Do you know what all these photos have in common?

They were all constructed using foam products. We’ve been using @gatorbase (a foam product made of polypropylene) for 5 years now with zero issues and many benefits. If they use foam products in road construction then why not in your patio or walkway. Manufactured using lightweight high-density polypropylene

Gatorbase is one of those products that Ive mentioned before - it saves you TIME! As soon as I heard about this product I knew I had to get my crew onboard with it. Peartree property services was the first Interlock company in Ottawa to install Gatorbase, that was 5 years ago and it’s still performing like the day it was installed.

We get asked these questions all the time.

“What about freeze/thaw cycles”

Well tests have proven that it outperforms a traditional base at 15” deep.

“It’s so expensive” (Contractors)

Labour costs are your biggest expense and that’s where you save. Gatorbase can be installed in 50% less time.

“I don’t trust it”

We double our warranty with Gatorbase from 2 years to 4.

*Environment-friendly and 100% recyclable*

Extremely durable, will not degrade in the ground*

Designed with LOCK-N-GO tongue and groove system*

Gator Base Insulation has an R-Value of 3.6 (per inch thickness)*

Will significantly reduce the number of freeze and thaw cycles*

Perfect for hard to access back yards without damaging the yard with heavy equipment. Best of all…With #peartreepropertyservices , A Longer Warranty! Contact us today to find out more about this revolutionary product!

#hardscapelife #ottawa #pavers #techobloc #patios #walkway

Hybrid base construction for patios and driveways in Ottawa

A lot of changes have happened in the Hardscape industry since I started almost 10 years ago. When I started it was industry standard to use GA for the base and stonedust for the bedding layer, there was nothing else, that’s all the suppliers carried - specifically for Hardscape construction or interlock, So I thought…

I started attending as many classes and hardscape shows I could get to and getting certified was of utmost importance. I always felt there had to be a better way, and it was there all along. The shows and classes had started talking about permeable paver construction even ICPI talked about it and how clearstone doesn’t need compaction, that’s when it struck me, why not use a permeable base with regular pavers?

I am always looking for quicker faster better ways to install, if there’s a product or method out there I want to know all about it.

One of those ways is what is now called a hybrid base which is essentially regular pavers installed over a permeable base.

Through the past 10 years we have shifted from a base constructed of fines (GA and Stonedust) to what we now call a hybrid base and have seen a big shift with many other contractors following suit.

The hybrid base for paver installation is constructed in a way that

* we don’t get freeze/thaw expansion problems that you get using a dense graded base

* You get built-in drainage,

* Efflorescence is minimized

* Easier to install with no worries if your installer compacted properly as it is 95% compacted as is.

One note to mention here is this installation practice has not yet been approved by ICPI. But, it is becoming widely accepted even by ICPI instructors, because it is that effective.

Take a look at railroad tracks for instance, they are built on what is essentially an open graded base, and have been for over 200 years! Even manufacturers of pavers have recommended this method and some have gone as far as voiding their warranty if stonedust was used.

I’ll list some of the pros and cons of using a hybrid open graded base in Ottawa.

Pros

#57 stone gets delivered and installed at 95% compaction before the compactor even gets turned on. So a 10 yard delivery of 57 stone is very close to 10 yards installed. GA on the other hand, 10 yards gets compacted and loses approx 25% to 7-8 yards - ever wondered why your calculations were off and had to go get another 2,3 or 4 yards?This translates to inefficiency and time lost and money out of pocket.

Efflorescence is minimized or even eliminated

57 stone is not affected by frost and heaving because water has space to expand when it does freeze in between all the stones.

Eliminate drains and make an area permeable

Easier to work with in the rain

#9 stone used for the bedding layer doubles as winter grit if you happen to do snow removal services

No worries if your employees compacted GA properly every 2-3 inches to achieve 95% compaction - this is THE number 1 cause of failures down the road.

Cons

Edge restraints are tricky to install but still doable.

#9 stone is only available in very limited locations in Ottawa

Greely sand and gravel - Depot

Karson - quarry

Tomlinson - quarry

Can-Lock

Kott will be carrying it in 2019

ICPI hasn’t technically recognized it yet as an authorized installation method.

I believe it’s coming and they are waiting on test results.

As you can see the Cons are minimal.

At Peartree Property Services we are strictly hybrid base construction, you will not see stonedust on our job sites ever.

We believe in long lasting quality installations and believe this will be the standard in short time.

Are you a Hardscape contractor? Are you using this method?

Are you a homeowner? Are you convinced that this is how you want your next project installed?

Let me know…

Interesting fact about Retaining Walls

If you want a tiered look, there’s more to it than just stepping wall blocks up and making it look pretty. It’s very important to know the composition of the soil and reinforcing it with geogrid. A rule of thumb is the next tier should be twice the height back of the preceding wall.

Getting a contractor that is certified will save you money down the road. You don’t want to rebuild a poorly installed wall because the installer didn’t know the basics of retaining wall construction.

Are you considering a retaining wall project in Ottaw soon?

Guide To A Beautiful Lawn In 10 Steps

Guide To a Beautiful Lawn in 10 steps

Hey Ottawa! Contact Peartree Property Services Ottawa for any or all of these great lawn tips!

