Patio Installation Project

Bradr

Bradr

Starter
Hello guys and gals,

I recently decided to tackle the renovation of my backyard, including putting down a brick patio. I've done a good deal of research on the installation, including digging out a base with gravel, then sand, then the bricks. I also called digger's hotline and had my utility lines marked.

Problem is that my OPPD (power) and Cox (tv) lines go right through the area where I want to place the patio. I have some concerns that digging down 8 or so inches in these areas might not be a good idea.

Anyone got any advice on the topic? Am I out of luck or do I exercise extreme caution, and dig very carefully in the marked areas?

Thanks!

- Bradr

 
Last edited by a moderator:
You should be able to dig if you're careful. Those lines are fairly sturdy--just don't get too heavy on the spade. Do you need to go down 8" for a patio? Maybe you could lay it on 4" of compacted stone dust.

btw, I guess it's the time of the year for patio work. I'm taking out some patio, building a deck, and then extending the patio out a bit further into the back yard. When I get around to it, that is.

 
Brad, you need to call the Digger's Hotline, or at the least go to their website: LINK They'll help you find your lines before you dig.

 
knapplc said:
Brad, you need to call the Digger's Hotline, or at the least go to their website: LINK They'll help you find your lines before you dig.
Click to expand...
Yep, that's the problem. They already marked the lines.

The lines make a big "V" right where I want to put the patio. The two lines start at approximately the same point at the house. One extends towards the back left corner of the yard, the other towards the back right. The patio is (was?) to be 12' across and 16 feet long. The two lines travel the entire 16 feet towards the back of the yard, and then keep going into the grass.

The consensus I'm hearing from buddies is that OPPD tends to bury pretty deep - so that shouldn't be a problem. But Cox is notorious for not properly burying their lines. I called OPPD and the young lady I spoke to said she thought digging was a bad idea. However she by no means sounded sure of herself or knowledgeable in the subject.

This already wasn't going to be easy, now this...

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Didn't they tell you how deep the lines were? I would think that would be one of the key elements of marking. It doesn't do you much good to know where the lines are but not how deep.

I'd call both Cox and OPPD back and ask to speak to someone in management who has a clue.

How deep are you digging? Less than a foot, right?

 
knapplc said:
Didn't they tell you how deep the lines were? I would think that would be one of the key elements of marking. It doesn't do you much good to know where the lines are but not how deep.
Click to expand...
My sentiments exactly.

knapplc said:
How deep are you digging? Less than a foot, right?
Click to expand...
Hopefully around 8 inches. I've been told to put the base material (gravel) around 5 inches for this area, sand about an inch, and then 2 inches for the bricks (Want them flush with the pavement we have down already).

 
Bradr said:
knapplc said:
Didn't they tell you how deep the lines were? I would think that would be one of the key elements of marking. It doesn't do you much good to know where the lines are but not how deep.
Click to expand...
My sentiments exactly.

knapplc said:
How deep are you digging? Less than a foot, right?
Click to expand...
Hopefully around 8 inches. I've been told to put the base material (gravel) around 5 inches for this area, sand about an inch, and then 2 inches for the bricks (Want them flush with the pavement we have down already).
Click to expand...
sorry guys, utilities are not required to give you a depth, it would be a safe bet that your electric is at least 18-36 inches deep, as for Cox it could be 6-18 in deep. Another thing to remember is that locating is not an EXACT location of where the cable runs, diggers hotline states that you must be aware of 18 inches on either side of the mark for the location of the cable. Just use extra caution while digging over a mark, best bet is to dig slow and try to see if you can expose the Cox line at least, if you cant and you have hit your depth you are good. Good luck and BE SAFE!

 
archaeological%20dig%20working%20in%20our%20trenches.JPG


Bradr's patio dig.

 
Well, the girls never showed, but got the project finished.

Avoided the power lines for the most part by keeping the cement border intact and scaling down the size of the project by about 1/2. Took 2 days, one to dig out grass, level, gravel, and sand. And another to cut and lay bricks.

Pretty happy with the thing, but wouldn't want to do that again anytime soon!



 

Attachments

  • 268619_10150293801370934_505885933_9377086_5978968_n.jpg
    268619_10150293801370934_505885933_9377086_5978968_n.jpg
    62.3 KB · Views: 0
That does look very nice. We did something along the same lines a couple of years ago. I'm not sure what your soil is like, but here it's thick clay, and the hardest part of the whole job was cutting that clay and making it level. That probably took 2/3 of my time.

 
Looks as good or better than some of the old streets in Lincoln that used brick. Maybe I could sub you to renovate my patio. Nah, that's won't work; I don't have the travel pay :D

Great job though.

GBR

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top