Part One – Food Survival Philosophy
Worried about the future? Concerned about the economy? Wondering how can feed your family if you lose your job, if the government collapses or local distribution networks cease to function (even if only for a short term)? Wondering if you can grow enough food in your own yard to feed your family? Well, maybe we can provide a few answers to some of these questions.
To start off with, let us discuss a little survival philosophy. Over the years countless books and articles have been written about why certain people survive and others don’t. Recently, a rash of reality TV shows have appeared on the same topic. Of all the things that survivors appear to have in common, being properly trained, properly equipped and mentally prepared are the top reasons why most people survive. So “in a nut shell”, the best way to survive includes the following:
- educating yourself about the possible survival situations you could face
- training to face those circumstances
- properly provisioning for such events.
By doing these three things you will affect the most important aspect of survival which is the mental part. If you are not confident in your ability and you are not self-reliant you increase the chances for failure. You have to believe in survival and by doing the three things above you increase your chances dramatically.
 Food grown in my own garden in one week of July Ok, so let’s start with the first bullet point; educating yourself about those situations where your survival could be threatened. In today’s political scene and economic situation anything appears to be possible. However, for the purposes of this article we will focus on those survival scenarios in which your landscape and gardening education may come in handy, and well, since you really can’t garden your way out of a sinking boat or a nuclear holocaust, I think we will focus on replacing food that is commonly bought at a store when that option is removed for one reason or another.
So, what kinds of events could happen to affect the ability for people to be able to buy food from their local store or market?
Well, there are lots of examples. Recently we have seen hurricanes, tornadoes, snow storms, and other similar weather situations create short term and rather localized affects. In these examples, stores and transportation networks have been severely damaged and or destroyed by weather. In most of these cases the events have been short term and the problem could be solved by simply driving to the nearest town or picking up food from the local aid networks like the Red Cross. In these examples the problems are fixed within a few days, weeks or months. The effects of hurricane Katrina are perhaps the most well-known example of this kind. However, what happens if we have a larger event or much more severe event that results in being cut-off from outside aide or a complete breakdown in the food network for a year or more? Many people think that it’s just not possible for our economy to completely collapse. Are they right? Can you afford not to be prepared for just such an event?
While I myself don’t believe we will have a long term complete collapse of all local government or major breakdown in the weather systems in my life time, I think it is very possible to have several years of chaos caused by similar events. These types of events have happened and are happening today. The great depression in the US, political conditions in Somalia, weather in southern Africa and previous world wars have left major areas of the word with food scarcities resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands. Perhaps most likely given our current economic situation, is the chance for a stock market crash resulting in a short term breakdown of business and transportation systems in one nation or another. Our stores only carry a food supply for a few days. So what happens if the market crashes? How quickly will trucks stop running? How soon will store shelves be empty? How long will it take before normalcy is returned?
Other examples could include a large scale terrorist attack on our food supply or a plant pathogen or pest that affects major crops on a national or even world wide scale. Then there are man-made disasters such as the one created by placing a nuclear reactor in the path of a tsunami in Japan. This recent event has devastated local food production and now requires much more food to be imported in order to feed the locally affected citizens and has affected the entire nation with elevated food prices.
Alright, so now we have some “big ideas” about what could happen that could affect your ability to feed yourself and your family. In some of these examples there is little you could do to change the end result. For example, it is doubtful that you could garden effectively if all the soil around your house was covered in highly radioactive particles. On the other hand, you could potentially be well prepared to survive a four month breakdown in transportation caused by a market collapse that left local stores empty.
By understanding how much food you need to live, how much food different plants can produce and when they produce and how you can store and preserve that food, you can be very well prepared. Believe it or not that is exactly what your great grand parents did and possibly even your own parents. Unfortunately though, many of us have lost touch with these skills.
So let’s summarize. One, there are lots of potential events that could affect your ability to feed your family and the likely hood of one of these events happening has increased in recent years. Two, some types of events you will not be able to prepare for while others you will. And finally, preparing to provide food for your family requires knowing not only how much food you need but also how to produce it and preserve it.
Part Two – Food Survival Education
Check back later for more…
Installing Trees and Shrubs
In the twenty years I have worked in the landscape industry I have seen many thousands of shrubs and trees planted and of those, I have seen many dead or dying from improper planting and watering. Landscaping can cost hundreds of dollars to many thousands, so the last thing a client wants to hear is that their plants have been planted improperly. So, in this article I am going to talk about planting procedures and care immediately after planting so that hopefully I can save some of you from that experience.
Care and Delivery of Plants including Trees and Shrubs
First let us talk about proper care at the nursery and during delivery of your plants. When you have taken the time and effort to carefully and purposefully select tens or even hundreds of plants at a nursery then the last thing you want to happen is have them damaged during delivery. Be sure that after you have selected and paid for your plants that they are handled properly. Do not lift plants by weak branches or leaves. As much as possible, insist that plants be transported by the pot. Pinch the pots at the top edge between the thumb and fingers and carry two or more at a time by pressing them against each other. If the shrub is a large shrub with a strong thick base trunk you may carry it by the trunk. It should be at least a one inch diameter trunk to be suitable. You may also carry pots by the bottom or by cradling the pot. Do not carry the plant by grabbing a hand full of leaves of small branches as this could result in damage. For large trees lifting and transportation should be accomplished by straps wrapped around the root-ball or through the wire basket attached to the bottom of the tree’s rootball.
Note: Never lift large trees by strapping the trunk. This can and will damage the bark.
Shipping or Delivering Plants including Trees and Shrubs
Shipping or trucking large orders should be carefully considered. Plants must be protected from desiccation; desiccation is what happens when trees are dried out by excessive wind during shipping. They must also be protected from structural damage. Trees must be carefully tied and tarped. Tarps will limit wind damage and provide some relief from the sun during transport. Plants must be carefully stacked and tied to avoid accidental damage caused by rubbing or grinding of plant against another or against the truck itself. Trunks of trees that must be stacked together should be wrapped with fabric or cardboard to protect the bark. Plants with weak branching or soft easily damaged leaves should never be stacked on top of each other and must be transported on trucks and trailers with shelves.
Handling Plants and Trees
When plants arrive they should all be thoroughly inspected. Broken and damaged trees and shrubs should be removed and rejected. Be sure to look for trunk damage on large trees. It is quite common for careless laborers to scrape trunks on the sides of trucks or try to lift them using straps or blades lifting directly on the trunk. Cracked or torn bark will mean significant problems for trees as the bark is the main conduit for water to the tree canopy. A small tear or break in the bark on a young tree will grow into a large scar on many species of trees. In general, almost all trunk damage should be rejected. Also look for significant broken limbs. A few small limbs might be acceptable, but large substantial breaks should constitute rejection. Be sure that unloading is accomplished using proper strapping and equipment.
Soil Nutrients and Conditions
Ok, so now we are ready to start planting right? No. First, we must be sure the planting area is ready. There are two main concerns; one is soil nutrients and health and the other is the porosity of the soil. The first is easy but may take some time. The easiest way to test for soil conditions is to gather samples in bags and deliver them to a local county extension office or testing facility. Contact your local extension office or Soil Conservation Service for advice. It may take a week or more for the results and it may cost you a few dollars. Pending the results you may need to amend your soil with iron, organic material, sand or other nutrients. I will address this in greater detail shortly. Now, on to the percolation test. A tree can die just as easily by too much water as not enough. In clay soils especially, water may not be able to leach into the surrounding soil fast enough and can create a pit full of water that simply kills the tree by suffocating the roots. So how do we check for percolation? Simple, dig a 12” wide pit to 30” depth in the area you intend to plant and fill it with water. If it drains in a day or less you are in good shape. If not, you may need to consider renovating your planting area with sand and organic additives.
