Pea Gravel Patio
Posted: August 16th, 2010 | Filed under: DIY, Landscaping, Our Projects | Tags: pea gravel, pea gravel patio | 11 Comments »
Well, it’s only been about 9 months since the walls were built…we are finally finishing the top patio in the front. In our feeble defense, it’s just been lower on the list since we wanted to spend spring and summer filling the new beds and getting stuff planted.
It was tough to decide which gravel to use. Since we needed massive amounts, the budget needed to be less than $50/yard. That pretty much left us with limestone or pea gravel. The granite chips were 3 times that so…no dice. We can’t use decomposed stone fines (my 1st choice) because they set up too hard and the water will run off away from the tree …we need the water to drain down so that it gets at its roots.
I’ve used limestone before for gravel patios and it worked great, but I wanted to explore something softer and easier on the feet. I’ve always hated pea gravel…it felt very dated and ugly to me, but I found a few nice gardens that changed my mind.
This patio used pea gravel in between the hardscape…
Photo via Studio G
… and this post showed a nice pea gravel patio
Photo via Rock Stock & Quade
Now we have a monster sized pile of pea gravel to put on top of the large limestone. I started spreading it in the rain since it’s as cool as it’s ever going to be (only 87°!). I discovered I can only fill the buckets half way or it hurts. Up all the steps, dump and repeat. 2 buckets are best since it keeps me balanced instead of bending over a single full bucket.
Phew…gonna be a long week. Problem is….I think I might hate the color….stay tuned for a hopeful improvement…maybe when it’s dry…maybe.
shoveling gravel is awful. AWFUL.
But it will look so good when you’re done. I kind of love that dark gray larger rock….nice and dramatically dark.
It’s only 105 degrees today. We are painting and I am dying!
I KNOW…3rd time I’ve shoveled gravel of this magnitude…you think I’d learn. I too love the limestone when it’s wet…nice dark grey…but it dries a lot lighter…that said..I still may have preferred a smaller limestone to the brown, but we’re here so we’ll see. If I still hate, maybe I can ice the top with more limestone…ugh. As it dries the pea is slightly less orangy…which is good…
Ooooh the red chairs! Do tell. I also vote for the gray gravel. I seem to be in a gray phase and just want it everywhere. Your property is fantastic…so jealous.
Flagirl – Red chairs are Ikea from about 6 years ago…sadly…no longer made…surprisingly comfy.
I look forward to the finish. We have an existing but very neglected and ugly pea gravel patio under our deck. We have to keep it gravel since our house lacks gutters and we need the drainage (just like w/ your tree.) I got a ridiculous quote on having a water permeable “gravel-lock” put in and it’s not in the budget, ever… our current pea gravel is hideous though, maybe I need to look for better colors…
I want to do this to my backyard so I never have to mow again, ever.
As with everything else you do, it looks great. I love the terraced levels. Worth the wait?
Hey – your mountain of pea gravel looks familiar. I cannot believe you have to carry it up in buckets!!And I thought wheel barrellng it in stunk. I absolutely love the multi-leveled areas you have! It looks so cool! I had issues with the color of our pea gravel too. It was a VERY dusty tan. Then it rained a few times and the dust coating washed off to reveal a greyish lighter color that I wanted. Hopefully yours will do the same. We just topped all of ours off last weekend so the gravel is looking a bit tan again right now.
Housepet-YES…I discovered that the orange-ish clay soil we have here is mixed in with the gravel and it’s improving as it gets rinsed…some good rains will hopefully bring out even more of the grey tones….
nkp–it will be worth it, when I can feel my arms again!
Okay, so what’s with all the hata’s of pea gravel??
I lurv pea gravel! I’m glad you chose it!! It reminds me of 1973!! What the hell’s wrong with that???
Sorry, it’s hot, I’m testy, and ready for fall, as I’m sure you are, gravel haulin’, soon to be “Incredible Hulk” arm totin’ mama!!
i’m w/lauri in loving the pea. and yellow ocher, my favorite color! how about if you don’t like it, you scrape it all up and send it to me. ha!