JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
"LouB" wrote in message
...
JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
My central air conditioning unit is located in a spot where the eaves are
so
deep that even after lots of rain, it's still bone dry, but bindweed
finds
the area delightful and it's eating my air conditioner. I thought of
covering the whole area with plastic and then a few inches of stones
right
up to the foundation, but I have another concern. In winter, it's not
uncommon for several feet of snow to drift into that corner. When it
melts,
I'm not sure I want that much water ponding in the plastic and
overflowing
along the edges near the cinder block. The basement's always been dry,
but
still, something about the plastic idea seems iffy. So, some sort of
landscape fabric seems like a better option.

Regardless of the material on top, I'm thinking of edging it with Trex
buried with just enough above ground to contain 2-3 inches of stones.

Comments?



Agent Orange or the current commercial equivalent?

Lou


I avoid weed killers, since so many animals use my yard as a dinner table,
but I might make an exception in this instance because once the area is
covered, nothing will be eating there unless there's a type of animal which
eats stones the size of ping pong balls.


And if there is you might hope the bad stuff gets it:-))

Charles wrote in
:

On Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:09:44 -0500, wrote:

LouB wrote:

Agent Orange or the current commercial equivalent?

what IS the current commerical equiv that you can buy
at Lowe's?


2-4-D is still available, at least in Oregon. It was a component of
Agent Orange, along with 2-4-5-TP, if memory serves.

There are some other weed killers which proport to have an extended
effect for up to a year.

Ortho® GroundClear® Vegetation Killer touts 1 year death zone.

Kills existing vegetation and prevents new growth for up to 1 year

Used to be called Ortho® Triox® It absolutely worked.

"brooklyn1" wrote in message
...
http://i39.tinypic.com/m75dhc.jpg




whose that pussy in the window?

"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in
:

My central air conditioning unit is located in a spot where the eaves
are so deep that even after lots of rain, it's still bone dry, but
bindweed finds the area delightful and it's eating my air conditioner.
I thought of covering the whole area with plastic and then a few
inches of stones right up to the foundation, but I have another
concern. In winter, it's not uncommon for several feet of snow to
drift into that corner. When it melts, I'm not sure I want that much
water ponding in the plastic and overflowing along the edges near the
cinder block. The basement's always been dry, but still, something
about the plastic idea seems iffy. So, some sort of landscape fabric
seems like a better option.

Regardless of the material on top, I'm thinking of edging it with Trex
buried with just enough above ground to contain 2-3 inches of stones.

Comments?

We killed a law area once with newspaper. Thick layer, hold down with
rocks. I have to do something like you want in the corner where our AC
is.

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

Han wrote:
"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in
:

My central air conditioning unit is located in a spot where the eaves
are so deep that even after lots of rain, it's still bone dry, but
bindweed finds the area delightful and it's eating my air conditioner.
I thought of covering the whole area with plastic and then a few
inches of stones right up to the foundation, but I have another
concern. In winter, it's not uncommon for several feet of snow to
drift into that corner. When it melts, I'm not sure I want that much
water ponding in the plastic and overflowing along the edges near the
cinder block. The basement's always been dry, but still, something
about the plastic idea seems iffy. So, some sort of landscape fabric
seems like a better option.

Regardless of the material on top, I'm thinking of edging it with Trex
buried with just enough above ground to contain 2-3 inches of stones.

Comments?

We killed a law area once with newspaper. Thick layer, hold down with
rocks. I have to do something like you want in the corner where our AC
is.

Have heard that one before and it works.

"Han" wrote in message
...
"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in
:

My central air conditioning unit is located in a spot where the eaves
are so deep that even after lots of rain, it's still bone dry, but
bindweed finds the area delightful and it's eating my air conditioner.
I thought of covering the whole area with plastic and then a few
inches of stones right up to the foundation, but I have another
concern. In winter, it's not uncommon for several feet of snow to
drift into that corner. When it melts, I'm not sure I want that much
water ponding in the plastic and overflowing along the edges near the
cinder block. The basement's always been dry, but still, something
about the plastic idea seems iffy. So, some sort of landscape fabric
seems like a better option.