Digging a tree pit
Once you have tested for percolation and found the ground to be suitable, it’s time to finish the pit. How big should the tree pit be? The answer is at least two times the diameter of the root ball and as large as three (3) times the root ball or pot. For example, if you have a 2” tree with a 24” wide root ball you want to dig a 48”-72” wide hole. Likewise a typical 3 gallon shrub with a 12” wide pot needs a hole 24” wide. The sides of the pit shall be dug at an angle of 30-45 degrees and be wider at the top. The depth of the pit should match the rootball in most cases. The key is to try and match the depth of planting with the depth the plant was in the pot or in the ground at the nursery from which it came. The cases that the depth should differ are when the soil shows signs of being too wet or slow to percolate. In these cases you may want to plant the tree higher than the surrounding ground by 6” to 12” and just dig a shallow pit and mound soil around the tree’s root ball. This will keep new trees from drowning in too much water and allow roots to slowly acclimate into the surrounding soils at their own pace. Another case for raising a tree is if the tree has been planted too low at the nursery. Pull back the top of the burlap and inspect the crown of the tree trunk. If you do not see the root flare then scrape some soil back till you find the flare. The tree must be planted so that the root flare is visible and just an inch or two above the soil.
Note than many details and past experts have advised digging root pits deeper than needed and then back filling with improved soil to the elevation needed. The problem with this is that no matter how much the soil is back filled, it almost always will subside and the tree drops lower by an inch or more making it lower than the optimal depth.
So now that you have dug the perfect hole there are two more things you can do to make it even better. One, scarify the sides. Using a rake or shovel scar up the soil so it’s not smooth, this will encourage water migration. Also fill the hole with water and let it drain. This will soak the surrounding soil thoroughly and give the tree a much better chance at success in its first few months.
Planting Trees and Shrubs – Placement
Now it’s time to plant. Carefully remove the pot, being careful how the plant is lifted and removed from the pots. For trees in burlap, do not remove the wire basket at this point but instead untie any twine around the trunk, loosen the burlap and bend back the wire basket. In potted plants, if the roots are root bound and encircling the root ball, scarify them using a small pocket knife or blade. Lightly rip through the roots in a few places and pull the outer roots from the root ball by hand. Place your tree or shrub in the pit and center it. Level the plant using a few small shovels of soil and make sure the trunk is level vertically. Swivel and turn the plant so that the best side faces the best view or approach from the most viewers. At this point the wire basket should be fully removed from the root ball. Do this by cutting down the sides in three or more places and removing the wire basket in three or more sections by tilting the tree from side to side. The key is not to disturb the root ball or beak it while doing this. Therefore the utmost care must be taken in the tilting and removing of the wire basket.
Removing wire baskets from Trees
Note: There have been many arguments made for both removing as well as for retaining the basket over the years. However, in my opinion and years of experience, there is no way that a wire basket left in the ground can ever be a good thing for the tree. The metal, contrary to some claims, will not quickly degrade and will girdle critical structural roots. In my opinion leaving the wire basket on is only better for the installer trying to save the extra cost of labor to remove the basket. The only down side is that the tree cannot be relocated without a spade after the wire basket is removed. So it is critical to have the location right.
Soil Amendments for Plants and Trees
Now, back to that soil amendment issue. A good safe bet is to create a mixture of equal parts of the original soil, composted peat (humus or organic soil conditioner), and composted cow manure shovel for shovel. I like to use a wheel barrel to do this. Then add only a hand full or slow release fertilizer for shrubs and a shovel full for large trees. Mix these things together equally. Now pour some water in the sides of the hole around the root ball. Add soil mix and repeat the procedure. Use a shovel or probe to carefully work soil in around the root ball and ensure there are no air pockets. Tamp soil lightly around the root ball as you back fill and continue to add water keeping the mixture wet with a thick slurry like consistency.
Soil Saucers for Trees and Shrubs
Once the original grade is reached with back fill, use remaining soil to construct a saucer around the tree or shrub. The saucer should be a raised soil berm 5-6” in height and 12” wide or more. It shall not have any breaks. This saucer must be tamped with a shovel and well made. The purpose of the saucer is to provide a reservoir for watering during the initial acclimation period. A 36” diameter space inside a saucer of 5-6” height provides a reservoir of roughly 15-20 gallons.
Mulching and Watering Trees and Shrubs
completion of the saucer, the entire saucer and area within it shall be mulched. The depth of the mulch shall be at least 2” but should not exceed 4” as too much mulch can create rot around the trunk. And finally, the saucer covered in mulch shall be watered and filled to the top of the saucer. This will provide enough water for the tree to survive several days before needing water again.
Now for the last part, watering. This part is the most difficult as no two plants or locations require the same amount of water. A red maple tree in South Georgia planted in direct sun and clay soils needs completely different amounts of water than the same red maple planted in Oregon in loamy soil and part shade. For this reason much of the decision on how much water is required shall be based on the soil and the weather and judgment. Using your finger, check the soil, if it is damp then water is likely not needed. You may also consider buying a moisture meter and using it to probe the soil and check moisture content. If the soil is dry then water it thoroughly and deeply. Fill the reservoir created by the saucer and let it soak in. You may elect to add a “gator bag” or “watering doughnut” to prolong the delivery of water. Note though that you should still fill the saucer when filling the gator bag as the gator bag just allows you to delay your return for watering by a day or two. In general, in most areas, I find that new plants planted in summer need water almost every day. In spring or fall it may be every other day. In winter it may be only once every three or four days. Don’t be fooled by winter though as it can be deceiving. Deciduous plants may need very little water in winter but evergreens will use substantial water even in winter. Over a few weeks the trees and shrubs put out new feeder roots and they begin to acclimate to the local soil conditions. Therefore, you can begin lessening the amount of water to once every other day or even every third or fourth day as time goes on. I general suggest the following schedule for planting unless the ground is clearly saturated and or it has recently rained a substantial amount (1” or more): Water every day for the first week. Water every other day for two to three more weeks to complete the first month. Water every two to three days for the next month two, then water once every three to four days in the third month. After three months water at least once a week through the fall. In winter water one a week unless rain is prevalent.
In general plants need to be deep watered-in the following amounts at each watering:
1 gallon – 1/3-1/2 gallon of water per plant
2 gallon 1/2 – 1 gallon of water per plant
3 gallon 1-1.5 gallon of water per plant
10 gallon 3-5 gallons of water per plant
20 gallon 5-7 gallons of water per plant
30 gallon 10 gallons of water per plant
50 gallon 15 gallons of water per plant
100 gallon or larger 15-25 gallons per plant
Trees in caliper – 10 gallons per inch
Summary of Landscape Maintenance Tips
That about sums up my personal opinion of the best practices in general planting for a high rate of success. Look for more maintenance articles to come soon. If you follow these simple words of advice you can’t go wrong. I have seem my landscape work including trees and shrubs planted in Florida and Georgia following these guidelines compared side by side with other landscape work planted at the same time and hands down my plants looked much better after 6 months and had almost twice the growth rate.
Best of Luck in Your Landscape Maintenance and Planting Efforts.
Fire Pit Construction Methods and Details
So over the years that I have been in the landscaping business, I have designed a number of outdoor rooms containing fire pits and I have always specified fire brick for the lining because that is what I had been taught was the best way to build a fire pit. However, it was not until I had my own fire pit built that I learned exactly why fire brick is so important. A few years ago, at the end of my home renovation project, I noted that I had a bunch of left over materials, so I figured I would ask the masons working on my house to build a fire pit. I sketched out my idea on a scrap piece of paper, showed them the location and asked them to give me a price and went to work hoping to get the price when I returned. When I came home there was a beautiful fire pit on my patio completed with concrete masonry units and brick veneer, but without a liner of fire brick. On one hand I was upset they had built the fire pit wrong and without getting my approval on the price, on the other hand, I as happy because it looked great and was cheap…only $300. So I took a chance and told them I would pay for it and I just hoped it would hold up. Well, I was wrong, very wrong and eventually I had to rebuild my fire pit completely.
