Laurie Mustard / Winnipeg Free Press
The Goodchild’s new patio is now at its level best.
Mike and Katherine Goodchild weren’t happy campers. They had a patio constructed with 300 pavers (patio stones) that simply refused to stay level.
It turns out unless the base beneath pavers is extremely well levelled and packed to perfection they will sink here and stick up there. However, if they are meticulously placed on a well packed base they can be smooth as silk for years.
Nevertheless, Mike and Katherine had had their fill with adding fill and trying to keep their undulating patio on the level, so bye-bye pavers, hello pressure-treated planking.
Not without the proper prep, however, which included more levelling, packing and then adding a Multy Deck rubber MultyBase for six-inch deck boards. You lay them in place, add deck boards, a few screws and presto, instant patio. So easy to use. So fast.
The renewed patio is just one of many projects helping the Goodchilds pass the time, with numerous already completed. Another was the unused parking stall opening on the lane beside their garage, which is now all enclosed with fancy fencing, has a floor of artificial turf, and is the perfect setting to soak up the sun.
This is a very creative pair. Prolific, too. They just never stop. Take the field stones they have so artfully placed throughout the yard — they made sourcing and acquiring the rocks for free an adventure. They found a guy in Teulon who was developing a couple of lots and wanted them cleared and actually ended up with more even more rocks than they needed.
The next BIG project in their yard, already in research and development, is a 28 x 12-foot floating deck off the back of their house, which will add a terrific multi-use relax-and-chill recreational feature to their already highly functional and cosy backyard.
Mike’s thinking they’ll go composite to build that because surprise, surprise, it’s cheaper than wood.
The cosy ambience in their backyard is made possible by the plastic privacy slats they’ve added to their chain link fence for its entire length, allowing them to actually escape their rather crowded neighbourhood.
The front yard is finished very nicely as well. If it were possible to choose your neighbours, we’d all be choosing Mike and Katherine; they might even hand you a free veggie or two from well designed and built raised garden area. This year’s potential crop consists of onions, tomato peppers, squash, watermelons, kiwis, beets and maybe a couple of other additions.
They change up the menu each year. This year’s squash is mashed potato squash, which I’ve never heard of, but I’m definitely willing to try.
They also grow cherries and blueberries, which the area blackbirds think are just for them. Mike has a netting plan he’s working on to preserve their preserves this year. Good luck with that!
Great job on the yard and thanks for the tour.
I also have some yardwork happening — 22 dump-truck loads of good earth from my neighbour’s new house build. Let the berms begin!
Comments and feedback always welcome!
lmustard1948@gmail.com
