Residential Landscaping:
Estimating Materials

Be sure you have enough room for the activities you have planned for your outdoor space.

• Typical Patio elements: The rule of thumb is that an outdoor space be 40 to 60% larger than a comparable indoor space. For example, a 10'x10' dining room would be 12'x12' or 12'x15'. For pedestrian traffic, plan on 3' to 4' of clearance from site furnishings, plantings and fences.
• Walkways: Allow for a minimum of 24" wide per pedestrian.
• Steps: Recommended width for residential applications is 42".
• Driveways: allow 10' wide per car path.
• Seatwalls / Benches: Recommended height of 18"-20" is suitable for a table height of 2'5"

In addition to these elements, you should make a list of design features you would most like to have in your new space and be sure to write down what you would like to try and avoid. If you find yourself getting stuck, consider getting a few opinions. Visit any one of our Midwest Products Group showrooms and we can provide you with a list of qualified contractors and local landscape architects who can help you with your plans.

Before you put the shovel in the ground....Check with your city or township on their requirements for building permits.

One of the keys to effective planning is understanding the grade changes in your space. There are significant structural differences between a three foot retaining wall and a five foot retaining wall. Don't guess at the height! Get a survey of your yard from a local survey company. The few hundred dollars invested early can save you both time and money in the long run.

To get the right structural design and true estimate you will need to know the following:

• The overall height at the tallest part of the wall. Generally speaking, if your wall is over six feet tall, you should seek professional engineering assistance. For walls less than six feet, any of our offices can help you with your wall design.
• Overall length
• Will the retained soil behind the wall be level with the top of the wall or will it be sloped?
• Will the wall support any structure behind the wall such as a driveway, pool or building?
• Will you include a set of steps in the wall?
• Will the wall be built in tiers? If so, the second wall must start back from the lowest wall at least 1.5 times the height of the lowest wall. Example, if your lowest wall is three feet tall, your second tier must start four feet, six inches behind the low wall.

Segmental Retaining Walls:

• The granular base for the wall will be sold by the ton. Generally one ton of 3/4 minus base rock will provide a base 12" wide x 6" deep 40' long.
• To calculate how many retaining wall block you need, multiply the length of the wall by the height of the wall to get the square foot of wall area. The store personnel can take it from there.
• Caps are based on the total length of the wall.
• Geo-grid reinforcement will be based on you wall length, overall height and type of geo-grid.
• Drainage rock fill for behind the wall. One foot behind the wall should be filled with an open graded rock without "fines". You will need approximately 80 pounds of rock for each square foot of wall area.
• Filter fabric is used to separate the soil from the clean fill. Fabric is generally sold by the foot and is available in 4' and 12' wide rolls.

Natural Stone walls:

In general, natural stone works well for landscape walls. As a retaining wall however, we recommend keeping the total height less than three feet tall. Walls over three feet should be reviewed by a qualified engineer due to the variation in stone weight and depth.

If you are building a natural stone landscape wall, you will generally find that one ton of dry laid stone will cover about 35 to 40 square feet of face area.

Romanstone and other Paving Stones:

Most all paving stone projects are figured by the square foot. When you have the area, the conversion to specific pieces is easy. In addition to the paving stones, you will also need the following:

• Edge Restraint will be needed on all edges not restrained by a wall. Be sure to measure the length of edge required. Edge restraints are typically installed with nail spikes. Install one spike per foot on curves, and on spike every two feet on straight sections.
• Rock Sub-base - The most critical part of a successful paver installation. Patio and walkways should have a minimum 4" well compacted rock base. One ton of rock will cover approximately 60 sq. feet at 4" thick. Don't forget to extend your base out 10" to 12" beyond the edge of your pavement to support the edge of the pavement.
• Sand Setting Bed - Your setting bed for the pavers should be a consistent 1". One ton of sand will provide just over 200 sq. feet at 1" thick.
• Solider Course - It is common to use a solider course around the perimeter to isolate small cuts away from the edge. If you plan to use a contrasting color or shape for the solider course, you will need to know the length of the perimeter.

For complete installation instructions, go to www.romanstone.com