 Fire pit showing damage from heat and poor construction A week after the mortar had fully cured, I decided to have my first fire in the fire pit. The first fire was small and as I recall, I believe the fire pit held up fine with no outward signs of failure. However, this was likely were the trouble began. The concrete blocks and bricks most likely expanded from the heat, ever so slightly, but just enough to start the process of breaking the bonds holding the masonry units together in the fire pit walls. After a few more fires in the pit, the problems became more apparent. Initially there was a small crack running completely down one side of the pit, zig-zagging between the bricks in the mortar joints. At first, it was only about a hair width, then it became and eighth of an inch and then a quarter of an inch and now it is over a half inch wide in some places. See the photo here.
 Photo showing crack in fire pit wall On the opposite side of the fire pit, a second crack formed but has remained smaller. This second crack showed another flaw in the construction; no expansion or contraction joints and no control joints. Much like a concrete driveway requires joints to control and reduce the cracking, a fire pit requires the same techniques. Brick, mortar, concrete and stone all expand and contract in temperature extremes. It may not be noticeable to the naked eye but it does in fact occur even if it is an infinitesimal difference. As the sold concrete blocks that lined my fire pit heated up and expanded they broke their bonds with the mortar until, after many fires, the fire pit is now reduced to nothing more than a bunch of loosely stacked blocks of concrete and brick. In the final stages of my fire pit’s life, the bricks could easily be lifted out of place or kicked over with very little effort.
So let’s talk about the specifics of goof fire pit construction:
First the fire pit was built with the fire pad or hearth too low. The fire pit had seat wall or 20” height rim around it and the floor of the burning surface was at the bottom. This meant that much of the heat reflected from the fire starting at the bottom of the pit was reflected into the surrounding walls of concrete and masonry units. Had the fire hearth been raised the walls would likely have not been heated as much and therefore not expanded as much or as quickly as they did. Also, as a side benefit, the users of the fire pit would have benefited much more from the heat radiating at their seating height than down in the pit. The walls of the pit actually act to focus the heat more upward towards the sky. By simply raising the floor of the pit much more of the heat is allowed to radiate outward and parallel to the ground in the direction of the people sitting around the pit. The simple and least expensive way to have done this was to fill the bottom of the pit with gravel and then cover with a layer of concrete 3-4” thick.
 Fire pit with high placed fire hearth  This fire pit shows a deep hearth with the floor at the bottom The second major flaw was not having the required expansion joints. In a typical sidewalk joints are placed every 4 to 6 feet for controlling where cracks occur and expansion joints are placed every 20-30 feet to allow for expansion as the sidewalk heats up during the daylight hours and shrinks as it cools. In a fire pit the expansion joints must be placed much closer together because the heat is much higher and therefore the expansion and contraction much greater. In a typical fire pit with an internal diameter of 3 to 4 feet at least two if not three joints are advisable in a brick veneer on the outside and at least one if not two in the supporting masonry or concrete wall. These joints can be formed with standard materials including backer rod ( a roll of foam about ½” diameter) and covered with color matched caulk or other joint filler. The inner liner should also have a joint but not filled with foam backer rod or caulk. It should be filled with a continuous joint of refractive mortar. The joint should run straight up and down vertically.
 Brick expansion joints  Detail showing joint in brick The third and most important aspect of the construction is lining the fire box or fire pit interior with fire rated brick. A fire brick, firebrick, or refractory brick is a block of refractory ceramic material used in lining furnaces, kilns, fireboxes, and fire pits. A fire brick is built to withstand high temperatures, but also usually has a low thermal conductivity. Usually dense firebricks are used in applications requiring extreme thermal stresses, such as the inside of a fire box or furnace, which is subject to high temperatures. Firebricks should not spall (break apart) under rapid temperature change, and their strength will typically hold during rapid temperature changes. In the making of firebrick, fireclay is baked in the kiln until it is partly vitrified. Fire bricks usually contain 30-40% aluminum oxide or alumina and 50% silicon dioxide or silica. They can also be made of chamotte and other materials. For bricks of extreme refractory character, the aluminum oxide content can be as high as 50-80% (with correspondingly less silica),[2] and silicon carbide may also be present. A range of other materials find use as firebricks for lower temperature applications. Magnesium oxide is often used as a lining for furnaces. Common red clay brick are used for chimneys and wood-fired ovens. There are two standard sizes of fire-brick; one 9 × 4½ × 3 in. (230 mm × 115 mm × 75 mm) and the other 9″ × 4½” × 2½”. Also available are firebrick “splits” which are half the thickness and are often used to line wood stoves and fireplace inserts. The dimensions of a split are usually 9″ × 4½” × 1¼”.
 Fie rated brick being mortared into the fire pit Fire rated brick is specially made to be consistently dense and uniform without pockets of air or water. It is fired in industrial kilns at a much higher temperature and cut or shaped to be much more uniform in size. The result is that the bricks expand less than others and expand evenly. Poorly constructed bricks not rated for use near fire can even explode when heated air and water pockets expand to rapidly. Most common fire rated bricks are a pale ochre color. There are also some fire rated bricks that are red.
The final two things that are important are provisions for air flow and drainage. It is best to have several, at least three or more 2” diameter holes in the base of the fire pit wall to allow for air to feed the flames. In cases where the pad or hearth is very high and the wall is less than 4” no holes may be necessary. Finally, the addition of a drain may also make the fire pit much more useable as it allows the ash to dry more quickly and keeps the pit dry.
 A fire pit under construction So now to summarize the critical design elements of every fire pit:
1) Always be sure the hearth and fire pit floor is high enough so the heat is reflected towards the user’s and not the walls of the fire pit.
2) Always create at least one or two expansion/contraction joints in a fire pit that has a diameter over four or five feet.
3) Always line your fire pit with fire brick.
4) Try to obtain and use refractory mortar or mortar that is considered “fire resistant” for the lining fire brick.
5) Design the fire pit to allow for proper air flow.
Shade Sail and or Shade Canopy
A shade sail or shade canopy is a product to create shade for outdoor spaces based on the technologies of a ship’s sail. More specifically, I am referring to the fabric portion of the structure. The shade sail (canopy) system allows for attachments to a wide variety of hardware. As an example, in a shade structure system, the shade sail may be attached to multiple poles that are set in concrete footings or cables suspended from buildings. Home based applications may find the sails attached to a house, tree or other structures. Shade sails, when properly constructed utilize heavy duty sun-resistant fabrics suspended between anchor points. They may be installed either permanently or temporarily and are often cheap and easy to set up. They are regularly provided to shade public gathering spaces such as playgrounds or amphitheaters in locals where the sun’s radiation makes prolonged stays in the open sun dangerous. Shade sails are ideal for gardens, patios, terraces, entry ways, play areas, and pools. They can provide attractive protection over car parking spaces. Stretch them between trees, well-grounded posts or existing structures. Simple to follow installation instructions are typically included with most sail purchases, and all materials you require may be available from your local hardware store. The shade canopy industry was built around the shade fabrics which are often referred to as shade canopies, shade sails or shade screens. When the term shade sail is mentioned, most people are at a loss until you describe the history of the shade sail.
