Fiona King wrote to Don to say that she was keen to fix the rotting timber sleepers around her garden beds. The timber was not treated, so it had become infested with ants and was falling apart. Fiona had been eagerly watching the program hoping for a segment on edging to give her some ideas and inspiration!

Don replaced the rotting sleepers with a fake stone product called Ezi Stone, which can be installed by the home handyman and looks like the real thing.

How it was done

· The first step was to remove the old, rotting timber sleepers.

· Trenches were dug to a depth of 150mm.

· Dry concrete (ordinary concrete, not rapidset) was tipped into the trenches and screeded horizontally and laterally, to give a level base for the wall. The concrete was then dampened with a fine spray of water. (Note: walls up to 350mm can be laid on fine road base or sand/cement mix. Our wall was just over 350mm so we used a dry concrete mix 100mm deep.)

· The first course of Ezi Stone was laid over the damp concrete, using a string line as a guide. Don positioned the blocks textured side out, making sure that the levels were exactly right and with a slight slope to the top edge from front to back.

· Subsequent courses were locked into place and glued using 10mm of adhesive mortar, applied with a trowel on top of the blocks. (Tip: mix adhesive mortar with water until a smooth consistency like peanut butter. Mix about 1/3 of a bag at once, rather than emptying the whole bag.)

· The walls were joined to piers using wire brick ties on each course. (Tip: piers may be left hollow or filled with a dry sand/cement mix or dry concrete mix, depending on height and application.)

· Excess mortar was trowelled off and mortar smears with wiped off with a damp sponge.

Further information

Ezi Stone costs $13.20 per piece
Ezi Stone corner blocks cost $11 per piece
Infill blocks cost $3.30 each
Available by ordering from closest manufacturer
Contact: (02) 9646 2225
Web address: www.ezistone.com.au

Brick ties cost about $7 for a bundle of 50, from hardware stores.
40kg bag of concrete costs $10 NSW VIC

Ezi Stone
Doug Dean
1/12 Bowan Crescent
West Gosford 2250
Phone: (02) 4324 0525
Fax: (02) 4324 0516

Ezi Stone
Richard Eustance
17 Hunter Road
Healesville 3777
Phone: 0417 370 856 or (03) 9710 1964
QLD NZ

Ezi Stone
Phillip Robin
Lot 6 Quarry Road
Airfield Industrial Park
Murwillumbah 2484
Phone: 0401 832 418

Ezi Stone Wallings
Unit 5, Block 3
22 Harris Road
East Tamaki
Auckland
Phone: 1800 002 823 ACT

Ezi Stone
Pat Keavins
PO Box 1352
Tuggeranong 2901
Phone/fax: (02) 6235 0025
Mobile: 0412 540 120

NOTE:  Burke's Backyard does not accept payment to promote products & has no association with Ezi Stone.

Copyright CTC Productions 2004