Family name stone placement

[MAD MARK]

I have a large sandstone that I plan on putting my last name on and putting in front of my garage coming up the driveway. Its similar to the one below in which I have about 6-8" that can be below grade.

Its quite larger overall though and I am wondering about if I should sink that lower half in concrete.

I can see pictures on the internet but they usually are already in place. I was thinking sink in concrete the lower 8" for a "pedestal". I have no way of lifting it completely to lower onto rebar studs. Any more ideas?

 

[NUTTSGT]

I probably wouldn't sink it in the concrete but just use some concrete as a base, much like a head stone. I wouldn't worry about anybody stealing it but if you move, you'll want to take it with you.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Unless you have really soft soil, I'd just set it in place and not worry about it. I don't think it needs any concrete, it's not going to go anywhere.

 

[kaymccampbell]

A concrete slab, a couple inches below grade, with a couple big pins stuck in at 80°, so you can lean your slab of stone against it.

 

[PugetDude]

Define "quite large"

Is it a slab on edge with a narrow base or a boulder with a broad base?

 

[MAD MARK]

Slab on edge. If you can picture it, looks like Georgia on its side. Height is about 2 and a half feet by 3 and a half feet. Its funny actually how much it does look like that...

And I am afraid of the too soft of soil. I am guessing stone weighs around 800#. I cant lift a side without use of bar for leverage.

I am liking the idea of the concrete base slab with large pins to hold up. I was just thinking of partially sinking it in concrete because of the lower edge is not flat, and I wanted to put name across long straight edge on top.

 

[rburke65]

Just like a little stem wall setting on a footer.

 

[rayra]

... I have no way of lifting it completely to lower onto rebar studs. Any more ideas?

You can rent an engine hoist. Or even buy one from Harbor Freight and sell it off afterward, with the net expense probably less than renting one.

But I'd just dig a trough, mix a stiff concrete mix and lever the stone into place into the 'footer'.

 

[Fatboy148]

Is this something that you are going top have sand blasted into the stone or just paint on the surface? I think the engine hoist and straps are your answer to moving this to an upright position. Is it's proposed location somewhere that someone might "bump" it with a car, truck or (I see you are in PA) snowplow? Might just want to set it into the ground a few inches on a foundation made of gravel and backfill with the native soil to help stabilize it. I'm not sure I would want to look at the rebar sticking out of a concrete base holding the stone from tipping and drilling holes in the stone to accept the rebar so you could sit the stone down over the rebar might cause the stone to crack. The rebar would also hold it in place if someone was to hit it with a vehicle possibly causing more damage to both the stone and vehicle than if it was just to tip or slowly roll over when bumped.

 

[bwringer]

FFS, please have someone proofread the thing before you blast so you don't misuse an apostrophe and look like a family of doofuses for all eternity.

 

[landlord30]

 

[rockettgpw]

ffs, please have someone proofread the thing before you blast so you don't misuse an apostrophe and look like a family of doofuses for all eternity.

"no regerts"

 

[MAD MARK]

So I ended up digging holes, using concrete and putting long rods in less than 90 degrees.

I also already etched out my last name with no SSSSS'ss's

No other design til I get it in place to make sure it doesnt break in half first.

 

[Attackcammel]

That looks good how did you do the etching I have a stone ive been wanting to do this with


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[MAD MARK]

Dremel.

Did the outline of letters first, then filled them out. Used KILZ primer, then outdoor paint.

Probably going to seal once its in place.

 

[MAD MARK]

Here is the finished product in case anyone was wondering. I am happy with it.

 

[JohnKal]

Nice work! Looks great!!

 

[mrvm]

Awesome! Mulch can cover the concrete base and steel rods. Beautiful kids make the stone bounce!

 

[Fatboy148]

"Inquiring minds want to know".....

Is it just leaned against the upright rebar supports or is it drilled to accept the rebar supports? How did you end up moving and placing the stone?

Any way it happened, you did a nice looking job!

 

[MAD MARK]

I used my truck to drag down near by. I used my back and arms to move in place via blocking and a spud bar inch by inch.

I ended up not using the rebar supports at all. I "boxed" the lower half of the stone, along with the rebar in the ground and poured about 6" of concrete around all 3. The rebar supports ended up being too small to actually hold up the stone, so I braced the it straight until the concrete set up. I ended up cutting the rebar off 6" above ground level.

I do have to get another bag of mulch. 1 just didnt do it.

I also have yet to "seal" the stone, and am not sure if I am going to. I have looked at others around the area and none of them were. If I have to repaint in 5 years thats not too bad.

 

[bwringer]

Nice!

That is... one hell of a name you got there, I gotta say.

I definitely wouldn't seal it. The more weathered it gets the groovier it will look. Basically, it will eventually look like it's been there a couple thousand years. Just touch up the letters every generation or so.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

Super job on that!

 

[PartsGuy]

FFS, please have someone proofread the thing before you blast so you don't misuse an apostrophe and look like a family of doofuses for all eternity.

THANK YOU!!!
I gave my wife one of these (but smaller) as a wedding gift (literally giving her my last name, cute, eh?). Well, the day of the wedding, I went to pick it up, and sure enough "The Daytons" (as requested) had a big ol' apostrophe in it....
The guy argued that "we always do it that way", and could not understand the difference between plural and possessive, nor did he apparently understand how to read a work order, which had it printed clearly THE WAY I WANTED IT DONE.

I had already paid in full, and I had approximately 2 hours to get it home and placed in our yard before the ceremony, so I took the damn thing.
11 years later, we still look illiterate, because she loved it and doesn't want to replace it......

 

[bwringer]

I bet that doofu's in the sign shop got more kind's of **** from idiot's wondering where their apostrophe wa's than from people who understand basic English.


I once accompanied a friend to get a touch-up in a VERY high-end tattoo studio and was pleased to see well-thumbed dictionaries in several languages. They refused to put any text on anyone's skin without absolutely verifying grammar, spelling, text direction, character design, etc. multiple times and from multiple sources.