History:
Ancient societies including Egyptians, Greeks and Romans used large pieces of canvas to provide shade over living and entertaining spaces. Historians and archeologist have determined from paintings and existing structures that the Coliseum in Rome was shaded by large canvas screens pulled into place by sailors. They also have reason to believe that the Byzantine Greeks used sails for shade in the battlefield during battles with western crusaders in the 12th century. However, throughout the middle ages up to very recently, cost and availably of key materials and lack of durability, limited wide spread application of shade sails. For many years, shade canopies like circus tents, where made of canvas and other organic materials. Modern versions of shade sails became popular in more wealthy homes of the 70’s where Architects often used them to shade the patios. Popularity grew even greater with the invention of more durable and inexpensive fabrics. In particular useful versions of shade cloth appeared in the early 1990s especially in Australia and South Africa.
Throughout the last twenty years or so there has been confusion about what these shade devices should be called. You may note that I refer to them as shade sails, shade screens, shade fabrics, and shade canopies throughout this article and our in shop. Honestly, I do not believe there is a specific correct term and you should use the term you like best. However, some believe the most appropriate term is shade sail(s) or shade sails, paying homage to the historical roots of ships’ sails. In recent years search engines have experienced an increase in the usage of the term shade sails. However, the use of “shade canopy” still outranks the “shade sails” by nearly 2 to 1. As with many words in the English language you will find the different terms are used more in different countries than others. For example, the term shade sail is much more prevalent in Australia and South Africa where a number of Australian shade sail businesses export to other countries. The “shade sail industry” has seen rapid growth and many new businesses and websites are now offering shade sails and shade structures. On the other hand the term “shade canopy” is much more popular in America. Today, the shade canopy industry is growing rapidly in the United States, especially in the southwest, bringing better clarification and identity to the shade screen products. Much of this has been due to the fact that Architects have found their unique shapes and cost effectiveness to be highly desirable.
Shade Cloth and Shade Fabric:
Originally, most fabrics used as shade structures suffered from rapid degradation due to weather and sunlight. Today, UV inhibitors are added during the manufacturing process and good shade cloth generally comes with multi-year UV degradation warranties. Shade cloth is a knitted fabric which is an important factor in using it to design and manufacture shade sails. Successful shade sail designs use the inherent abilities of knitted fabrics to stretch and give to create unique three dimensional shapes. Fabrics other than shade cloth are also used to make shade sails. In the early 1990’s more durable and affordable fabrics where developed and utilized in just such a fashion. Shade Sails today are made of high density polyethylene shade cloth that is especially manufactured with tensioned fabric structures in mind. The knit is made using monofilament and tape filler. The fabric is treated with a UV stabilizers to give it long life in direct sunlight. Depending on color, the average shade rating is approx. 90%, and the UVR block is approx. 95%.These high-density polyethylene (HDPE) shade fabrics enabled greater design flexibility, increased protection from UV radiation, and unsurpassed longevity. PVC and vinyl which are more expensive alternatives are sometimes used but they are typically water tight and do not allow for the natural movement of air. Accordingly, the lower cost of HDPE has proven to be a top choice for a shade cloth. HDPE blocks out the majority of the harmful rays of the sun, while retaining breathability. The low cost of HDPE shade cloth and its breathability makes it a perfect choice for shade sail construction.
Modern manufactured shade sails vary in shape, size and color and are often grouped in pairs or multiples, sometimes overlapping, adding form and style to function. Shade sails are usually suspended by system of cables and turnbuckles fixed at each corner of the sail. The system may include multiple pulleys and or complex cabling which is often used as a design element as much as it is for function. For permanent sails, a turnbuckle generally provides the best method of fixing the sail canopy since it allows more tension to be applied as the sail stretches with age. For sails that are used seasonally or periodically, a pulley system with cleats (tie offs) may be more practical since it can be raised and taken down in a few minutes.
Home Installations:
Home installations of shade sails should include a quick release “snap hook” at each corner which allows the sail shade to be quickly removed in high winds or during the winter. Proper installation of most shade sails requires that considerable tension be applied to stretch the sail to its correct shape and prevent excessive movement in moderate to high winds. It is important that all of the mounting points be substantial and securely affixed in order to accept the required tension and absorb the loads created by substantial winds.
Sails can often be attached to existing structures or “hard points” can be engineered into buildings prior to construction. Where this is impossible or undesirable, steel, concrete, or wood columns can be used as supports. Additionally, we have designed several brackets and methods for attaching sails to accommodate nearly any situation, and we can fabricate and install steel columns as needed.
Installation of Shade Sails and Shade Canopies
The following installation suggestions are offered as a courtesy and to facilitate accurate ordering of shade products. I do not and cannot know the specific intentions of purchaser, stress and load factors, wind conditions, existing structure strength, local codes, etc. The following is offered only as a generalized summary of installation methods used successfully by shade screen installers in the past. I imply no warranty by these general guidelines and disclaim any responsibility for the installation, design of installation, engineering requirements, code compliance or any other installation related matter. Local engineers, architects or landscape architects may offer design or consulting services on an individual contract basis.
Shade Sails and canopies are made to accurately fit to their anchoring points.
It is very important to understand these suggestions:
1) Carefully plan your installation before doing anything and before buying any products.
2) Check with your local building and planning dept. Many municipalities require a building permit and may require an engineer’s drawing or certification that the plans are safe. Depending on local building codes and engineer’s requirements you may need to add either threaded rod or rebar to the footings or posts to tie the concrete and post together. In general, there is very little gravitational load, but uplift is the concern, and footings can be quite deep.
3) Visualize the Sail or sails: Use string or rope and stretch it between your planned attachment points. Keep in mind that sails do not have straight lines at the edges; they have gentle curves that deflect about 10% over the length of each edge. The best looking installations have significant changes in height from one corner to the next, and overlapping or multiple sails to provide a bold and interesting look.
4) The anchoring or attachment points should be constructed first. Then the sails are measured and cut to fit. Therefore, you should install the posts, various pieces of hardware and straps to the buildings, trees or other element you have chosen to support them. Keep in mind that sooner or later there will be substantial wind loads. (from 5.5 to 15 lbs. per square foot of sail). Anchoring points must be solid and substantial to withstand the forces exerted by the wind loads. The sails have braided wire or heavy webbing around their perimeters to handle high wind loading. These loads are divided between the anchoring corners.
For posts, I recommend 4″ schedule 40 steel pipe (galvanized) or treated wood posts that are 6″ or larger (small residential installations may use smaller dia of both). Posts are usually embedded in a concrete footing, 3 ft. to 6 ft. deep and 1 ft. to 1.5 ft. in diameter. As sails get larger or higher, the post sizes and footings should be larger.
For large commercial installations, please consult a structural engineer with experience in this type of design. In many cases the manufacturers provide design services for free with purchase or for a nominal charge. The dimensions of the pipe and the footings are engineered for each sail and its application depending on the size of the sail and the expected wind loading. The columns can then be powder coated or painted to help protect them and provide the desired color. If timber posts are used, you may use temporary power poles with a preservative added to the wood.
Note: Corners of buildings are excellent anchoring points and there are special corner clips for these applications. Also, it is often possible to connect to remote structures with cable spanning the distance.
5) Most shade sails or shade canopies have a stainless steel ring or grommet at each corner to be attached to the anchoring point. There are a number of ways to accomplish this; the best method is to use “D” shackle and a turnbuckle. When you have your measurements the manufacturer, supplier or vendor of the shade sail can make recommendations as to which pieces of hardware are best for you to use for your anchoring points.
6) Be sure to measure accurately from the outer edge of the eye of one anchoring point to the next. Draw a simple diagram of the sail’s shape and each dimension. For polygonal sails of four or more sides, you will need diagonal measurements between anchoring points as well. Be sure to indicate the highest corner (if there is one) with an H and use an L to indicate the low corners. You will also need to supply the manufacturer with the relative heights of the fixing points. You can get these by measuring from the ground up on each location using a stiff tape measure.
