Patios, walls and getting the water out
Half the drainage calls in this county are a grading problem wearing a landscaping costume. The other half are a downspout that ends four feet from the foundation.
Patios, walks and walls
A paver patio is mostly what is under it. Excavate, compact a crusher run base to the depth the soil demands, screed a leveling course of granite screenings, set the pavers, and lock the edges. Skip the base depth and the patio is flat for two winters and then it is not.
Retaining walls are the same story with more at stake. Anything holding back real soil needs a footing course below grade, washed stone and pipe behind it so water is not pushing on the back of the wall, and backfill compacted in lifts.
- Compacted crusher run base, cut to depth
- Screenings leveling course under pavers
- Drainage stone and pipe behind every wall
Drainage on Piedmont clay
Clay does not drain. Water arrives faster than it can soak in, so it runs, and wherever it stops running is the wet spot. The fix is almost always a combination of regrading a shallow swale to move it, and burying a pipe to carry the part that will not move on its own.
A French drain is a trench, a perforated pipe wrapped in fabric, and washed stone around it, sloped to a place the water is allowed to go. Downspout lines are simpler and they solve more problems per dollar than anything else in the yard. Both start with the question of where the water is going to come out.
- Downspout lines carried away from the foundation
- French drains in washed stone and fabric
- Swales and regrading where the ground allows it
Water sitting where it should not?
We will find out where it is coming from before anybody quotes a pipe.
What Gaston County says
Every quote below is a real review, word for word, from our Google profile.
I called this morning looking for prices on some mulch and expected to have to wait a few days for delivery. I spoke with Melissa and she helped me figure out how much I needed and quoted a very reasonable price and told me I could get it delivered in half an hour! Mac was soon in my driveway with a truckload of mulch. He drove that truck right up to my flower bed and dumped it right where I needed it.
I'm born and raised here, so I've known about AJ's for probably the last 30 years or more, but have never worked with them until now. They are awesome to work with. When you call them, you don't get a recording. They answer the phones and provide great insight and advice for the project.
This long established business continues to provide quality products for a reasonable price. The second generation is also involved and he delivers quickly, efficiently and never fails to treat customers respectfully.
Always great, the lady on the phone is always pleasant and soooo friendly, she is patient answering questions and helpful, the delivery guy is always friendly, he even dump my gravel in diff spots to make it easier to spread.
AJ will forever be my place and will always be the first place i recommend. I have begged my husband for years to fill an area in my garden with river rock. He was able to do that yesterday with the help of AJ's!
Great family owned and operated business. Honest, insightful and helpful in every aspect.
Think you have a problem up there? We will look at it, free.
Usually because the grade runs toward that spot and the clay under it will not take the water. Filling it with dirt moves the problem. Moving the water solves it.
It depends on the soil and on what drives over it. A walkway on firm ground is one thing and a patio on soft clay is another, which is why the base gets decided on site with a shovel in the ground.
Yes. Wall stone, crusher run, washed stone, screenings and pipe are all in the yard, and we will tell you the quantities if you bring the measurements.
Bring the measurements of the area, or a photo of it, and we will tell you. If hardscapes and drainage is not what the job wants, we say so and point you at what does.
Monday to Friday 8 AM to 4 PM; Saturday 8 AM to 2 PM; Sunday Closed. Outside those hours use the form and we answer the next working day.
Since 1982.
Tell us the area, we will work out the yards
Call the yard, or send the measurements and the material you had in mind.
- Monday to Friday8 AM to 4 PM
- Saturday8 AM to 2 PM
- SundayClosed