My Lovely Concrete Backyard

[pete_r]

Hi all,

Every rain season the concrete floor in my backyard gets covered with greenish slippery moss/algae. I'm thinking of tiling the yard, it's cheap and algae don't grow so well on tiles (and even if they do it's easier to scrub off than concrete), but wanted to ask if anyone knows of other types of surfaces available?

Ideally, I'm looking for a surface able to dissipate the heat from the sun (tiles tend to heat up a lot), to keep the air temperature relatively low in the back of the house.

Another fancy idea I came up with is to circulate water in PVC pipes under the tiles to evacuate the heat, and collect the warm water for showers in the evening at the same time. Question is, where do I start to calculate the length of pipe needed per square meter?

Thanks much,

Pete

[londonthai]

most probably rainwater doesn't flow but stagnates in pools - tiling would allow to drain faster. Also tiles are less porous than concrete so doesn't store water and don't absorb that much heat.

I wouldn't run pipes under - the cold wather would have to run all the time to have any effect. I would rather put a water tank in the sunshine and covered the rest of the yard with the hunging double garden net.

[mrt273nva]

http://www.astrolawn.com/

[cmsally]

You could try and improve the drainage and using good outdoor tiles would probably be better. The plant pots on the ground keep the cement cooler and more moist and encourage algae, try a stand to place them off the ground. You can get algae killer in most garden places that you spray on the concrete , might help.

[qualtrough]

Is it your home? If so, why don't you have that cement removed and plant some nice foliage. Properly done that might solve your drainage problems.

[Macx]

In the meantime, you can get rid of the dangerously slippery algae with a strong mixture of bleach and water. Put enough bleach in it and you won't even have to scrub Just make sure you don't splash some of it on your skin or eyes.

[pete_r]

This forum is yet another proof that several brains are better than one... I hadn't given much thought about drainage, but it's obviously the key thing to consider to get any improvement.

The place is my home (Bangkok suburbs), so removing the cement is tempting. We already have a lawn in the front of the house, and it's cooler than the back.

I'll also have a play with plant stands and bleach after the rain season.

Thanks for the ideas, keep them coming!

[xerostar]

Firstly it's obvious you need to put in a drain to get rid of any excess water.

A popular solution these days is what they call a "deck" made from wood.

Boards need to have a gap between to allow water to drain straight through.

You can get wood that has been treated to make it non-slippery - as used

in pool surrounds.

The wood may need a special oil to keep it weather proof.

The supports for the deck need to be made of concrete or some material that

won't rot if it's in contact with moisture for long periods.

A wooden deck will look great too!

[pete_r]

Sounds good, although I worry a bit about the humidity under the deck: Is there a risk of damage to the wood, like rot or moulds growing? Or would a good drainage system take care of that ?

[xerostar]

As long as the wood is treated properly before installing, it should last many years.

There are wood varieties that will last longer than others, so you need to get some advice on that.

As long as some air can circulate through the gaps, it should dry out quickly underneath

on a warm day (every day is a warm day in LOS ..)

The deck should be at least 15 cm above the concrete to allow ventilation and make the gaps

between boards about 1 cm. (assuming the boards are about 5 or 6 cm wide)

I also noticed that horrible old concrete block wall you have.

Another post on this forum referred to plastic latticework that you can buy and it's easy to install.

It would look great if you painted the wall black or a dark colour first and then covered it in white or cream lattice.

Then hang a few semi-circular pot plants on it.

[sbk]

You could also try the decking made out of the wood/plastic boards, like Trex, it is available here in Thailand (check the Ban Lae Suan magazine for ads). No idea of the cost.

Treated wood hmm...well it depends on what its treated with. Often it is treated with arsenic (CCA) and the arsenic does leach over time. The deck would have to be sealed with an appropriate material if the wood is CCA pressure treated.

[quiksilva]

I dont know if they sell it here but a product like Ronseal (it does exactly what it says on the tin) should do the job of treating the wood (they have a hardwood product too)

[qualtrough]

This forum is yet another proof that several brains are better than one... I hadn't given much thought about drainage, but it's obviously the key thing to consider to get any improvement.

The place is my home (Bangkok suburbs), so removing the cement is tempting. We already have a lawn in the front of the house, and it's cooler than the back.

I'll also have a play with plant stands and bleach after the rain season.

Thanks for the ideas, keep them coming!

I would ditch the cement. Planting some plants and trees to shade your house will make a big difference. I have bamboo trees on either side of our house that completely shade it from direct sun. When those have been trimmed the house is noticeably warmer. A green yard with lots of foliage will also be cooler and just refreshing to look at. If you don't need the cement for something like parking a car just ditch it.

[Crossy]

I dont know if they sell it here but a product like Ronseal (it does exactly what it says on the tin) should do the job of treating the wood (they have a hardwood product too)

My sister was the Ronseal woman in the 25th aniversary revival of "it does exactly what it says on the tin" (in the UK)

I'm with the 'duck board' solution. I've seen suitable decking panels in Homepro (NOT cheap) although I doubt you'll really want more than a couple of inches space underneath. You do, most definately need to fix the drainage first otherwise you'll be breeding mosquitos.

Watch for creatures making the area under the boards their home

[Donnyboy]

I would get rid of most of the concrete and add some pavers and pebbles. Add to that some tropical plants around and perhaps a hanging water fall feature if the budget allows, and hey presto an oasis!

[Nomad97]

Nice work, Donnyboy.

[astral]

It is important when laying concrete, to make sure that there is a slight slope so that water drains off.

[Crossy]

It is important when laying concrete, to make sure that there is a slight slope so that water drains off.

This important basic physics seems to be omitted from most Thai builders curriculum, or if there is a slope is is (of course) the wrong way

[pete_r]

It is important when laying concrete, to make sure that there is a slight slope so that water drains off.

This important basic physics seems to be omitted from most Thai builders curriculum, or if there is a slope is is (of course) the wrong way

It was certainly forgotten for my backyard!

[Beardog]

I would get rid of most of the concrete and add some pavers and pebbles. Add to that some tropical plants around and perhaps a hanging water fall feature if the budget allows, and hey presto an oasis!

Donnyboy you got my vote . That beats any idea I have seen yet. It is obvious you are way more than a master of deception.

That looks super sweet. I know who to PM for awesome ideas

Edited December 21, 2007 by Beardog

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

Have to agre with nomad and beardog, Donnyboy wins handsdown. Nice work Donnyboy

[tjo o tjim]

A trellis or sail overhead will do a lot to to keep the space cooler by providing shade, but make sure there is enough room for air circulation. An air gap between the ground and living surface as other point out will help. Wood can't store as much heat as concrete, so the sun can't heat it up as much.

Drainage is of course the first thing you need to fix, as others have stated. If there is no place for the water to go naturally, dig a hole and pump water out from it to a place where it won't seep back into the yard.