Prep Work - ICC Floors Plus Blog

For the month of August, ICC Floors will be featuring a guest blog series from our very own, Blake Powell. In this series, Blake Powell tackled an extraordinary DIY project, where he built a custom outdoor bar that features a big green egg smoker. He is here to share with you what he learned and show you how you can do it yourself. No professional experience is required! Let’s take a look.

“Framed around my big green egg smoker, I wanted to create a bar that welcomed guests and provided an area to entertain with an ample amount of space for trays and friends. With that intention in mind, I got to work. I want to emphasize that this project can be done by anyone of any skill level with products that can be purchased right from ICC Floors.”

We began by tearing out the existing concrete.

By using a sod cutter to get to the dirt.

Next, we leveled out the dirt and got sand to fill in the area. We used a 4-inch to a 5-inch sand base.

Lesson Learned: I recommend laying stone pebbles down first then leveling it then adding sand for even more structure.

Pro-Tip: If you are not capable of leveling yourself, it is worth the money to hire someone to level the surface for you because leveling is crucial! I hired concrete professionals to level the sand for me because of the level of difficulty. Trust me; it is worth the money.

To help with water runoff, I recommend creating a slope. We sloped it at a ratio of 1/8″ inch: 1 foot.

The professionals began to level the sand for me.

Next, we began to lay down the pavers.

Trend Alert: Big pavers have become a more recent trend for homeowners. It helps to widen the area and gives the illusion of a bigger space.

Pro-Tip: Make sure that you take your time when placing down the pavers. Sit them down one by one and make sure that they are perfect before continuing.

Lesson Learned: Add black mesh (used in landscaping) to avoid having to weed between the pavers.

Paver Information:

Style: Daltile Dignitary 24” x 24”
Color: Superior Taupe DR08
Size: 2 CM thickness
Link to Product Information: https://www.iccfloors.com/product/29436854/daltile_dignitary_eminence_grey_dr10-7241.

“Be sure to check back next week to learn how I created the structure of the bar.”

-Blake Powell

Reader Interactions

Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply