[Bill Schwab]

This has been an incredible year for us. We are working on, and have completed some pretty sizable projects. We will be breaking ground for one of those projects that I am very excited about. This place has picturesque views, over looking Palomar mountain, and the canyons leading into Fallbrook and Bonsall, two rural California communiites with large lots.

This outdoor kitchen is going to have a hot tub cut into a slope, so we are building a Country Manor wall around it so it looks as though it was a gunnite spa. The barbecue island will be a 16', 270° semi circle, out of country manor, with a poured concrete top that will be mosaic tile. I wanted granite but it was a tad too formal for the outdoors in this setting. Over the top of the island, we are welding the framework for a cover that will resemble the Del Coronado Hotel roof line. (it will sort of look like a Viet Namese hat with a rasied center) , and redwood slats will block the sun. It will have 120 power brought in from a 6 circut load center tied off of the 200 from the spa. Country Manor steps will be cut into some of the granite boulders, so where there is a dirt slope, stairs will be placed and end at the granite. The granite will be left in it's natural position, these boulders are over 10-30 feet long and I cannot imagine what they weigh. The colors are a perfect match to RCP pavers tumbled Terra Cotta Brown, and Grey stone, layed at a random manor.

There is going to be a 900 sf deck of pavers with pieces of these granite boulders extruding from the flat surface in the natural form they take. After this is done, I am going to wait for an overcast day and shoot come pictures for the website.

Here are the questions.....

In the spots where the granite boulders outcrop, are we best off to run the pattern into the rock, or should we soldier course around it? I definitely think soldier course in the areas where there are no boulders, and randomly run the pattern into the outcrop of granite.

If this comes together the way I am envisioning it to be, it could be one of those shots you see in some supply calender. Being given the opportunity to do this job makes me shiver with goose bumps (no girlie man here by any means). It one of those where the owners have the budget to make it come together (we have $60,000.00 for all items listed) and are on the same page as what I am envisioning.
I'm hoping for some good input here, which is why the vivid description. This place is just like Eau Claire Wisconsin, where they make Old Style beer....God's country.... except the only snow you will see is on top Palomar Mountain some 30 miles off in the back drop..

[VoodooChile]

This is a really evocative post Bill, and it sounds like its gonna be an amazing project.

I think incorporating the stone into the patio is brilliant. This place must inspire humility, and the stone reminds the people who get to enjoy it that we are all really just guests in God's country.

And yeah, run the pattern right into the stone, without the soldier course. I think the soldier course would just make the boulder look like it was in a planter, which is pretty silly, considering their mass and presence.

And in the areas without granite, I not sure that simply stopping the pattern without the soldier would look finished enough. But maybe it could work... Given the awe it sounds like this place inspires, I doubt anyone would notice the soldier, and calling attention to the edge treatment by not using it, would just distract.

Looking forward to the pictures.

And hey, can you guess what the Lake Geneva locals call Old Style?

[dan deutekom]

I think where ever the pavers are going to run into outcrops or boulders there should not be soldier course. This sounds like an awesome project. It makes me with envy.

Can't wait to see pictures.

[VoodooChile]

Bill,
Was just talkin' about this project w/Spiderlily and we were wondering how you cut steps into granite outcrops? Did we read that right!?

[Paul]

I agree too that the natural blending of the pavers into the granite. One step more would be to shave the bottoms of the pavers so they seem to grow out from the boulder steppers. With the wet setting of the pavers this should be easy.

[Bill Schwab]

Ahhh..


I knew I would get a little help here....I was leaning toward running the I pattern right into the granite. Yes Paul, shaving the edges is the way to go. We will prbably just use redi crete and butter the bottoms of the pavers with thin set.

Voodoo, was far as cutting the steps, the walls will set between two large outcroppings. and when they encroach upon the boulders, I'll take the cut off saw with a granite blade and notch into them, so it looks like the walls are growing out of the stone.

We already broke ground over there, and are doing underground right now. This could pose a problem or two because gas pipe has to be 18" deep and it we hit granite, there is a potential problem. The only other way around that is if we run the pipe under the pavers I think the county will allow a variance on the depth.

We should be wrapping this one up around December or so, and along with pictures of some other stuff, I'll get some of these off to the forum.

Thank you all!

[Stonehenge]

I agree with the other here who think the pattern should run right into, and be interrupted by, the boulders. I think it will add to the look of the boulders thrusting up from the earth.

Sounds like a fantastic project - let us know if you need any subs with Midwestern sensibilities.

[AZTLANLC]

Please bill don't forget to post some pictures.

That was a great Idea Paul.

[justgardens]

I wanna be on your crew! What a great project. Can't wait to see the finsihed product pics.

[Bill Schwab]

We just ordered the Country Manor, specially color matched in Terra Cotta Brown instead of Brown blend for this job at no extra charge. We are going to blend in about 100 sf of greystone to bring some colors through from the granite. We will be the very first ever to use these colors, and at first production told uis it would be 2 months. Then the CEO of the manufacturer got wind of what was going on and told them to run it. EXELLENT SERVICE RCP Block and Brick Co.!

The barbecue top is not going to be mosaic. We will be using cut, gauged blue slate, thin set to the concrete barbecue top. WE started trenching for the polyethylene gas pipe and peeling more off the boulders to get to grade. We are running single phase 220 line with a 60 amp, 6 station load center to the back of the barbecue, so we can take off several 120 lines and wore them with GFI ciruits.

The DG fill is being slammed down with the Wacker and we are cutting the terraces off for the seat walls with the 257.

I have steel ordered for the framework of the roof line, which is going to mimick the Del Coronado hotel on Coranado island. Slats will be redwood, stained, then coated with oil based polyeurethane.

We could see clear past Palomar mountain today, which is 30 miles off in the distance. Now we get to play hurry up and wait...It is going to take 2-3 weeks for product to be cast and tumbled for this job.

This is like one of the first big jobs we ever got...I am feeling like a kid on his new bike right about now.... Will keep you posted as to how progress is made. I have some before pics and am going to try and figure out how to post them Sunday....

[justgardens]

Bill how about some before pics for us.