7) Note: sewn hems can be on top (up) or on the bottom (down). You will need to Indicate your preference when ordering (usually down drains water best).
8) Choose a color. Custom Fabrics and Colors are available typically. In addition some shade sails in limited colors can have fire ratings such as NFPA and California Fire Marshal ratings but are often more expensive.
9) To calculate the approximate cost of a custom shade sail contact the supplier or vendor with your diagram.
10) You will need various types of hardware to affix the shade sails and canopies to the anchor points, since most manufacturers compensate the measurements to include common sizes of hardware, it is essential to use the appropriate marine grade stainless hardware and you should typically consider purchasing from the same company. In any case, the supplier or manufacturer will need to know how you intend to affix the sails so that they can adjust the dimensions as needed. If you do not use the sail vendor’s hardware then they typically will not guarantee the fit. Most vendors and manufacturers will help you with the hardware selection at the time you place your custom order. Each sail shape and purpose varies and part of the process is determining which hardware to use to apply tension and set the sail.
11) Custom Shade Sails usually take under 2 weeks to complete. There are rarely if ever any refunds on custom orders unless you can prove the manufacturer did not provide the sail as ordered.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do shade sails and canopies usually cost?
Pricing for large commercial projects start at about $18 per sq. ft and probably averages about $25 per sq. ft. A backyard patio comes in about $4,500.
How much wind can a Shade Sail take?
In general shade sails or canopies should be taken down in “high winds” when possible and safe to do so. Common sails pull test to about 2000lbs, but as they age the burst strength decreases until they finally rip apart at the corner. Custom Sails are usually commercial quality and are designed for 75mph winds but can be engineered for even higher winds.
How do I install Shade Sails?
Generally the installation requires two or more able bodies individuals, but smaller shade sails can be installed by the single Do-It-Yourselfer. Some shade sails manufacturers provides detailed instructions with each order and may have a help page on their websites.
Can I get someone to install my Shade Sail?
This depends greatly on your location relative to the vendor, supplier or manufacturer. Many companies that sell shade screen fabrics do not offer installation unless you are local (within an hour’s drive). You may be able to get a local handy man to help.
Can I attach a shade canopy to my house?
Yes, but be sure what you are fixing to is strong enough to handle the wind loads that the shade sails will generate. Be sure to affix the anchor to the frame or structure of the house. Don’t attach anchoring hardware to any siding, fascia etc. Also try to avoid affixing hardware to roofs due to the potential of leaks.
Are Shade Sails waterproof?
It depends on the manufacturer and product selection. HDPE Shade Sails are typically made with a knitted cloth that is about 10% porous. When these fabrics are installed at a slight angle, most of the rain will shed to the perimeter with a fine mist or a few drips getting through. If the sails are relatively flat the water may puddle and eventually drain through the knitting. The porous knit allows for hot air to rise and escape through the shade sail.
How long do shade sails or canopies take to ship?
Stock readymade products are typically in stock and ship within 1 or 2 business days. However, Custom Shade Sails usually take 2-4 weeks depending on the vendor and shipper.
Is the amount of Shade and UV Blocking the same with all colors?
No. The amount of protection from UVA and UVB rays will vary with color, even if only slightly. The same can be said of the shade provided. Most Shade Sail colors (including our most popular colors) block between 90% – 96% of the UV rays.
What Hardware do I use?
We don’t offer a kit of hardware because no two installations are the same. You will need to study vendor’s hardware selection and our website to figure out what will work best for your installation.
With the custom shade sails, the vendor may work with the customer to determine what kind of hardware will be needed.
Custom vs Off The Shelf?
Custom shade sails give customers complete design freedom and can be much easier to work with for unique spaces. Study your space to figure out where the supports make the most sense and which sail shape is best for you. Off the Shelf sails are much less expensive, as much as 75% less than the price of a custom sail of similar size. Standard designs are a real value and if you have a space that will allow you to configure your supporting structures and anchoring points to match.
Why are Custom sails more expensive?
To make a custom shade sail the manufacturer has to make a one-off a kind pattern. Patterns and sails are laid out and fabricated by hand and then shipped from facilities around the world. On the other hand, standard shapes and sizes of sails are cut out by the hundreds using a jig that is used over and over. They are then shipped by the container load to local distributors. Custom sails are also often constructed of a higher grade material and area commercial quality with more reinforcements with heavier fabrics and hardware. Finally, with custom shade sails most vendors do include some free design help.
Why use the manufacturer’s Hardware?
The hardware provided by the manufacturer is typically high quality load rated Marine Grade Stainless steel. The sizes and strengths have been selected to match the product lines. The manufacturer may also have some unique hardware that has been made just for these applications. When cutting custom sails they often compensate for the hardware, so they need to know the piece sizes exactly. Also with customs sails, larger hardware may be required.
Do Shade Sails Require a lot of maintenance?
No, shade sails should be cleaned annually with a garden hose. they can also be cleaned with a mild detergent but you should be careful of the sewing. Never use Bleach. Turnbuckles should be checked for proper tension and tightened when necessary.
What Kind of Warranty is typical and how long do the sails last?
In general, better companies warrant against problems due to workmanship and materials for one to two years. Almost without exception, most problems have to do with the design and installation and not the sail. The fabrics most manufacturers use have at least a 5 to 10 year warranty against UV degradation. However, the weak link in any sewn membrane is usually the stitching. The sewing will degrade faster than the fabric therefore making any fabric warranty more or less misleading. Generally, I am hearing that most owner see 5-10 years of useful life from a shade sail. They average is about 7-8 years depending on the size of the sail and the conditions they are exposed to.
What should I look for in better or high end commercial quality shade sails?
Extra wide fabric with fewer or No Seams! Commercial quality HDPE Fabric with added UV blockers.
Strong stainless steel corner rings. Double row of locking stitch (not a chain stitch). Polyester webbing reinforced perimeters with an added sun resistant HDPE covering that protects the webbing from the sun . To achieve that taut tensile fabric look, you need to start out with a sail that is properly made and installed correctly. Don’t be fooled by catalog sails that hang limp. Hardware should be intended for tension loads and load rated. Sails should be pull tested our sails at over a ton of force. Custom made sails are generally recommended for public or commercial applications. Custom and commercial sails are manufactured with a stainless steel cable double locked stitched into its perimeter. This cable terminates at a stainless steel ring located at each corner. These rings are then used to fasten the sail by either a shackle or turnbuckle to a hard point either on a post or existing structure. Each corner is further reinforced with extra layers of cloth and strapping to distribute forces. All stitching is performed using a locking stitch; outdoor “awning maker” thread is used throughout. The size of the stainless cable and rings as well as attachment hardware are engineered to be the appropriate size for each sail and application.
Summary:
Shade sails are often called shade canopies or shade shelters and utilize shade fabrics or shade cloth and hardware to complete a system that provides shade to various types of public and private areas. There are both standard sails and custom shade canopies and they come in many colors, shapes and sizes. Cost vary depending on size and construction. Custom fabricators work closely with customers to design the best shade sails money can buy. Architects, engineers and landscape architects are well suited to help you design a shade sail installation.
 Outdoor Kitchen in Atlanta Georgia with concrete counters Let’s talk a little about Custom Outdoor Kitchens.
