Finished Product

After a few Saturday mornings of work, the patio is finally finished. Total cost: less than $300.

Day 3: Crushed Stone Base

The third day of work on the project entailed filling the frame half way with a crushed stone base. This required 14 cubic feet of stone or 1,400 pounds. Thankfully, Lowes was able to forklift a pallet right into the back of the pickup.
Gilligan, as usual, was a great help on this project. While it took some convincing to get him in the wagon, he refused to get out after enjoying a trip around the yard. I think I may have created a wagon monster.

Getting the stone in place before dumping, raking, and tamping.

One small step for man....

It Runs in the Family

Like many things around our house, our picnic table is an antique. Okay, it's really a hand-me-down. But we love it.

The table is in great shape even though it is probably approaching 20 years old. A few years ago we painted it like the Texas flag and really love it in the yard. The benches are a different story. They're sagging and are showing signs of rot.

My recently-retired father offered to replicate the old benches. They came out great!