POSTED: August 3, 2004 by thebrixhouse
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how it turns out! good luck!
thanks for all the great info! We are hoping to start on it next week so I'll print out your hints and show it to my husband. Also heading to the library this afternoon to see what I can find. Thanks again...
I am surprised HD can't advise you, it is not rocket science! When we lived in Edmonton we built a large deck on our lot with interlocking brick underneath and a square cutout in the middle to use as a seatng area around a firepit. Worked great, esp for the cool Alberta nights - can't do that here in the land of humidity and torpor! Any good book on how to build patios should have the instructions.
The secret to any of this is laying a good foundation -- you need to have a good layer gravel (many say 8-12 inches), and then sand on top to another 4-6 inches. Rent a tamping machine and go over each layer, in layers, as you put it down (and over it, and over it...) to be sure it is well compacted before your put on the interlock.
The firepit we used was simply blocks in a rounded form, and we put it directly on top of the sand layer, and we had also installed a vertical rod (I think somehow it was embedded in something but I don't remember just now) with threads so we had a grill we could thread on top.
As for a retaining wall, the same applies for the area under where you put your stones. Keep in mind also that the retaining wall should be sort of angled back so it will resist falling forward as the dirt behind it puts pressure on it. You can use those blocks that have been developed for this purpose that HD and others sell -- they are meant to be stepped back from the face of your wall.
One VERY important thing regarding the sand you use -- DO NOT use "play sand", it is very slippery and will slide out and away over time -- use the sand they use for making mortar, it is rough in texture (the granules) and apparently more hydrophilic so that it will hold water enough to make the granules stick together. You can also use it to fill the cracks between your interlock and it will help hold them in place.