🖼️
The project:
We completely transformed our front yard from the ground up, beginning with a cobblestone driveway and floating concrete steps finished with matching cobblestones. We extended and paved the front porch to create a grander entrance, then built a masonry gatehouse, which we rendered and painted for a timeless finish. A custom front arbour now frames the entry, adding character and street appeal, while a newly created garden bed softens the space with lush australian native landscaping. Every element was carefully designed to create a welcoming, elegant entrance to our home
- Materials:
In addition to all the products listed below, we used various screws, nails, nuts and bolts, string lines, safety tapes, gardening stakes, plant ties, weeping hoses for the garden, sprinklers, tap fittings etc.
https://www.bunnings.com.au/davco-20kg-smp-evo-tile-adhesive_p6650266
https://www.bunnings.com.au/bastion-20kg-concrete-mix_p0038287
https://www.bunnings.com.au/davco-15kg-white-01-sanitized-colorgrout_p6650016
https://www.bunnings.com.au/brighton-masonry-390-x-190-x-190mm-full-besser-block_p3451359
https://www.bunnings.com.au/brighton-masonry-190-x-190-x-190mm-half-besser-block_p0811049
https://www.bunnings.com.au/davco-20kg-off-white-render_p0034887
https://www.bunnings.com.au/dulux-10l-vivid-white-matt-weathershield-exterior-paint_p0144826
https://www.bunnings.com.au/selleys-320g-liquid-nails-20-pack_p1231474
https://www.bunnings.com.au/70-x-35mm-outdoor-framing-h3-treated-pine-2-4m_p8032103
https://www.bunnings.com.au/90-x-35mm-outdoor-framing-h3-treated-pine-3-6m_p8032153
https://www.bunnings.com.au/90-x-90mm-2-4m-post-f7-h4-treated-pine-premium-kd-2-4m_p8422817
https://www.bunnings.com.au/140-x-45mm-outdoor-framing-h3-treated-pine-5-4m_p8032274
- Tools:
In addition to the tools listed below, we used various wood cutting blades, diamond blades, tape measures, squares, laser level, basic carpentry tools such as hammers, mallets, horses, clamps , safety gears including safety goggles, earmuffs and dust masks.
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-pxc-18v-165mm-circular-saw-skin-only_p0033141
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-pxc-18v-115mm-cordless-angle-grinder-pxags-115-skin-only_p0412273
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-120l-550w-cement-mixer-cmx-120_p0109520
https://www.bunnings.com.au/aeg-18v-brushless-sub-compact-hammer-drill-skin-only_p0478366
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-pxc-18v-cordless-drill-driver-kit-pxddk-250c_p0299323
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-7m-range-90-tile-laser-tlr-090a_p0201244
https://www.bunnings.com.au/craftright-120mm-sds-paddle-mixing-rotary-bit_p6370498
https://www.bunnings.com.au/trojan-280-x-115mm-finishing-trowel_p0551201
https://www.bunnings.com.au/qep-6mm-square-notch-handyman-adhesive-trowel_p6650391
https://www.bunnings.com.au/hyde-114-x-279mm-rendering-trowel_p0960313
https://www.bunnings.com.au/dunlop-render-tool-plastic-float_p0960333
https://www.bunnings.com.au/all-set-6-pack-jumbo-sponges_p0627036
https://www.bunnings.com.au/trojan-280-x-140mm-hydro-cubed-sponge_p0551224
https://www.bunnings.com.au/stanley-1200mm-high-impact-abs-resin-spirit-level_p5660383
https://www.bunnings.com.au/qep-5mm-cross-tile-spacers-100-pack_p6821876
- Step 1:
firstly, we started with our driveway, we had concretors lay the foundation for the driveway and the front porch, the driveway was layed just over 20mm lower than the footpaths, so we had enough depth to lay the 20mmm cobblestones, to finish flush with the footpath. Working in small sections, we applied a layer of the Davco tile adhesive, and slowly placed each 90x90m cobblestone individually, using 10mm tile spacers, and the bunnings tile level to be able to lay the ccobblestones in straight lines in a brick bond pattern. Working from. Almost 7am till dark, this part of the driveway project took us 2 weekends to complete.
- Step 2:
once the cobblestones were all layed, we then used a haze remover to remove any adhesive we had accidentally applied to the sides and tops of the cobblestones. Once clean, we applied two coats of a natural stone sealant, allowing a week to dry prior to grouting the driveway. Using the davco white grout, we used a trowel to press and spread the grout through the cobblestones, using multiple sponges and water to clean each section as we went along. During this process,we used the aeg drill with the mixing attachment to i the adhesive and grout to the correct consistency. Also wearing safety gloves stopped the grout from reacting with our kin, and wearing knee pads made it much more comfortable working on our knees all day. This part of the process took around three weekends to complete, including drying time for the sealant and grout. Once grouted and cured, we applied one more coat of the natural stone sealant.
