Retaining Walls: What material should you choose?

Often times when we schedule a retaining wall estimate, we will ask if the home owner has a material in mind. You see, there are lots of different types of material retaining walls can be built from. Today I wanted to go over a few types of materials and discuss their pros and cons to help demystify the selection process:

1. Wood- Wood is usually the cheapest option. So if budget is the most important aspect this may be a good choice for you. However, wood is more susceptible to rot, weather and insect damages. It's lifespan will be about 10-15 years. If you plan on staying at your property for a long time, this might negate any cost savings.

2. Segmental Blocks- Segmental blocks are interlocking concrete blocks that fit together like a puzzle. Most segmental retaining walls come with a lifetime guarantee on the material. Segmental walls are also durable and can last a lifetime if installed correctly. The downside is that they are slightly more expensive than a wood retaining wall.

3. Cinder Block Wall with Veneer- Cinder blocks are more durable than wood but slightly less durable than the interlocking system. It rarely comes with a lifetime warranty and may cost more than segmental blocks. This type of wall usually requires a good design and engineer to ensure stability. However, the wall is versatile and you to put your personal touch on it by choosing virtually any finish.

4. Natural Stone Stacked- Using natural stones is the most natural solution as it uses materials directly harvested from the earth. These walls can be very costly because of the number of stones required to make the wall. It is also difficult to create curves in this type of wall.

5. Green Wall- Green alternative to regular retaining walls, incorporates plants into hardscape. Self irrigating and low maintenance. Can be more expensive due to materials and labor costs.

While there are more types of materials these are the basics. I hope we have helped to clear up any confusion regarding retaining walls. Good luck on your project. Feel free to give us a call if you'd like to set up a consultation 301-603-1080

5 Potted Plants for Valentine's Day

Looking for a way to sweep your sweetie off his or her feet this Valentine's day?

Instead of traditional bouquets, check out these potted plants that will brighten your home for years to come!

1. Chrysanthemum- Mums are popular in the fall. They come back yearly and provide a pop of color in cooler weather!

2. Flowering Kale and Cabbage- For your health nut, Colorful, flowering versions of their favorite veggies.

3. Heuchera- Colorful leaves that stay bright through the winter. They come in a variety of colors so you can choose his or her favorites.

4. Orchid- The elegant orchid makes a great gift.

5. Bonsai- For a true tree lover a bonsai makes a great gift. These miniature arbor sculptures also look beautiful.

Paver Installation

One of our most popular projects is pavers-- and for good reason! Pavers often come with a a lifetime warranty, they are durable and when installed correctly can last for a very long time. When we install pavers, we follow ICPI standards and this is the process we use:

PLANNING Determine the area to be paved. Measure for square footage and sketch a diagram of the shape & pattern of paving stone desired.

PREPARING / EXCAVATING Before beginning excavation, make sure there are no utility lines within the area to be paved. Excavate area to the proper depth depending on the type of traffic. Refer to cross section diagram.

ALLOW FOR DRAINAGE  Establish the finish grade and slope or pitch of pavement to allow for drainage. Lay out the lines and corners with string line and stakes. Compact sub-base with mechanical compactor.

BASE INSTALLATION Spread aggregate base uniformly throughout the entire excavated area and 8 in. beyond perimeter lines. Base aggregate material should be processed 3/4” minus gravel or crushed concrete blend.

BASE COMPACTION Compact the base aggregate evenly throughout the area with a mechanical plate compactor. Do not compact the base aggregate in more than 4” layers. The compacted base should conform to the contour of the finished paved area. The grade of the base aggregate should be 3” to 4” below the finished paving stone surface depending on the thickness of the paver.

SAND SCREEDING Spread 1” of concrete sand evenly over the compacted base. Screed the bedding sand to a level, smooth surface using a screed board.  For areas wider than the width of the screed board, use 1” conduit pipe as screed guides 4’ apart. Screed sand, remove screed rails & fill in depressions with fresh sand. You should end up with a complete layer of smooth sand.  Do not disturb sand bed after it has been screeded.

EDGE RESTRAINTS Install edge restraints as required. Pavers butting against curbs or foundations will not need an edge restraint. Various types of edging materials can be used. Nicolock recommends a Snap Edge edge restraint system since it is easy to install and will not rot or decay.

PAVER PLACEMENT.
Begin placing paving stones on the screeded sand bed in the desired pattern. Hand place the paving stones with a hand tight joint.  Work from the paving stone side of the installation as they are set. To achieve the best mixture of colors and blends, remove pavers from delivered bundles section by section, not layer by layer, and work from several bundles at a time. Cut pieces as needed to fill in the pattern.

FINISHING.
When all pavers are placed, sweep surface clean. Spread a fine jointing sand over the entire surface and broom sweep to fill all joints.  Leaving excess sand on the paving stone surface, tamp the paving stones into the setting bed with the mechanical plate compactor with a rubber pad. Broom sweep more sand to fill any open joints.  Backfill over the top edge restraint and grade. Your installation is complete and ready for use.

