How To Keep White Gravel Clean
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17-02-2012 #1
Junior Member
Restoring white pebble topping
Hey i looked through forum and couldnt find much info.
A regular customer with white pebbles down one side of house, 8m by 3m. Not the large pebbles but about 1-2cm diameter. Has leaves mixed through which looks untidy and has small clover type weeds growing through that do not pull out with roots. Customer wants the area clean and looking white and new again. Cant find any weed mat under pebbles just hit hard dirt.
Can spray weeds but still need to remove leaves. Thought of using a vac but always thought they were useless and might suck up small pebbles aswell?
What about raking pebbles up, remove weeds and leaves and relay pebbles like new? Is this alot more work than it sounds?
Would relaying new pebbles over the top be ok, after weeds are sprayed?Any other options?
The more i think about it the more i hate pebbles
Customer is open to cost options, just wants it new again for selling.
Thanks for any ideas
Wright Stander 36 ztr
Rover Procut 560
Makita trimmer
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17-02-2012 #2
Member
We usually get some fine mesh dig all of the pebbles up and place the mesh on the barrow and sift them, time consuming but a professional finish, sounds like the type of clients we have, perfection is the only option.
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17-02-2012 #3
Junior Member
Not a bad idea, now you got me thinking....
Cheers
Wright Stander 36 ztr
Rover Procut 560
Makita trimmer
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17-02-2012 #4
Member of forum
What I do is just snip, blow, poison. Come back in 2 or 3 weeks and use stirrup hoe, blow. I reckon my stirrup hoe is my most used hand tool I own. Would be lost without it. You could do a good job from the get go with the hoe too, but it would take a while, and I wouldn't be bothered. Use the path weeder poison.
I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my Grandfather.....not screaming in terror like the passengers in his car!!!
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17-02-2012 #5
Senior Member
blow the leaves
poison the other stuff like stump said
if they throw a fit, say, well they shouldnt have let it get like that
hate bloody pebbles/rocks, they never maintain them (poison) then expect em to be snipped every time, or a magic removal tool used that makes em DISAPPEAR overnight.
pitas
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17-02-2012 #6
Member of Forum
I'd go with the whip, blow and poison option and then after a few weeks grab a steel rake and go over the area to try and remove the last of the debris (blow it a few times during this process). If they want them whiter, give them a really quick run over with a pressure cleaner once it's flat again. The sifting method works well but 24m is a pretty fair size and it would take a lot of time and effort for that. I would be more inclined to top up with fresh pebbles once the weeds are dead than sifting all that.
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17-02-2012 #7
Junior Member
Yeah copy guys - blow leaves, poison. Then scratch around with the hoe, blow some more and tell them to keep leaves and weeds outta there from now on.
Thanks very much, problem solved
Oh and pressure wash - nice idea
Last edited by Harvey; 17-02-2012 at 01:53 PM. Reason: my typing is too slow
Wright Stander 36 ztr
Rover Procut 560
Makita trimmer
-
17-02-2012 #8
Senior Member
Yep Im with you stripes and then hit the customer for ongoing weed sprays cz he will need it. whats the saying 1 year seed 5 year weed something like that.. If there is no other plants close by you could spray with hydrocloric acid (diluted of corse) then leave 40 minutes and hose with water that should bring them back to being white again..Originally Posted by Stripes
I'd go with the whip, blow and poison option and then after a few weeks grab a steel rake and go over the area to try and remove the last of the debris (blow it a few times during this process). If they want them whiter, give them a really quick run over with a pressure cleaner once it's flat again. The sifting method works well but 24m is a pretty fair size and it would take a lot of time and effort for that. I would be more inclined to top up with fresh pebbles once the weeds are dead than sifting all that.
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17-02-2012 #9
Very Helpful Member
just poison the existing weeds and try to blow as many of the leaves as possible out then cover with new pebbles as they just want it looking good to sell so probably want it to look good asap
Anything Ian says may or may not be garbage, it may also be his own opinion or it may not be his opinion at all, it may just be something he felt like stating anyone following his advice does so at their own risk and may be doing something Ian would actually advise against.
And if you don't like what Ian has to say use the ignore function if you don't know how ask i will gladly tell you
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17-02-2012 #10
Junior Member
Excuse my ignorance Stump but what's a "stirrip hoe"??????What I do is just snip, blow, poison. Come back in 2 or 3 weeks and use stirrup hoe, blow. I reckon my stirrup hoe is my most used hand tool I own. Would be lost without it. You could do a good job from the get go with the hoe too, but it would take a while, and I wouldn't be bothered. Use the path weeder poison.
Simmo
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17-02-2012 #11
Senior Member
This is what i would do..I tryed sifting pebbles once got jack of it in 5min then just laid new pebbles over the top looked a treat and took far less time and cheaper than half a days labour..just poison the existing weeds and try to blow as many of the leaves as possible out then cover with new pebbles as they just want it looking good to sell so probably want it to look good asap
....Nothing like a good whipper....
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17-02-2012 #12
Senior Member
Pretty much agree with Stripes and Stump. I agree on that stirrup hoe Stump great little tool. If they are selling I would talk them into a 25mm new topping of pebbles to make it look smick and my wallet fatter. Put it down as close as possible to open day. I hate pebbles with a passion. Useles crap and a sure fire way to get weeds to grow where they have never grown before. I have a couple of properties that have them and every trip I am poisoning the pebble areas. But it makes me money so who cares.
Cheers
Bluey
Adelaide Home & Garden Solutions
http://www.ahgs.com.au
"Success occurs when no one is looking, failure occurs when everyone is watching."
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17-02-2012 #13
Very Helpful Member
stirrup or scuffle hoe http://www.amazon.com/Union-Tools-72.../dp/B000H5XTECExcuse my ignorance Stump but what's a "stirrip hoe"??????
Simmo
Anything Ian says may or may not be garbage, it may also be his own opinion or it may not be his opinion at all, it may just be something he felt like stating anyone following his advice does so at their own risk and may be doing something Ian would actually advise against.
And if you don't like what Ian has to say use the ignore function if you don't know how ask i will gladly tell you
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18-02-2012 #14
Senior Member
I too do the same... Whip, Spray, use the hoe to mix them up and spray heaps of white vinegar to get rid of the grass stains......
Everything looks good with a haircut.... ɐuıɥɔ ɯoɹɟ pɹɐoqʎǝʞ ɐ ʎnq ı ǝɯıʇ ʇsɐl ǝɥʇ sʇɐɥʇ
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30-04-2012 #15
Member of forum
To do it properly
Should have a compacted layer of roadbase or cracker dust under the pebbles, that way the dirt cant mix with the pebbles, that layer should also be sloping to let the water drain away.
I'd imagine thats too much work for the client but a bobcat would make light work of it, pick up all the existing pebbles and make pile, remove about 100mm of soil of existing soil, replace with 100mm of roadbase or cracker dust, run a plat compactor over the base, put back the original pebbles then a thin layer to have it looking pretty.
if you want to clean it you can use a fine mesh as stated but its slow and hard work.
How To Keep White Gravel Clean
Source: http://www.indmowing.com.au/forum/showthread.php?10623-Restoring-white-pebble-topping
Posted by: hoguewomed1950.blogspot.com
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