Comments on: DG Patios–Decomposed Granite

By: Leslie

Leslie — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:59:56 +0000

I suggest you look at this solution, http://www.wzsupply.com/products/terrapave.html

This is what I would use for a classy driveway vs. regular DG. I think what you are describing as pushing up just has to do with expansion of the soil, probably clay-based, when its saturated from rains.

TerraPave is basically DG with a pine resin stabilizer. It has a much harder surface finish and MUST be done by professionals who have been trained specifically in its application. It is a fine looking product.

By: D. Keen

D. Keen — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:15:20 +0000

Well, we all really like the look of the DG. It looks classy. Roadbase does not look classy.

The latest DG was laid down on top of some DG done a few years ago. I do not know how far down the dirt is. The mud is really gritty; not slimy. Its almost like all the finest particles of the DG got PUSHED-UP top. Since your post I have found some other DG roads laid down on road base and they seem to have the same issue.

Anyway, to keep the classy look I was thinking about using that crushed granite that looks the same as DG but its just missing the smaller particles. Stone size is less than 3/4″. I was wondering this too would succumb to the push-up from underneath?

Thanks for your posts!

By: Leslie

Leslie — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:53:55 +0000

Well, sounds like the DG was laid on dirt. Sure, you can treat that DG as just another layer and lay gravel over the top of it. Crushed gravel maybe 1″ minus or even bigger size, a few inches thick. It will pack down. I think there are as many opinions on this as there are materials. Road base as a top might work as well.

By: D. Keen

D. Keen — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:26:16 +0000

DG Road:
We and 4 neighbors have dirt road/driveways/paths topped in DG. As long as the slope is small they are great for foot traffic and for parking. In the heavy vehicle traffic areas they pack down really hard. However now that its been raining for months a thin but irritating layer of mud is pushing thru. Its just where the car tires track. The mud being pushed thru is less than 1/8 inch thick but it tends to get tracked everywhere including into the house.

Is there anything to be done? Could we spread crushed granite (not the decomposed) over these areas and expect the mud to eventually stop slowly pushing thru?

By: Leslie

Leslie — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 13:53:07 +0000

Go back to your licensed contractor and get him to make things right! That is why you paid him the big bucks for his license and your protection. Not seeing your situation, its hard for me to comment. Did you consider putting in a french drain against the house first, under the patio/walk? This would direct water away and might solve your problems.

One other thing. In general, I don’t like using pavers/DG for patios. Its the inexpensive way to build a patio, yes, but in the end not the best. Either do a patio all DG, or, if you want pavers, set the patio on a concrete base and mortar between the pavers. My reasoning is that you’ll never be able to find a comfortable way to sit and place the chairs, as the legs will always fall in between the pavers, with the DG softer and sinking under the weight. Your chairs can never be level. If you must save money and use DG and pavers, then use large pavers and 3/8″ spacing between pavers. You’ll have to stuff the DG down into those small cracks and it takes time but can be done. That’s probably why your contractor used 3″ spaces, because its easier installation.

By: Danielle

Danielle — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 12:57:44 +0000

Thanks for sharing such a wealth of knowledge! We just installed a new walkway and patio in front of our house with large concrete pavers (cut from an old pad) and 3″ spacers filled with DG. Off to one side there was a large planter against the house that we removed and filled with DG, again to get materials requiring water away from house. Originaly the lawn sloped down to the house and was causing drainage problems. The walkway and patio were supposed to direct the water away from the house. Unfortunately the benderboard separating the DG area from the garden seem to be acting like a dam, holding the rain water that is absorbing into the DG against the house. I hoped the DG would harden enough to sheet the water away, but From the posts here, I am realizing the DG is much more porous than the soil than I thought, and we are still getting water against the foundation. It was installed by a license contractor who convinced us to do less of a grade away from the house than we wanted. Am I correct in thinking that DG installed with not enough grade could hold the water up to the house? I am considering putting concrete between the pavers and a dry creek bed in the planter to direct the water away. We are in the Los Angeles foothills, so most of the year it doesn’t rain but when it does, it is often torrential. In regards to tracking dust and rock bits, yes, the DG tracks a lot and although it is beautiful I probably would not use it again in a walk entrance to the house, even with the 36″x36″ pavers. Any thoughts would be appreciated!!

By: Leslie

Leslie — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:36:53 +0000

Hi Kimberly, If you like, you could email me, via my ecoscapes.net website, a photo of your site and I’ll give you my opinion. Probably you’ll be okay. I’ve used DG on pathways with that kind of a slope just fine. But had troubles rounding curves downhill where the slope increases. If anything, you might have to add some DG with stabilizer every few years.

By: Kimberly

Kimberly — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:47:35 +0000

Hi Leslie,

What a wealth of information! Thank you. Do you think a 7- 8% slope would be problematic for d.g. – i.e. prone to developing rivulets.

By: David

David — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:19:21 +0000

Thanks, that’s kind of what I suspected. I’m surprised that a basic web search on the subject doesn’t yield more informative results. I found your page while searching for DG and slopes (and it’s been mighty informative!), but I was expecting to find installation guidelines. Do you know any good DG references besides folks’ personal experiences?
By the way, I’m intrigued to do the hardening technique on some of the areas of my own landscape, thanks for the personal experience stories, David

By: Leslie

Leslie — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:16:11 +0000

That DG will be full of rivulets from the rain as its not a stable medium on a hillside at all. Don’t forget, its granite, just fines of rock. When you look at a stream, the large boulders are at the top, while the silt, the fines, are at the bottom of the river. That’s why farmland below mountains are so good; all the fines have run down. And that is exactly what you’ll get with your rains. I have used a bit larger rock mixed with the fines for a top mulch on less sloped areas. Call it 3/8″minus mixed with fines and its a good mulch in general and can match a DG patio next to it.