Note: Concrete dust created by saw cutting pavers can stain the surface. Be sure to cut pavers away from your installation. The use of an approved safety mask is recommended when cutting any concrete products.

Source: http://www.nicolock.com/homeowner-tools/installation/paving-stone-installation

Green Future: Next Generation

My son is now old enough to enjoy movies. This means that sometimes, on Sunday nights we curl up on the couch with the latest animated flick on Netflix. While some movies are better than others, I have started noticing that the theme of many of these movies is protecting the earth.

This got me thinking, will the use of this type of propaganda help create a generation of people who care more about the earth? Will the next generation be more "green" than this one. Will we be able to stop our reliance on fossil fuels and tame global warming in the next generation.

I know that it will take much more than a few cartoons, but I am hopeful.

Look at all the technological advances that this generation has seen. Think about if all the time and energy that goes into producing the next generation of iphones went into protecting our environment.

My dream is for Green Future to become more environmentally friendly as time goes on. I hope that we can find ways to reuse or recycle more scrap materials, that we can make use of scrap wood and woodchips, that we can help people protect and save trees rather than remove them.

Who's with me? What are you doing to give the next generation a "green future."

Beautiful Winter Landscape

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Its freezing outside. As you snuggle up by the fire, your yard is covered in a soft blanket of snow, and your now protruding belly is covered in a soft blanket of cookie crumbs. While we can't help you with your eating habits, we can give you tips on how to make your yard look great four seasons out of the year. Here are 4 simple techniques to get the most out of your yard in these frigid temps:

1. Evergreens- Probably the most obvious tip. Nothing makes your yard look more festive than a lush green spruce. But think outside the box! Evergreens come in different varieties and shades (some are yellow). Nellie Stevens and Leyland Cypresses are good choices that don't get too large. The American Holly and Magnolia are two native flat leaved evergreens that can add texture to your landscape.

2. Add color with winter flowers and berries- Your winter landscape doesn't have to be all brown and green. Some trees and shrubs produce bright colored flowers and berries in the winter. The aforementioned holly, produces festive red berries. Camellia, wintersweet and flowering quince are all winter flowering species that can brighten up your yard.

3. Mix in deciduous textures- Even though they may not be green, the texture and shape of unique deciduous trees can add interest to your yard. Trees like beech wood and birch have papery peeling bark that can create visual contrast to the lush evergreens and smooth white snow. 

4. Accessorize- Hardscapes, planters and unique non-plant features can give your yard a unique character. A striking pergola or trellis can create an interesting focal point. A firepit or outdoor fireplace can be a great place to roast marshmallows for an outdoor gathering while also enhancing the appearance of your winter yard. If you are on a tight budget a few accessories like planters or a wheelbarrow can spruce of the look of your outdoor space.

I hope these tips help you enjoy your yard all year long!

Earth Month

A lot of people make New Years resolutions but what about making a "green resolution" for Earth Day? In honor of Earth Day, which is this month, I thought it would be nice to try to find ways to incorporate a little more "green" into our lives. I got inspiration from another blog to cut down on using paper towels, which we seem to use like water at our house. For the company, my goal is to encourage our employees to be more energy efficient in their operations.

If you are looking for simple ways to be a little more environmentally friendly in honor of Earth Day here are some ideas:

1. Turn out the lights and turn off/ unplug appliances when not in use
2. Walk, bike or take public transportation instead of driving
3. Recycle!
4. Donate old clothes or electronics instead of throwing them away.
5. Program your thermostat to use less energy when you are asleep or away from home.

Here are some ideas on how to be greener in your yard:

1. Use native plants
2. Solve drainage problems to prevent run-off and erosion
3. Use permeable pavers and concrete for hardscaped surfaces.
4. Mulch to help prevent run-off and erosion
5. Use materials with a high SRI (lighter color) to prevent the heat island effect.

I hope that these ideas can inspire you to change something this month!

LEED

The USGBC (United States Green Building Council) has developed a new certification and accreditation system where Buildings can be rated on their sustainability and professionals who work in the creation or maintenance of buildings can get a accredited with the ability to recognize and take advantage of methods to make buildings more "green."

I have just started working on getting the LEED Green Associate accreditation and I have already learned a lot. I am taking the online certification which is basically a 4 hour long video training session with built in quizzes. I think this format is great for working professionals who don't have time to take an actual class but who still want to refine their knowledge and gain accreditation. The videos are easy to watch and very informative so far i have learned ways to improve sustainability in both my work and my home.

Although I have posted many of the tips that I have learned through LEED there are other ways I learned that I had never thought of. Did you know that by measuring your water, and energy use you can actually help yourself save.  In addition, the loaction of your building can make a huge difference. A building in a densely populated area that stays away from wildlife and makes use of damaged or existing building grounds help reduce the impact on the environment. I also had no idea all the ways rainwater could be used: from toilets to HVAC units.

I feel like the knowledge I gain from LEED will help give me creative new ways to make Green Future even more "green" and help educate our customers on the latest ways incorporate sustainability into their projects while helping them save money.

I would highly encourage others to pursue accreditation through LEED and feel free to ask me any questions you may have!

www.greenfutureus.com