Recycled brick patio

The patio project is completed!  Weekends have gone by where i didn't have to help the boyfriend move the table and chairs in order to mow the lawn!  Dinner has been enjoyed outside without swatting bugs away from my face or my food!  Legs and feet, no longer in the grass, remained bug and itch free! 

Patios are the shit, yo.
 

 Like most things in my household, the project isn't yet 100% complete.  The yard needs to be graded, adding dirt around the sides of the brick so there isn't a step down, i clearly want to style this and can't wait to add the rug i bought, bring in more plants, put the swing out on the frame, etc.  But-it's totally at the stage where one can enjoy it!

 
My plan was always to add a rug, because truly i didn't want more brick.  The house itself is brick, and i thought it would be overload.  But it really isn't, since the sunroom is stucco and takes up most of the back of the house.  And since the brick was given to us for free, it didn't make sense to use another material. 



My darling and i did this nice border, the herringbone inside, these fancy little corners...and now i'm going to lay a rug over all this hard work.  I feel guilty, but he knew that going into this project and a rug will modernize this space. 

So now you might be wondering how we keep this tent structure from blowing away in the wind. When it was on grass, we didn't use the yard stakes that came with it, we came up with a more secure idea.  And while the structure stays up year round, the canvas is always put away.

And this is how.  This is 10 inch long galvanized steel piping that is sheathed by the poles of the tent structure, making it sturdier and more secure. We cut it in half, to make 2 pipes, each 5 feet long.  They are bolted to the ground with a stainless steel bolt and stainless steel locknut. So my darling tells me.

We drilled the holes in the patio (crossing our fingers it wouldn't shatter the brick)...
 

We then used the mallet to pound the steel pipe two feet into the ground/brick to solidify the structure so it isn't at the whim of the wind.  The remaining 3 feet is above ground and comes to about halfway up the gazebo once it's fully built.

It is imperative that the pipe go into the ground straight in order for it all to fit properly and for the structure to come together.  These magnetic mini levels are perfect for the job (and so cute, too.  Seriously, i was amazed at how smart this is allowing you to be hands free).

Then you just put your structure over the piping, and lift the top part of the gazebo up and attach it to the bottom which is securely in the ground with the interior piping.  The two pieces then clip together about halfway up. S tells me this thing isn't going anyway.  He likes to demonstrate this by taking hold of it and vigorously shaking it, making his own severe weather pattern.

Voila.

The white caps at the base of each pole secure the canvas so the pieces aren't flapping about, and the caps themselves are attached to the brick by being between the sleeved pipe and the pole. Then there's a clip to the canvas and a clip to rod.

So to recap, the bricks that have lived on the other side of the garage have now been replaced with the grass we dug up to make room for the patio.  Green space is always much nicer, and i'm sure our neighbors enjoy this more than a pile of brick.

The garage wall herb garden is out of hand in a good way.

And we got a fabulous new patio to enjoy.

Go forth and enjoy your outdoor space!  Is anyone else not getting as bitten up this year by mosquitoes? We enjoyed the patio yesterday without the netting, and it was totally fine.

sharing is caring:  living savvy outdoor extravaganza, thrifty treasures @ southern hospitality, travel photo mondays @ travel photo discovery, places i've been @ the tablescaper,  travel photo thursdays@ budget travelers sandbox , Monthly projects @ Evolution of Style Make it Pretty Mon @ Dedicated House , inspire me mondays and power of paint @ domestically speaking, Places I've Been @ The Tablescaper,  Before and After @ Thrifty Decor Chick,   Sundays @ Suburbs Mama  Mod Vintage Life, Motivate Me Mon @Keeping it Simple,   home stories a-z, show and sharev@ Coastal Charm, be inspired & garden party @ elizabeth and co, the scoop @ stone gable, the makers @ persia lou,  inspire me tues, get your craft on, sugar bee crafts. inspire me weds @ 733, wow us weds @ savvy southern style,  work it weds @ the blissful bee, outdoor weds @ a southern daydreamer, whimsy wednesday, wicked awesome weds @ handy man, crafty woman,  whatever goes weds @ someday crafts,  charm of home, link party palooza @ tatertots and jello, Flaunt it Friday @ Chic on a Shoestring, open house @ no minimalist here, creativity unleashed @ shaken together,creative connection @ making home base,  inspiration gallery @ Craftberry Bush, Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest, my romantic home, jennifer rizzo, Weekend Bloggy Reading @ Serenity now,  furniture fridays @ mustard seed, Feathered Nest @ French Country Cottage, design it fridays @ finding fabulous, best diy @ 36th ave, overflowing w/ creativity @ it's overflowing, nifty thrifty sundays, under the table and dreaming. inspire me please @ liz marie blog,sunday best @ the girl creative  shaken together, seasonal sundays @ the tablescaper,  lump it or link it @ delineate your dwelling,pinterest party @ just us four, homecoming.