70-442-W30

I need to do the landscaping around our new pool. I have the landscape fabric down in a 2 foot line around the concrete pool deck. Around the new sidewalk, I have it at 3 feet. Same with the new patio.

What type of rock would go well here? I was thinking just going over to the local landscape supply but they could possibly sell me anything since I don't have any idea on how this should go. I was thinking Pennsylvania river rock in a 3-5 inch size.

The pool installer just said they would go with pine needles, but I know they would end up in the pool and that doesn't sound like fun to me. Would rather do the heavy lifting now and not have the mess for later.

dalilama

Go with the river rock on the landscape fabric. Mine is between 1" and 3". I grunted many wheelbarrow loads around my pool but it was well worth it. Held up for over 15 years now and only a few weeds here and there to deal with.

70-442-W30

What type of shovel works best to load that size rock into the wheelbarrow? I looked into something called a Toro Dingo, but I'm afraid it would be a little too tight with my gate only being 4 feet.

truckman5000

I have a 5ft concrete border around mine. Around that i have plants and bark mulch. On a very windy day i get some bark in the water, with that said go with the big stone, The small stone will trap weeds. Rent a dingo for a day 150$ to move the rock, a dingo is a walk behind bobcat type of machine.

70-442-W30

$150 a day seems like a steal. Sold! I need 48 inches of clearance for my gate though. Will have to check on bucket width.

I'm wondering about the 3-5 inch stone and how perfectly arranged it will have to be to not see any of the black landscaping fabric underneath. Should I do a very shallow layer of finer rocks under the 3-5 inch?

Hairy Olds

I used 4-5 layers newspaper under the weed block fabric, stops the weeds for many years. Use a flat blade shovel of your choice. A good depth of rock is 2-3". I did my entire perimeter of my house 20 years ago still looks good.

truckman5000

You can get a machine with different buckets around here. It will work for you, call around and just check rental places. I did have foreigners do my cobble stone driveway...they did it cheaper than i could have done..thats another option.
My driveway has road base and concrete powder compacted, then rock no weeds.
Ive had rock at my past home, and weeds were a problem definitely do it rite. But my experience is landscape fabric around here promotes weeds.
So thats why i did the compacted road base and concrete powder. Then rock over that, the underlay is rock solid.

70-442-W30

Getting ready to put the order in. About $1000 w/tax and delivered for 5 yards. I'd say that I'm happy with that, but I'm really not looking forward to this job.

dalilama

My back hurts again just thinking about this . Seriously though, it will look great and hold up for many years.

dalilama

Just saw your note about the shovel - I used a long-handled coal shovel to load. Lots of leverage and it dug into the rocks fine.

70-442-W30

Thanks for the comment on the shovel. I did get the 1-3" rock. Delivery next week. 7.5 tons. No volunteers for free labor yet.

Local Hero

Tell any future swimmers that pool membership requires labor beforehand.

70-442-W30

I know...crazy. Even the kid's friends have been knocking at the door a lot more lately. I think their parents have a plan.

70-442-W30

Got it all done in a day. Started at 9:30, completed at 6:30. Just me, a garden cart, a tractor, and a shovel. Pic:

allyolds68

That came out very nice. We don't have any reasonable sources for round stone around us. I installed a large limestone retaining wall as the pool is cut into a hill. We had a lot of crushed stone left from the backfill of the wall and we ended us using it for the areas outside the paver patio and concrete pool apron. It looks nice but it's impossible for anyone to walk on with bare feet. I've got to come up with a solution. My wife wants to extend the patio into these areas but we don't utilize the whole patio as it is.

70-442-W30

Thanks! It was more work than I thought it would be, especially since they mixed in the 3-5" with the 1-3". I just kept going because I knew I would be sore the next day anyway, so I might as well surprise everyone and git r done.

Maybe you can just use some nice stepping stones for yours. That way it doesn't matter what the rock under it is. Plus, they do make a nice accent.

Koda

Perhaps you could get some Tartan Track put in. It's the 3M track material used on running tracks. Lasts in the sun, can walk on barefoot, and you could get it in green or brown or gray. Freestyle paint an Olds Rocket on there.