Here is our 10 steps to minimize weeds and have the best lawn possible:
1. PROPER FERTILIZATION: with a high slow release content, and a proper balance of nutrients for your specific soil and grass types.- Fertilizers are not all the same, and the cheap ones do give you cheap results that can stress the turf-grass plant even more! We recommend fertilizer in the spring and fall. Your lawn doesn’t need any more than that.
2. PROPER MOWING FREQUENCY: Frequent mowing is key, especially during high growth months (may-June, Sept-Oct). Turf-grass was not created to fit into everyone’s weekend availability. Ideally mow every 5 days and you will have a thicker lawn with less weeds!
3. PROPER MOWING HEIGHT: Mow at the top or 2nd highest setting on your lawn mower and sharpen your blade frequently- 2x /year for every 5000 sq. ft. of lawn. Need your blade sharpened?we can show you how.
4. BAG YOUR CLIPPINGS: Yes, it goes against everything you may have heard, but bag your clippings IF you have a high amount of weeds, and they are in flower. This will prevent you from spreading the seeds throughout your thin bare lawn. (You can stop bagging once you have the weeds in check, or they stopped flowering/seeding)
5. WATER PROPERLY: Water once a week for 1.5 hours in each area- give the lawn a deep soaking and let it dry out in between watering sessions. This will give you a healthier lawn with deeper roots and less stress.
6. AERATE: Aeration is great, but NOT when you have a weed infested lawn. You’re just replanting little weeds all over your lawn. Get the weeds under control first by following steps 1-4. If your lawn needs it then avoid spring aeration, aerate in the fall.
7. OVER-SEED PROPERLY: This helps to thicken your lawn. But make sure you use high quality varieties of grass seed that will thicken your lawn, and have better disease, insect and drought resistance. Use “Certified Seed” that is 99.9% pure. Usually, the more you pay- the better the seed! Don’t fall victim to fast growing grass marketing, they are just quick germinating cheap fescues that are not right for most yards. Seed must be in contact with the existing soil, so cut short, scratch up, rake, or aerify the top 1" of your existing soil first to ensure success. KEEP IT MOIST!!! …and they will grow. Let it dry and they will die.
8. TOP-DRESS CORRECTLY: Dumping a bunch of “dirt” on top of your lawn isn’t going to help anything, except back pain. Use a “dry granular compost” that has been heat treated (pasteurized) to kill weed and weed-grass seeds- otherwise you are compounding your weed problems. But definitely DO top-dress with the correct dry granular compost material for a healthy soil to support your lawn.
9. MANAGE GRUBS AND CHINCH BUGS: Apply Nematodes for grubs at the right time of the year for the best chance at control (you can ONLY apply them effectively during Late August and September). Make sure the Nematodes are fresh, the correct species and you MUST make sure the soil is wet before and after application to have any chance at success. They are also very intolerant to light, application in the middle of the day is useless, it is best done in the evening when it is raining. Check with a professional for the best Chinch Bug Management options for your area.
10. KEEP AT IT, Lawn work is not easy.
Lawns are made up of millions of constantly growing, living, breathing turf-grass plants that are constantly cleaning air, filtering water and producing oxygen. If you follow these steps EVERY year, you will enjoy a Green and Healthy Lawn- Guaranteed!

If you need help with any of these steps,  contact Peartree Property Services to arrange a consultation. CLICK HERE

How Much Does Landscaping Cost in Ottawa?

This is a question we get asked a lot. No two projects are the same for various reasons like project type, site conditions, soil conditions, excavation depth, access, dumping requirements, paver choice and patterns.

You can roughly estimate your cost by using this formula for basic installation of interlocking stone

25% Paver Cost
75% Installation cost

Click Here to try out landscaping calculator and find out what your dream backyard costs!

A good rule of thumb is to spend 10% of your home’s value on your yard. You might not be able to include every feature you want but this range does allow for many options at various price points. It is best to choose the most durable and efficient materials or features at the best price, most paver manufacturers have a lifetime warranty on all their products so don’t worry about using an entry level paver in order to get that outdoor kitchen.

You will want to ensure that the base, the part you don’t see, is installed correctly, you don’t want any surprises a year or two down the road when everything starts to sink or shift because your contractor didn’t compact correctly. We use open graded materials in our bases combined with Geo textile fabrics and Geo Grids to ensure longevity and minimize freeze thaw issues. It might be tempting to go with the lowest quote you get but in the long run may end up costing you way more.

Some questions to ask your contractor may include the following

• What brand of paver are they using?
• Best - Techo-Bloc, Unilock, Rinox, Browns, Permacon,
• (Watch for discontinued pavers)
• What aggregate are they using for the base and how many inches of aggregate are they using? Clearstone? Stonedust? G.A?
• Are they using a plate packer in 3-4" lifts?
• Are they using edge restraints?
• Are they using polymeric sand for the joints? what kind? Best - Techniseal HP, Alliance G2 maxx,
• Watch for top ups over regular sand instead of complete joint fill.
• How many years of warranty is being offered?
• How long will the work take?
• Do they include repair to landscape damages that occur?

Contact us today for a free hardscaping consultation in Ottawa West 613-324-9772

Hardscape Installations Open Graded vs Traditional Base

The base is the part you don’t see, but it is the most important aspect of hardscape installation. Here is why we switched to open graded base installations.
https://contractor.unilock.com/blog/contractors-turning-open-graded-base-installations/