Regardless of the material on top, I'm thinking of edging it with Trex
buried with just enough above ground to contain 2-3 inches of stones.

Comments?

We killed a law area once with newspaper. Thick layer, hold down with
rocks. I have to do something like you want in the corner where our AC
is.

--
Best regards
Han


I use newspaper in some of my vegetable & flower beds. Works, but it'll be
gone in a season. Not appropriate for the area I'm talking about here.

"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in message
...
"brooklyn1" wrote in message
...

"aemeijers" wrote in message
...
Art Todesco wrote:
brooklyn1 wrote:
"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in message
...
My central air conditioning unit is located in a spot where the eaves
are so
deep that even after lots of rain, it's still bone dry, but bindweed
finds
the area delightful and it's eating my air conditioner. I thought of
covering the whole area with plastic and then a few inches of stones
right
up to the foundation, but I have another concern. In winter, it's not
uncommon for several feet of snow to drift into that corner. When it
melts,
I'm not sure I want that much water ponding in the plastic and
overflowing
along the edges near the cinder block. The basement's always been
dry, but
still, something about the plastic idea seems iffy. So, some sort of
landscape fabric seems like a better option.

Regardless of the material on top, I'm thinking of edging it with
Trex buried with just enough above ground to contain 2-3 inches of
stones.

Comments?

Landscaping fabric allows water to go through and inhibits weed growth.
It
can be put under a layer of gravel instead of plastic.

Why not a precast concrete or recycled pop bottle AC pad, tilted
slightly away from the house to prevent ponding? They come in several
sizes, and can pretty easily be slipped under the AC unit without
disconnecting it. May need a few shims under the coil box to keep it
level, but that is easy enough. If there is slack in the cables and
hoses, also a good idea to raise the box up a few inches.



That's what I have, one of those cast fiberglass like pads, I always
thought that was the manditory default, had one at my last house too.
I'm sure it would require a few strong backs to insert a pad after the
fact:
http://i39.tinypic.com/m75dhc.jpg


I've got the same type of pad, but still, I'd like a barren area for a
foot or two around the thing.

Then I think the patio pavers would be the best solution. I just string
trim, would still need to edge around patio blocks or anything else, but
I've no idea if you have lawn. I'd choose most anything before small
stones... a plastic edging filled with pine bark nuggets like I have
prevents weeds (I have barrier cloth under the nuggets). I had to install
the fence as that is the third shrub, deer got the previous two... nothing
else works other than fencing.

Originally I had no fence, a week later I had no shrub, that little cyprus
is long gone:
http://i39.tinypic.com/2pzf8yd.jpg

You can use 6X6 landscape ties too... one morning I woke up to shrubs
munched down to nubs, so that's why I now have fence all around:
http://i44.tinypic.com/119qjya.jpg

Once the shrubs grow and the galvanized wire fencing dulls it's not very
noticeable:
http://i43.tinypic.com/zsscw1.jpg

I learned long ago not to skimp on landscaping lumber/materials, I hate do
overs.

I spent a fortune on every deer repellant on the market, spent many, many
hours spraying, even in fridgid winter weather, and then having to wash the
stink off my clothes and myself... all to no avail... only a fence works.

"skeeter" wrote

"brooklyn1" wrote:

http://i39.tinypic.com/m75dhc.jpg

whose that pussy in the window?
Finally someone perceptive.
That's The Jilly, the world's only MENSA cat:
http://i44.tinypic.com/2j28col.jpg

"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in message
...
My central air conditioning unit is located in a spot where the eaves are
so
deep that even after lots of rain, it's still bone dry, but bindweed finds
the area delightful and it's eating my air conditioner. I thought of
covering the whole area with plastic and then a few inches of stones right
up to the foundation, but I have another concern. In winter, it's not
uncommon for several feet of snow to drift into that corner. When it
melts,
I'm not sure I want that much water ponding in the plastic and overflowing
along the edges near the cinder block. The basement's always been dry, but
still, something about the plastic idea seems iffy. So, some sort of
landscape fabric seems like a better option.