First, let me explain that in commonly accepted terms, an outdoor kitchen is simply a kitchen that is in an outdoor unconditioned air space and is often subject to variances in atmospheric conditions and weather that could be detrimental to a normal kitchen design. An outdoor kitchen may or may not have a roof but is always open to outside air on at least one or more major sides. Outdoor kitchens, by their very nature, require specialized appliances and cabinets designed and tested for outdoor conditions. Additionally, there is a clear difference between an outdoor kitchen and an outdoor bar. The main difference is a stove, range, cook top or barbeque grill. Both an outdoor bar and a kitchen can have a sink and refrigerator but only a kitchen has a cooking surface. So in simple terms, as soon as a stove is added to an outdoor bar, it becomes an outdoor kitchen…at least that is how many of us as designers define them.
So now that we are all clear on this subject let’s start talking about the key components you need to consider when designing an outdoor kitchen. The first and most critical issues are location and walking distances. If you plan to build a pool or large outdoor entertaining area you should consider the distance that you and your guest must walk to access refreshments. Unless you have an indoor kitchen or wet bar on the same level as the pool and within a walking distance of less than fifty feet, you may want to consider adding an outdoor kitchen in or near your outdoor entertaining space. Second, you’ll want to consider the aesthetics of the kitchen. Can you see the area designated for the kitchen from inside the house? Does it block more desirable views? Will the kitchen design be something that compliments the house’s architecture or something fun like a tiki-bar with a thatched roof? No matter your taste, these are important things to consider, especially if you don’t plan to stay in your house for more than a few years. Not everyone will want a themed kitchen space in their back yard, so sometimes it is best to design your kitchen to compliment the house and fade into the landscape.
 Large stainless steel grill for an outdoor kitchen So now that you have thought about the location, let’s determine the amount of space you need. A few questions to ask yourself: How many people will you entertain on a regular basis? How many people do you want to be able to seat at the kitchen counter? How many people will you entertain in larger events? Do you need room for two people or more to work in the kitchen at the same time? If you can answer these questions you can determine the size of the working and counter spaces. The smallest working kitchen can be a simple counter with a sink and a stove or grill. Adding working space on one side and seating space on the other, you could have a very simple kitchen space about five feet long and eight feet wide or forty square feet. The next step up would be a pass through design or a u-shape outdoor kitchen. These typically have counter depths of 24-30 inches and a work space at least four feet deep. Therefore a space 5 feet long by about 11 feet (3 feet seating, 2feet front or bar counter, 4 feet working, 2 feet back working counter). From there, kitchens can grow to quite a large size based on personal preferences. The most common size that I have provided designs for have been to seat approx. 4-6 people and allow up to two cooks to work behind the counter. These are usually 12-15’ feet by 10-15’ or 120 to 150 sf.
Alright, now you know where you want your kitchen to go and how big it needs to be, the next thing is to select the major construction materials and roof design. If you live in an arid location where it doesn’t rain often, you may consider going without a roof as long as you pick quality appliances that are suited to the exposure. However, if you live in a typical climate with changing weather patterns you most likely will want a roof for your outdoor kitchen. Furthermore, if your climate is typified by strong thunderstorms or wind driven rain, you may want a roof that overhangs significantly more area than just the counter space. In certain situations, you may want to consider adding walls or screens to one or more sides facing the prevailing winds. In selecting roofing be sure to consider the visibility. If your home is two stories and the location of the outdoor kitchen is on a lower elevation the roof will be highly visible. I personally prefer to match the roofing to the house unless I am doing something fun like a tiki-bar style kitchen. It’s hard to go wrong if you simply match the house.
 U-shaped outdoor kitchen area with stainless appliances The same thing can be said for the walls, exterior surfaces and columns supporting the roof. Matching the finishes on the house is the easiest and safest thing to do. However, it is always important to select materials suitable for the exposure to weather. When selecting cabinetry it is imperative to select materials and construction suited for wet and unconditioned spaces. Many cabinets won’t survive simple exposure to moisture in the air and certainly cannot stand up to soaking rains. Be sure to check with vendors to ensure the materials are suitable for the design and exposure. There are recent additions to the market including all plastic cabinets and stainless steel cabinets. Both are well suited for outdoor kitchens. Please note that any materials made from composite boards, press board, hardboard, etc., no matter how well they may be sealed or covered are generally not well suited for use in outdoor kitchens. Wood can be suitable if the right wood and appropriate fasteners are used. Cypress and stainless fasteners are well suited for outdoor construction. Many quality outdoor cabinet makers use cypress. Other suitable woods include iron wood or ipe, and teak. Sometimes other woods can also be suitable, especially if they are sealed with varnish or weather resistant clear coatings. Note that when working with a cabinet designer on outdoor cabinets, less is more. Details typically require joints and joints are points where moisture collects and easily gets into the core of the wood.
Finally, let’s talk a bit about outdoor kitchen appliances. Did you know they make all sorts of appliances especially for outdoor environments? That’s right, they make refrigerators, icemakers, kegorators, sinks, cook tops, ranges, grills, and all sorts of other appliances that are UL listed and tested specifically for outdoor use. There are major brands including base level and top of the line that will suit your every need. One thing to note is that even though many of these features may seem to look exactly the same as regular kitchen appliances they are not and they virtually never cost the same for the same reasons. All outdoor rated appliances must go through rigorous testing to receive UL listings. The interior components are often made of more expensive materials and sealed against water intrusion. The combination of using more expensive materials and construction methods and the cost of testing and special advertising leads to costs and pricing that is often significantly higher than typical appliances. A good place to start looking for appliances is your local kitchen design center our outdoor patio store. Sometimes even local big box home stores can carry or order high end outdoor appliances. Be prepared for a lead time when special ordering major appliances and also you may have to pick them up at a local drop shipper.
 Beautiful stone veneered outdoor kitchen with roof Well, these are the major components of an outdoor kitchen. I hope you have enough information to begin your design. Check back soon for updates and more information on specific kitchen elements. More to come soon.
 A dry stream bed in a courtyard in Post Biltmore of Atlanta, GA
Ditch to Dry Stream Bed
So you have an ugly ditch in your yard that you just know could look so much better. Perhaps you have seen a dry creek bed in someone else’s landscape. Or maybe you saw a stream bed in a book you liked. Well, it’s really fairly easy to do, so let’s talk about how you might go about it.
Asses Your Dry Stream Bed
First off, “easy” is a relative thing when it comes to building a dry stream bed. When I say easy, I mean that you don’t need any special skills and depending on the scale and length of the ditch (or swale), hopefully you don’t need any special equipment. However, you will need a strong back and some extra money. The first thing to do is to assess the job and determine if it is suitable for you to do yourself, with friends and family (very good friends) or if you will need to hire a contractor. Think about the level of effort required versus your own physical abilities and stamina. Don’t forget to factor in the heat, weather, your schedule and your availability. This is a manual labor job; it requires digging, hauling materials and placing stones from small to large. You also need to have a good sense for aesthetics to place stone and plants. Ok, so now that you thought through all that, hold your thought. Let’s clarify the work and process before you make up your mind to go and build a dry stream bed all by yourself.
Now let’s assess the existing situation. You need to know how your ditch functions before you do anything. Is the ditch a real creek with water in it all the time? If so, stop right now, there are many different laws and regulations that protect perennial streams and creek beds. In some municipalities even dry washes are protected and any disturbance requires permits. Also if your ditch or swale (a swale is a shallow gently sloping ditch) is part of a system that drains a larger area where water enters the ditch from outside your own yard, then altering its characteristics to make a “dry stream bed” look may fall under specific laws and regulations in your area. It is always best to consult your local jurisdictional agency before starting any dry stream bed conversion. Also if your home lies in a subdivision with covenants, be sure to check with the design review board or management. The good news is that in most cases, the improvements you will make are generally considered beneficial to the health of the drainage way and downstream water quality.
