I'm looking at a property (still looking!) that needs about half of it to be cindered so as to be usable. I've never done this!
I have previously bought a 30 yard truckload of cindersoil for my Hilo yard, but I distributed that by wheelbarrow as needed.
Is there equipment that spreads the cinder? Because I estimate I need 12-18 truckloads ...
To explain why I need to cinder it:
this lot was bulldozed and a smallish house built in front, fifteen years ago. There are no native trees or rock features to preserve. The back half is just uneven lava rocks that are the size it's real hard to walk over, having to choose footing with every step and risking a turned ankle. That needs to change. Plus it's ugly and the lanai looks out over it, so it would be a constant irritant for a gardener type like myself.
I'm looking at doing coarser cinder to cover the rock field and then a much thinner layer of cindersoil. I'm not sure I can afford more than 6" of the cinder and 3" of soil
This suggests that a lawn will be the solution for a good part of it, but that's OK because there's a view to preserve and taller stuff would need to stay on the margins. To do a lawn it will need to be spread reasonably smooth although there is a contour I would want to keep. (flat is boring)
My other problem is that I will need access over the rear neighbor's lot because they built the house without leaving room for any large equipment to get around the house to the back of the lot. Very shortsighted. Anyhow, I hope to get permission and do all the equipment access at once as the back lot will be built on in the near future.
Other than this logistical problem, I like this property a lot, but if it's going to be a huge headache I think have to ditch it.
I badly need your collective advice!
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aloha kathy,
if you gain access to the property, please get that in writing....just to cover your base. why not put a thin layer of mixed lava cinder for the flat area to have grass and raise beds around the sides or elevated areas that you want raised beds....might want to have a smaller d4 or d6 to do more contouring for you and you can build rock walls with excess and just bring in mixed lava soil which is cheaper than cinder and you can use cinder for walkways and have nice contained areas for growing your new tropicals/plants. I actually like big rocks so having them in various areas adds more visual interest especially when they are included into the plant beds, rock gardens, dry gardens etc, to add more interest than greenery.
noel
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they should both have soil/cinder mixes...thats really the best combo for growing things....not sure what the radius is for the smaller D's but i'm sure a tighter turn....you can probably rent a bobcat or have someone do the bobcat work for you.
also the cinder drivers can dump in as many places as you want so it would be easier to spread them around to the areas you need without during alot of shifting. i would leave a bigger pile for areas that you need to fill in more down the road or for mixing in those compost piles you will get started on....
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If I may ask, what are they charging for a truckload of cinder/soil, and just how many cubic yards comes with each load? I think I am going to need a lot of it!
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We had a guy do our driveway, he scraped off the grass and leveled the area, and moved a couple of hapu'u. He used 3.5 inch red cinder to level and laid base coarse gravel on top. He uses an Oliver tractor, which is almost an antique, and he worked like an artist or a craftsman. The Oliver is bigger than a Bobcat with adequate weight to compact with its tracks (not wheels). I don't know if it's the same size as a D4 or smaller, but he was able to maneuver it really nicely. His name is Marvin and I'm not sure if he works outside of Volcano. I thought I had his phone number, but I can't find it. He's supposed to be very busy, unfortunately.
Anyhow, we learned a lot about how the right machine would do the best job. I had one guy willing to do this with a Bobcat, but a contractor told me that the job was beyond it's capabilities.
BTW, our lot was cleared and landscaped, when the house was built, about 16 years ago; it was probably farmland before that. So, there wasn't any clearing to do, just leveling and spreading.
Edited by - Les C on 07/05/2007 23:13:53
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I found Marvin's card. His business is called Hillside Shop, Inc. - Land Clearing with a Small Dozer. Marvin Hurst 967-7734. You should know that he's been trying to retire for several years and will be picky about who he works for, he's in a position to do that.
I was trying to remember the term he used for the 3.5" red cinder... I think it was "burly", or something like that. I think it lets the supply folks know what kind of cinder you want for the leveling.
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I've had the best luck when buying fill, both soil and cinder, by calling Greg @ 965-2656, or on his cell @ 937-6352. I've put down about 150 yards of material. Cool guy, knows his local stuff, on time, as quoted.
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Personally, I don't recommend heavy equipment if you don't really know what's out there, plus you may find some treasures and good native plants to build on. In our case, with 5 acres, we cleared just enough for the home and greenhouse, parking, watertank, and such, and the rest is getting dealt with in a more hands-on manner.
If it's only a half-acre area, pick a starting place with the weed whacker and chain saw, and start in. We purchased a chipper from Home Depot, and have been working at extensive stock beds for plants in that manner.... go in with chain say and cut down invasive types (guava, Waivi, paperbark, etc..) Chip it up, and detail the walking paths with closer work. Build your beds using the rock -- you can pile the small stuff up to make decent beds if you work it, and it'll look great! Even large walls can be made out of small stones with care.
Fill beds with a combo of cinder and/or cindersoil. Use your chipped up rubbish as mulch and plant away happily. If you can wait to fill the beds, the idea of a bobcat size thing to move the stuff into them is good, but that means doing it a load at a time or having bob-cat size paths, or being willing to do the wheelbarrow thing.
On the other hand, if you haven't bought, consider looking for a lot that has better access and letting that one go. Poor planning on house placement will haunt you no matter what.
My $.02 worth...
Jane
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My husband always uses this guy when he builds, Pete Jrs. Services 982-8835,tell him Sky Builders sent you. We are always amazed at what he does with a bobcat. He does our housepads and driveways and my husband has taken a level to the housepad and found it to be almost perfectly level. He's really good at what he does and reason onably priced. Aloha, Angela
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quote:
I don't know about this mixed lava cinder product, who has it? I talked to Bryson's and Sanford's and they didn't offer me that, just the coarse cinder (red or black) and cindersoil.
try Punarock in keaau and its called S4C. 4 soils to 1 cinder is the mix.
Catherine Dumond
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