Regardless of the material on top, I'm thinking of edging it with Trex
buried with just enough above ground to contain 2-3 inches of stones.

Comments?




I'm just trying to imagine an AC compressor mounted on cinder blocks. Won't
happen for me...
--
Dave

JoeSpareBedroom wrote:

My central air conditioning unit is located in a spot where the eaves are
so deep that even after lots of rain, it's still bone dry, but bindweed
finds the area delightful and it's eating my air conditioner. I thought of
covering the whole area with plastic and then a few inches of stones right
up to the foundation, but I have another concern. In winter, it's not
uncommon for several feet of snow to drift into that corner. When it
melts, I'm not sure I want that much water ponding in the plastic and
overflowing along the edges near the cinder block. The basement's always
been dry, but still, something about the plastic idea seems iffy. So, some
sort of landscape fabric seems like a better option.

Regardless of the material on top, I'm thinking of edging it with Trex
buried with just enough above ground to contain 2-3 inches of stones.

Comments?

I'd be helpful to have more information on the type of bindweed. Tell us.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_bindweed
and other types.
--
Bud

Kept attorneys out of the law area?

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Han" wrote in message
...

We killed a law area once with newspaper. Thick layer, hold
down with
rocks. I have to do something like you want in the corner
where our AC
is.

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

LouB wrote:
Han wrote:

We killed a law area once with newspaper. Thick layer, hold down
with rocks. I have to do something like you want in the corner
where our AC is.

Have heard that one before and it works.

Corrugated cardboard also works, with the added benefit of lasting a couple
of years.

Jon

"Bud" wrote in message
...
JoeSpareBedroom wrote:

My central air conditioning unit is located in a spot where the eaves are
so deep that even after lots of rain, it's still bone dry, but bindweed
finds the area delightful and it's eating my air conditioner. I thought
of
covering the whole area with plastic and then a few inches of stones
right
up to the foundation, but I have another concern. In winter, it's not
uncommon for several feet of snow to drift into that corner. When it
melts, I'm not sure I want that much water ponding in the plastic and
overflowing along the edges near the cinder block. The basement's always
been dry, but still, something about the plastic idea seems iffy. So,
some
sort of landscape fabric seems like a better option.

Regardless of the material on top, I'm thinking of edging it with Trex
buried with just enough above ground to contain 2-3 inches of stones.

Comments?

I'd be helpful to have more information on the type of bindweed. Tell us.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_bindweed
and other types.
--
Bud

You can't reasonably expect an AC compressor to live well on cinder blocks.
I think it s bogus.
--
Dave

replying to JoeSpareBedroom , Sid in Sacramento wrote:
newstrash wrote:

My central air conditioning unit is located in a spot where the eaves are
so
deep that even after lots of rain, it's still bone dry, but bindweed finds
the area delightful and it's eating my air conditioner. I thought of
covering the whole area with plastic and then a few inches of stones right
up to the foundation, but I have another concern. In winter, it's not
uncommon for several feet of snow to drift into that corner. When it melts,
I'm not sure I want that much water ponding in the plastic and overflowing
along the edges near the cinder block. The basement's always been dry, but
still, something about the plastic idea seems iffy. So, some sort of
landscape fabric seems like a better option.
Regardless of the material on top, I'm thinking of edging it with Trex
buried with just enough above ground to contain 2-3 inches of stones.
Comments?

If it were me, I would gently elevate the supporting platform, since the
copper tubing supply line is pliant, might even use a level to give it a
slight slope away from the house, then i would use road base material (
from a local landscape material supply shop ) One inch minus , with fines,
would be the road base size. I would then tamp it down to compress the
road base material, again slanting away from the house, then cover it with
commercial grade landscape fabric, then small crushed rock, blue or green,
depending on what color suits your tastes. You could also build a movable
lattice wall, painted in the same color of the house, to disguise the
sight of the unit, or paint it white, for contrast? We have used lattice
walls to hide our trash cans storage area in Los Angeles

--