Grading a Swale for a Dry Creek Bed
Ok, so you have determined that local regulations allow your ditch or swale to be converted into a dry stream bed, what’s next? How deep and degraded is your ditch? If the ditch is several feet or meters deep with eroding sides and is often filled with rapidly moving water, then conversion to an attractive stream bed may be problematic. Fast moving water can easily move even larger boulders. I have personally seen water move boulders the size of refrigerators many feet in one major rain event and wash tons of soil away at the same time. Also, if the ditch is very deep, then anything you place in the bottom will be invisible unless the viewer is standing right at the edge. You may have to reshape your ditch and make it into a “swale”. Depending on the depth this may require significant grading using mechanical equipment such as a skid steer loader (bobcat, loader, backhoe, etc) or bull dozer. These activities often require permits and special approved plans done by licensed professional landscape architects or civil engineers. However, for now let’s assume your ditch is shallow or small so you can do it yourself. Ideally, you want to use a shovel, dirt rake, and small equipment to create a shallow swale that is formed with gentle slopes not steeper than 5:1 (that’s five feet in distance for every 1 foot in fall). For example, a swale ten feet (3 meters) wide will only be about one foot (0.3 meters) deep. There is nothing special about making a swale; it just takes good old fashioned manual labor, that is, unless you have access to a small skid steer loader (bobcat). Note: You can rent these a tool rental stores and learn to drive them in a few minutes.
Before we leave the grading section of this “how to” article, let’s discuss the slope and flow direction of your dry creek bed. In general, it’s never a good idea to allow the water to flow straight down the slope because it speeds up erosion and can be detrimental to your design. Fast moving water will wash away smaller stones and even plants. If possible, consider adding some gentle curves into the swale design. Angles should not be extreme to avoid water washing over the banks in the turns. Turns should be gentle at approximately 10-30 degree angles and transitions should be uniform. The final design will look best if there are several gentle curves along your swale. Note: If your swale (ditch) is short, say less than thirty feet, adding more than one or two curves may not look good. In shorter swales, simply modifying the width of the stream bed can create the same effect. Also, as with any natural stream, the stream bed edges are never straight and clean, the widths vary where fast moving water breaches the banks and fallen logs and large boulders create deep pools or eddies. You can mimic these features in the landscape by widening the stream or creek bed and digging out deeper areas along its path.
 This dry creek features a curve After you have graded and curved your swale it’s time to set up the infrastructure. The amount of infrastructure you need for an effective low maintenance dry stream bed is determined by the amount of water and erosion you expect. If the ditch will experience significant (six inches or more of fast moving water) amounts of water on a regular basis you may need to line your stream bed completely with larger fractal (broken with lots of straight sharp edges) stones, often referred to as “rip-rap”. These stone will lock together and form a strong armor to the stream bed. On the other hand if the amount of water in the swale is expected to be limited you may want to put down a weed barrier (geo-textile) before putting down any stones. This will keep the weeds down and make your life easier. Note: Do not put down solid plastic sheeting, plastic sheeting stops the water from percolating into the soil under the creek and is bad for the health of the soil and plants that have roots in the area. Also do not put weed barriers under stones where lots of fast moving water is expected.
Let’s talk about STONES for your dry stream bed
Now it’s time to talk about the stone for your dry stream bed. Personally, I like to use local stone or what some call the “vernacular” stone of the area. By using local stone, the creek bed will have a more natural look. However, in some cases local stone may not be available or desirable, so feel free to use the stone of your choosing. In real creeks stones in the stream bed are typically very well worn and eroded. They are almost always smooth. I like to use what the contractors commonly refer to as “river slicks” or “river stones”. In some cases these are real stones from river beds. Note: Some people are very concerned about where these rocks are obtained. Be sure your supplier is using weathered fieldstones or glacial deposits and not using stones obtained from local streams and rivers. Once you have found a stone material that you like, be sure it is available in the quantity and size range you require for your project. You will need small stones to cover about 60% of the surface. Small stones should be from two to five inches or from egg sized to fist. Then you will need about 30% cover in medium stones from six to twelve inches in size. Think grapefruit to watermelon and relatively easy to lift and move. Finally you will want a few large boulders along the edges and sparingly in the creek bed. Approximately 10% of the creek bed should be covered in larger boulders. If it is a do-it-yourself project then large is the largest size you are capable of moving by yourself. Think pillow size boulders. Note: You can move some really big boulders using a pry-bar and wedging them into place. Also using burlap or geotextile fabric (like a piece of silt fencing) you can wrap short pieces of wood into each of the four corners and cradle large boulders. Using this method, two or more men or women can move very large boulders by dragging them. The largest boulders can be moved by mechanical equipment. The size of the boulders and all stone should generally be determined by the scale of the dry creek bed and the velocity and volume of water. The greater the amount of water and velocity and grander the project, the larger the stones should be. A small back yard stream bed with little outside influence should not have any boulders bigger than two men could move without equipment. On the other hand, a swale twenty feet wide and several hundred feet long in front of a business park could easily have boulders the size of a lounge chair.
Stones meeting these requirements can generally be found at your local “earth product” or stone supplier. If you live in a larger city, these places should be easy to find. If you live in a rural area you may have to order stone delivered from a local metropolitan area or you may have to locate your own source locally. Be careful to obey the law and obtain permission when obtaining your own stones. I often find people giving away field boulders on “craig’s list” or site developers in the area needing to get rid of truck loads. When purchasing stone, these smaller slick or weathered stones are generally sold by the ton and packaged in “cribs” or wire baskets on wood pallets. Prices vary across the globe depending on availability, demand, and location. In general at this time in the USA, average for a ton of river slicks is between $100-200 ton (2010 price). Coverage for stone depends greatly on size. Consult with your supplier for the best answer, in general though 1 ton of smaller gravel will cover about 100 square feet. Coverage for larger stones can be a lot less. Note: Large boulders are typically sold individually or in groups of several stones on one pallet. They are usually sold by the ton. Note: A semi-truck (18 wheeler) will hold approx. sixteen (16) pallets. A tandem axle dump truck will usually hold roughly 15-16 tons.
Finally, it’s time for the finishing touches. The finish of your dry stream bed is the most important part. Success depends on the details. It’s easy to place large boulders in a line along the edges of the channel but in reality that’s not how real creeks work or look. Take a drive and see a few for yourself. Only deep fast moving water can move larger boulders, so that is often where you find larger boulders, randomly placed in the middle area with only a few scattered along the edges. Also, you find smaller fine materials spread in sand bars and washes that vary from side to side. There may also be plants that creep into the edges. Fast moving water keeps plants from growing, especially larger rigidly branched shrubs. These larger plants are generally only found at the edge and behind (downstream) larger boulders. Smaller flexible plants that can handle periodic inundation may be found nearer the main flow of the water. I like to use iris varieties for this purpose. Also boulders are rarely sitting on the surface. They are usually partially buried. You may only see the top 2/3rds or ½ of the larger boulders.
When I am placing my rocks I first set out my weed matt. Then I place my large boulders so I have plenty of space to move and room for helpers. Note: It is really hard to walk on rocks when placing large boulders and you cannot drag large boulders over smaller ones without messing everything up. After the large boulders I place the medium boulders. I place things randomly being sure it looks natural. Clusters of rocks together make the stream bed look natural. Sometimes I randomly toss boulders to let them fall naturally. Finally, I place the smaller rock and gravel. Using a wheelbarrow (wheel barrel) I dump rocks to cover all the spaces in-between. I cover the entire area with no spaces except for where I intend to plant shrubs or perennials.
