One of the goals we have for this year is to lay a patio in our backyard. Plans have been mapped out, discussed, and agreed upon. Quality time has been spent researching paver options, cost, color, as well as paver patterns. A watchful eye was kept on the paver/cobble listings on Craigslist, too.
A listing for granite cobble stones on Craigslist caught my eye last week. *click* As I read the details of the listing I knew I had found the right material for our patio. The cobbles are reclaimed Chicago street pavers. Perfect! Being that they're granite, they're certainly durable, and far more durable than a precast cement paver. Loads more life, warmth and personality than cement pavers or cobblestones, too. I must see them, I thought, and inquire where in Chicago they came from. Price was a concern, too.
A nice fellow by the name of Kyle met with me at his landscaping yard. Kyle led me to a substantial pile of pavers, some nearly black in color, some light gray, and others a pinkish-gray color. From the dimensions provided on Craigslist I expected the cobbles to be hefty, and they were, but what surprised me somewhat is how heavy they are. Granite is dense and heavy, yes, but these suckers must weigh close to forty pounds a piece. Picking one up using one hand was practically impossible. All I kept thinking is, yes, this is what we will create a patio with. A photo of one cobble was taken and a thumbs-up from my beloved was given. The next move was to act fast because those beauties would not be available for very long. A Sears kit home with a backyard patio made from Chicago street pavers sounds ideal to my honey and me.
700 granite cobbles were delivered this morning! A six-wheel dump truck backed in our driveway and carefully unloaded the heavy haul. Three sheets of plywood lay on the driveway to help absorb the blow of the first layer of cobbles that crashed on the ground. The sound of those stones tumbling out of the truck and to the ground was incredible. It was also impressive how Kyle, using hand signals, and the driver communicated to gently -as you can with granite blocks- dump the load on our driveway. I was grinning ear-to-ear then, and am doing so now, out of sheer excitement because their delivery signals the beginning of our patio project. Hurrah!
We rather like the asymmetrical shape of the cobbles. The nonuniform shapes will give us a natural and more interesting looking patio. We will have the cobbles laid in a classic running bond pattern, likely the same patten they were laid to form Fulton Street between Halsted and Des Plaines.
Now, this pile just needs to be moved into the garage for safe keeping until we can break ground.
A listing for granite cobble stones on Craigslist caught my eye last week. *click*
A nice fellow by the name of Kyle met with me at his landscaping yard. Kyle led me to a substantial pile of pavers, some nearly black in color, some light gray, and others a pinkish-gray color. From the dimensions provided on Craigslist I expected the cobbles to be hefty, and they were, but what surprised me somewhat is how heavy they are. Granite is dense and heavy, yes, but these suckers must weigh close to forty pounds a piece. Picking one up using one hand was practically impossible. All I kept thinking is, yes, this is what we will create a patio with. A photo of one cobble was taken and a thumbs-up from my beloved was given. The next move was to act fast because those beauties would not be available for very long. A Sears kit home with a backyard patio made from Chicago street pavers sounds ideal to my honey and me.
700 granite cobbles were delivered this morning! A six-wheel dump truck backed in our driveway and carefully unloaded the heavy haul. Three sheets of plywood lay on the driveway to help absorb the blow of the first layer of cobbles that crashed on the ground. The sound of those stones tumbling out of the truck and to the ground was incredible. It was also impressive how Kyle, using hand signals, and the driver communicated to gently -as you can with granite blocks- dump the load on our driveway. I was grinning ear-to-ear then, and am doing so now, out of sheer excitement because their delivery signals the beginning of our patio project. Hurrah!
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| Seeing the cobbles compared to the hand truck gives a better impression of their size. |
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| A muted rosy color. Deeper than wide, and only one smooth surface. The vertical brick at bottom-center is "face up" Once street-side, soon to be our patio surface. |
Now, this pile just needs to be moved into the garage for safe keeping until we can break ground.
