siding is properly detailed/ flashed/ sealed/ etc. then it shouldn't be an issue, just keep in mind water will be splashing _up_ onto the siding (rather than running down) albeit in marginal amounts, so proper detailing will be especially critical. (Am I correct in concluding then that you do not have gutters?)
Edited 3/28/2009 4:16 pm ET by peedee
Well, it was either put gutters on the garage or have a planter area and oddly enough, we've already reached a consensus. I get my planter area next to the garage but he gets his wall-to-wall concrete between the end of the garage and the house (porch). That's going to be an area a little over 10' wide and 30' long. It can look great with large potted plants. I wanted a diagonal pattern but conceded when he said that it would be easier for him to layout and pour squares. He said that if I want to see diagonals, I can look at it from an angle :) So I'm a happy camper. Thanks to you guys for your advice.Judy
Or . . . he could place it flat, with no joints, then use a masonry blade or diamond blade to saw the diagonals - no pressure to make the lines perfect in the wet stuff. Work on the layout a few days later, when it's set up.Greg
How good is he at screeding and finishing concrete? It's much easier to screed and finish with forms on both sides of the walk than it is if your're trying to hold to a line on the foundation. You might find this discussion less stressful than threats to rethink the sleeping arrangements. - lol
Also, set the form(s) so there's a slight pitch (~1") away from the foundation. You want water to drain away from the foundation - not toward it.
Personally, I like having a small planting area between a sidewalk and the house - it looks nicer.
If your walk involves any fence or gate posts, form and pour it so one side of the post(s) is "open". You'll thank me for this one when/if you ever have to replace a rotted post. - lol
Edited 3/28/2009 10:33 am by Dave45
If you dispense with garage gutters, and there is bare concrete where the water splashes, the water will splash up and rot out the entire side of the garage in a couple years.
Well, try that one out on him.
I see that someone else mentioned splashing before, so tell him he will have to scrub off mildew and paint more often, until the garage rots down.
Edited 3/30/2009 7:53 am ET by Dam_inspector
Azaleas, junipers or other evergreen plantings in the strip between walk and building serve a purpose besides looking good. They protect the wall from the splash factor and much of the rain. A wider or irregularly angled planting area will make the whole thing look much, much nicer.