- Step 3:
next it was time to tackle the front porch. We purchased beautiful outdoor pavers, which once delivered, did not match the exterior. Of the home or the cobblestone driveway. We then decided to use sandstone outdoor pavers to match the cobblestone driveway and the surrounding landscaping we were planning to do. Using the tile adhesive, we used the same technique as we did on the driveway to lay the pavers. Using the tile laser, 5mm tile spacers, we carefully layed the pavers, alternating the patterns as we went along. We started laying the pavers from the front door, working our way outwards, once we had reached the outer edge of the front, we came to the realisation that we would have to cut a paver down to only 50mm, this wasn’t ideal, so the plan was the extend the front porch. Using framing timber and the ozito concrete mixer, my partner carefully measured and extended our front porch so we could lay a whole paver without any extra cuts. We hired the bunnings tile cutter for three days, cutting all the front edging pavers, and mastering the intricate cuts around our front porch piers. This is by far the trickiest part of the project.
Once the pavers were layed, we once once again used the haze remover to clean up the pavers, applied the davco white grout between the pavers, using the trowel, and sponges for clean up.
- Step 4:
we wanted to add an elegant entrance to our home, we decided on a mason art gatehouse, which would compliment a white pvc picket fence, we are yet to install. We had a contractor strip the front yard for us with a bobcat. Once level, we started to dig the foundation for the masonary piers, once again using the laser level. After sketching out exactly how we wanted the gatehouse to look, we started laying down the foundation level of the besser blocks. Once happy with the design and placement , we removed the blocks, layed a solid foundation do concrete before placing the besser blocks in to the arrangement we planned. Once the base was cured, we then place concrete into the hollows of the besser blocks, making sure the foundation layer was as strong as possible. Once this had cured, using the liquid nails, we placed and built the masonary wall, placing the besser blocks in a brick bond pattern, hoping for a strong and solid structure. We then filled each hollow with concrete, creating a solid wall. We did leave 4 hollows empty, as this is wear the arbour posts will be going later in the project.
Allowing a few weeks for the wall to cure, the applied two layers of the davco off white render, before painting with the deluxe weather shield exterior paint.
- Step 5:
after receiving (what we think were) incredibly high quotes for floating steps, we decided to tackle this project on our own. After doing weeks of research and finding the best techniques, we decided to tackle making floating steps and then cobble stoning them to match our driveway. Using framing. Timber, we decided to do each step one at a time. After any may may calculations on the size and depth of each step, we finally put together a frame and layed the concrete, and it didnt come out too bad. Over the next couple of weeks, we managed to make each of the steps, using framing. Timber and nails from bunnings, using the ozito concrete mixer for our concrete, pine for screeting, the latter level and sprite levels to check levels as we went along. Allowing time to cure in between each step, we then started to cobblestone the steps also. Using the same products as when we did the driveway.
- Step 6:
Once the floating steps were completed, we used led strip lights under each step to allow some ambience when walking through out front gate.
Using timber from bunnings trade, we created arbour above our gatehouse. 4 90x90mm H4 treated pine was used to make the posts for the arbour, this was grouted into the hollows of the masonary piers, that we had not concreted earlier. The grout was recommended, instead of cement or concrete. Once cured, we then used H3 treated pine as support beams, bolted to the posts, and once again used H3 pine, as rafters, notched and nails into place. The arbour was given two coats of the deluxe weather shield exterior paint to match the masonary pier, which also matched the exterior of our home.
Now that the big proects of our front yard were finished, it was time to tackle the garden. We had used natural sandstone edging to create the boundary to our garden and as a border to our stairs. Once the ground was levels, we had a layer of garden soil placed on our yard, prior to. Planting,we placed down a weed mat. As we live in a more rural area, andwe have a conservation area and. Creek in front of our property, we’d decided to plant australian natives throughout our garden. We finished. Off the garden beds with a natural sandstone pebble and solar lights from bunnings to highlight the lemon myrtles bordering our driveway, and the natives in our rustic puts, as a highlight piece in our front yard.
We still have features to add to our front yard, including a white PVC picket fence and front entrance gate, rustic bird baths, front lawn furniture, possibly a garden swing and rustic windmill. The last 8 months has been. A long journey but this is a front yard project we are very proud of.