 This dry stream bed was built for an office building in Atlanta Planting your creek bed
For plants I use a number of water tolerant plants, unless the creek is truly an aesthetic with no chance for regular water, in which case I plant xeri-scape drought tolerant plants like native grasses, etc. In my area (Southeast USA) I plant some of the following as the most common; miscanthus spp., iris spp., red and yellow twig dogwood, swamp hibiscus, tag alder, creeping jenny, hydrangea, lizard tail, arrow head, pickerel weed, carex spp., acous ogon, clumping liriope, mondo grass, evergreen ferns, etc. Note if your stream bed is in shade or sun you will need to select the appropriate plants.
Summarizing the work
In summary, this is not really an easy job despite what I said in the beginning. Building a dry stream bed that looks good takes lots of muscle, time, design skill and money. Unless your swale or ditch is very small, I would recommend hiring a contractor for this job. However, if you choose to build your own dry stream bed, the fruits of your labor may be very rewarding indeed. The cost of a dry stream bed can vary from two to three dollars a square foot to more than double that. Stone alone will cost you at least $1.50/sf delivered. I hope you all find this article very informative. Please post your questions below.
 This is a beautiful example of a stone fire pit and seating area Your First Fire Place:
If you are like me, your first experience with a fire pit was most likely on a camping trip as a child. And if you had camping experiences like I did, you’ll probably always remember fire pits fondly. The warm glow, the family stories, the shared experiences are all a part of the fire pit experience. What makes fire pits one of the best amenities for a landscape is the fact that you can share the experience with a large number of people. While a regular fire place is similar in many ways, it is very hard to get more than a two or three people comfortably in front of a fire place. And when more than three people line their backs to a fire place, the other guests can’t see the fire anymore and anyone not in the first row gets little or no heat. On the other hand, a fire pit, especially a larger one can easily accommodate five or six people or even more. I have seen some large fire pits at ski resorts that were ten feet in diameter and could easily accommodate fifteen cold skiers.
In addition a fire pit can allow for built-in fire side seating. By placing a wall around a fire pit and making the circle large enough people can sit around its edge. Just be sure the fire ring is large enough to place the fire safely in the middle away from the edge and with sufficient room so seated guests don’t get too hot. A fire circle typically needs to be at least six feet in diameter or greater for safe fireside seating.
Sizing your fire pit:
In my experiences I have designed many fire pits including several for my own homes. The most typical size that I have used for a small residential fire pit is an outside diameter of about four feet. This allows for about five or six people to stand near enough to the fire to keep warm on even the coldest nights. Generally speaking, you can use the formula for the perimeter of a circle (2 x pie x radius) to determine how many people can enjoy the fire at one time. Simply determine the perimeter based on your proposed fire pit diameter or radius then divide that by three feet. The resulting number is approximately how many people will stand comfortably near the fire pit. For seating divide the number by 2.5 feet or 30”.
For 3-4 people a 3’ diameter fire pit is good
For 4-5 people a 4’ diameter fire pit is good.
For 6-7 people a 6’ diameter fire pit is good.
For 8-10 people a 8’ diameter fire pit is good
For larger pits please use the formula: #of people = (2×3.14xradius of fire pit in feet) divided by 3feet
Designing the right wall height for your fire pit:
Now that you have the size of your fire pit in mind let’s talk about the height. The height of the fire in your fire pit is very important. If the fire is too high you may lose most of the ambient heat to the atmosphere before it reaches your guests. Also if your fire well is too low and the walls around the fire pit are too high the heat will be funneled and reflected upward and not reach the guests standing around the fire pit. The key is to balance your need to contain the fire with your desire to provide heat to the seating areas around the fire pit. If you want to provide a lot of heat and are not worried too much about fire spilling out, such as cases where the fire is a natural gas fire with gas burning logs, you may not need a low wall around the fire at all.
 Beautiful example of a paver fire pit Fire height in the fire pit:
I have seen some very large fire pits placed in shallow depressions only a few inches deep, with seating placed tightly around the edges to ensure people don’t walk into the fire. There was no walking space between the fire and the log benches; this ensured that there was little to no chance people would walk around the edge. This was a good design for a large ski resort where they wanted twenty or more guests to sit around the fire pit. However, in a back yard fire pit you may have small children, no access to natural gas or other concerns, so a low wall is often best design style fir a residential fire pit. I typically recommend a low seat all from 12” tall to 24” tall. Also I recommend that the base or tray for the fire be placed just 6-12” below the top level of the wall around the fire. A common mistake is to build a 24” high wall and leave the fire down at the bottom of the pit. This reflects most of the heat straight up and makes the fire pit very inefficient at heating your guests. By raising the burning wood to a level nearer the top, more heat is reflected outward. However, you must be careful you are not burning wood that pops and blows burning pieces out of the fire often. Note: A wall 18” height is perfect for seating. If you want to provide a seat wall and encourage seating be sure the pit is larger so that you can provide 2-3 feet from the edge of the flame to the seating. The width of a seat wall should be at least 8” and 12-18” is best.
Air flow for a fire pit:
When considering the height you must also take into account air flow for the fire. A fire behind a wall needs air to burn effectively. I recommend that several small holes 2-3” in diameter be placed around the base of a fire pit. On average you should provide approximately one 2” hole every 2-3 feet to provide adequate air for the flames. Note: If you are building a fire pit out of brick then you can simply leave out a ½ brick or turn one on its side if it is the kind with the holes in it. If you are using stone and masonry you may need to knock out a hole in the block and or brick and use a steel pipe. Note: don’t use any pvc or plastic pipe for air penetrations because it will burn.
Lining your fire pit with fire brick:
In addition to venting for you fire pit you should also be sure to use fire rated materials for the lining of your fire pit. Note: if you use typical concrete masonry units (CMUS or Cinder blocks) they will often crack and can even explode if water gets trapped inside and heats to rapidly. The best thing to use is “fire brick”. This is a clay based masonry unit that is specially high fired at very high temperatures to make it very dense and safe for use with fire. Also use fire rated mortar to join the fire brick to the rest of the masonry in your fire pit. You can veneer the outside of the fire pit with stone or brick for a really nice look. Cap your fire pit with 2” thick or thicker real stone and be sure not to cantilever the edge over the fire as this can lead to a really hot edge and cracking stone.
Draining fire pits:
Draining fire pits can also be problematic. Where possible try to install a steel drain pipe 3-4” diameter into the floor of your fire pit. I have used common shower drain caps to cover my drains. Note: You can usually purchase steel pipe and drain caps at local hardware or home stores. If you cannot do this then be sure the bottom of the firepit has a gravel sump in the bottom at least 12” diameter and filled with stone. This will allow rain water to slowly percolate into the soil beneath. If you cannot do either of these things then you will need to shovel out the fire pit often and suck out water trapped inside so the pit does not become too wet to use.
Placement of fire pits:
Placement of a firepit is also very important. A fire pit should never be less than 10 feet from any combustible material, wall or building. I recommend all fire pits be on patios of stone, pavers, gravel, etc. And you should maintain a clear area around the fire pit free of organic materials. No dry plants, leaves or mulch should be near a fire pit. Wood chairs are generally safe but metal is best. Note: Never leave a fire in a fire pit unattended. Never stack wood near enough to a fire pit that a burning ember could land on it.
Summary of design and construction tips for building a fire pit:
Summary: A fire pit needs to be designed for the appropriate location and number of users. The fire bed should be the appropriate height to ensure efficient burning. Clear zones are needed around all fire pits. All fire pits should have air holes and drains. Seat walls can be nice additions to a fire pit. Fire pits are traditionally built out of stone, brick and masonry.
Other options for fire pits:
Finally, there are lots of options for fire pits including store bought chimineas, fire bowls, portable fire places, outdoor fireplaces and more. Be sure to research the rest of this site and other posts for more ideas on these features. A chiminea is a pre-manufactured fire element. Many of these are made of clay and fired. Also there are lots of bowl like elements that sit on legs sold at home stores.
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