[TommyM3]

Hopefully someone out there can help me solve this dilemma:

When my house was built back in the 1940s, it looks like they cheated the foundation height by a course or two (cedar shakes are only ~10" above grade). In order to build my raised paver patio up to just below my french doors (~24" above grade), I will have to pack stone base up against the bottom 2 courses of cedar siding. If I were to do this, I would remove the 2 bottom courses of old cedar shakes, apply ice/water gaurd, and then flash with aluminum, before packing any stone base up against it. However, I have also been told that I should instead build a retaining wall along the perimeter of the house in these locations to match the exterior block wall height. Then, fill with stone base to the right height and lay my pavers. Since the later option would be more costly and difficult, I thought I would ask for opinions on this?

I do realize that I could make a couple steps down from the door so my patio would be essentially right up to the top of the foundation, but this would eat up patio space that I don't have and also lose the whole appearance that I am shooting for...

Can anyone offer any advice on whether building an additional block wall against the house is the right thing to do or overkill?

Thanks,

Tom

[Bill Schwab]

In any patio we have done, even when the foundation is elevated, we have always built a 4 sided box (wall against foundation) and then infilled the patio. Several reasons for this, but the biggest is that if for whatever reason the infill gets saturated, if you build a back wall, you have a layer of containment so to speak from the house. You can use second run materials, simply because no one looks at that part of the wall, and you can also use natural colors rather than a tone to save block cost.

I tie all sides together using Strata-Grid, and when it is pulled tight, it will prevent the sides from blowing out come wet or freezing weather. If you tie a front to back, and a side to side, essentially you have a large box tied together with gravel infill. That sucker ain't go'in nowhere.

[Stone Art, Inc.]

Try lowering your patio and building a stoop and step up to your door, certainly more cost effective and in my opinion, it adds interest if done well.