Need advice on area surrounding pool

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Grayson73

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Aug 11, 2015
98
Potomac, MD
Hi,

I'm looking for advice on what to do with the area surrounding my pool. Right now, it's bricks and a dirt area:

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1. What would you do with the dirt area? Plants, grass, or some type of material? I'd rather not have plants/grass since I'm looking for no maintenance, if possible.

2. What would you do with the brick area? Right now, weeds grow between the bricks and the bricks are uneven. I could just de-weed as needed, but again, I'd prefer a no maintenance solution.

Thanks in advance for your input!
 
This all depend on how much $$$ you're willing to spend.

The grass/dirt area is easy for no maintenance - try artificial grass and decorative stones. I have about 800 sq. ft of artificial grass in my backyard and I love it. The only maintenance involved is the occasional leaf blower to clean it up and running a turf rake over it every now and then to fluff up the turf when it gets matted down. Figure ~ $6-$10 per square foot installed.

As for the bricks, that a much tougher and more expensive problem. Whoever installed the bricks did not do a very good job on the base and so what you're seeing is freeze/thaw heaving of the bricks from water infiltration. As well, the bricks were probably not epoxy-sand sealed in their joints and so you're getting weed intrusions. There's no cheap way to fix this without ripping up the bricks and redoing the bedding layer properly. That involves excavating the underlying material, leveling the surface, applying a new base layer or, perhaps, a concrete pan, installing a blocking material or landscape fabric to control weed/pest infiltration and then reinstalling the bricks with polymer sand joints. It's a lot of manual labor which means lots of $$$. Also, depending on the elevation and drainage of that area, you might need to install drains as well to keep water from pooling on the brick work.

I'm not much of a fan of bricks but I do have some paver stone hardscape in my yard. If you had the remodeling money, you could actually think of ripping all the brick work out around that area and the pool area and redoing the pool deck either in stone or perhaps a finished concrete surface. There are many ways to decoratively shape and stamp concrete these days as well as add nice color variations. If it's done correctly by a reputable firm, you can have a very nice deck and backyard area that will outlast your pool ;)

Hopefully others will have some better ideas.

Good luck,

Matt
 
You are starting out pretty much the same way we did. I'd start out with a pressure washer on the bricks and the fence. That should brighten things up. I'm no fan of the polymeric sand, so, personally, I'd go back with regular sand. Most of our deck is wood and that is this summer's project, but we have about 800 sq. feet of what was a tiki bar. The ID10Ts that put it down actually used mulch under it. It looked like the Pacific Ocean in the middle of a Tsunami. We had to remove the mulch, put down about 8,000# of compactable material, wire brush clean each brick, and put it back down. Trust me, this is something you don't want to do, unless you have to. It is back breaking and tedious work, especially in near 100 degree temps. I'd try to landscape the unpaved areas to create the illusion of a private oasis.

It is going to be a bit of a project, but I think it is going to be a great area, when you get done.

PS
An herbicide in an electric spray bottle will make fast of any weeds that try to make it up between the bricks. And in the unpaved areas? Mulch is your friend...
 
ewkearns said:
The ID10Ts that put it down actually used mulch under it....
Click to expand...

Hahahahaha....it took me three reads to figure out that wasn't some kind of technical trade name.... ;)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk,16k gal SWG pool (All Pentair), QuadDE100 Filter, Taylor K-2006
 

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Weeds can and will grow anywhere. The site prep is the key. RoundUp to know out anything there, cover with roofing felt and tack it down with landscape "staples", up your whatever on top-fake grass would be my pick!

Kim
 
Grayson73 said:
Just Mulch, without any plants? Won't weeds grow?
Click to expand...

You need a cloth weed barrier AND mulch. That is about the best you can do, if you want pretty and green without the back yard looking like a miniature golf course. The beauty is that the weeds can't put down roots and they pull right up. Most of my uninvited herbs get a quick spritz of Spectracide and *they* become mulch....
 
In my area, many of the local nurseries will send someone out for free to develop a landscaping plan for the homeowner. Of course, the hope and assumption is that the free planning will result in you buying plants and materials from them.

If your backyard dreams include any heavy or expensive work like hardscaping, raised structures (pergolas, etc) or an outdoor kitchen or fire pit, then you really want to try to find a landscape architect to work with. They can draw up real site plans of your yard and will act more like GC/PB in that they will bring in their own crews or subs, as-needed. Just getting a plan from them will cost several hundred dollars but that is usually waived if you hire them. Like a pool builder, they should be able to show you a book of work they've done and give you references to call and visit. Expect a large backyard remodel (hardscape, irrigation, lighting, water features, plants and an outdoor kitchen including gas and electrical work) to cost upwards of $20k for a large backyard.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk,16k gal SWG pool (All Pentair), QuadDE100 Filter, Taylor K-2006
 
Lou. said:
Anytime above 40'. You know you could do pea size gravel in dirt area just spray grass n weed killer.

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Since the back near the fence is narrow, I'd like something that we could walk on barefoot, so pea size gravel seems like a good idea, but I'm afraid that it will go into the pool and filters. Artificial turf seems like a good idea but will it look tacky?

For the area on the right side, pea size gravel might work since it's far from the pool.
 
Grayson73 said:
Since the back near the fence is narrow, I'd like something that we could walk on barefoot, so pea size gravel seems like a good idea, but I'm afraid that it will go into the pool and filters. Artificial turf seems like a good idea but will it look tacky?

For the area on the right side, pea size gravel might work since it's far from the pool.
Click to expand...

If you get a high quality brand of turf (i.e., not cheap stuff used to make backyard putting holes), then it can look very real. I have over 800 sq ft of turf in my backyard and it looks great. It's is zero maintenance except for the occasional leaf blower and turf rake to fluff it up and it doesn't use a drop of water. If you lay down over a good layer of DG fill and use landscape fabric, there will be no weeds or insects on it at all.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk,16k gal SWG pool (All Pentair), QuadDE100 Filter, Taylor K-2006
 

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