Similar to the laminate flooring thread what do people prefer for a toilet excercise area?

It's difficult to describe but the centre part where my door/patio/toilet excercise bit is, is fenced off from the front drive and the rear trailer storage area.

In total it's about 12 feet wide by about 85 feet long. The first 35 feet is a driveway which I'm thinking of eventually monoblocking, the next 27 feet (with my entrance door is on the side of the building) is used as entrance/patio and Toby's toilet excercise. I was thinking about doing a mix of paving, gravel and decking in this area just to break it up a bit but is decking ok to use/clean where Toby'd do the toilet?

To the rear of that's approx another 23 feet that I intend paving and that's where I store my trailer tent. The rest of that area (about 100 feet!) is grass etc. That's the playing/running about area!

All ideas welcome. Any landscapers out there?
Dot

Hiya Dot I'm not sure about the decking -isn't it raised up on a frame so anything not solid (if you catch my drift !) will go down the gaps ! and if you scrub it all the dirty water will go beneath it and could get a tad smelly unless Toby just goes on the paved area which can be scrubbed ( I have visions of you trying to retrieve a stray piece of poo from under the decking before the neighbours come for tea :D :D )
good luck
Liz

we got decking but the dogs DONOTgo on it,beacuse of scathing it,for the run area for the dog we got loose stone and ceremant easy to pick up poo and to wash and hose down,

Briedog,
Thanks, I think I would be better sticking to paving or cement and gravel. It'd be easier to clean.:D
Dot

P.S. I hope you see my reply on the breeding board. I'm sorry.

I have gravel for the dog part of our garden. Poo is easy to pick up and I spray the whole lot to get rid of the wee smell. I have a big spray can thing that we bought from a garden centre and either put Jeyes Fluid or we did try washing liquid which is working quite well.

Helen

Liz,
That's what I thought about the decking :D
Dot

great minds think alike ;)

Liz,
What's that they say about fools? :) :)

now now speak for yourself ;) :D

Hi all,

Decking even if treated will rott very quickly and it absorbs.

What about laying a conrete plat..it is very easy to do, we have done it in a small run section which is toliet area in our house. ( FOr the dogs of course).

BFN

Pam

Pam,
I've been thinking about concrete but my Dad keeps trying to put me off because he says "What if it ever needs lifted if there's pipes underneath?"
I see his sense but I really don't think there are pipes under the middle and rear areas which is where I'd put it. Have you any idea if it cheaper than paving? I've seen you can even get concrete coloured and patterned.
I've got to make sure whatever I get is rough enough so I don't slip when it's icy etc. (I walk like a penguin on ice :)) but it's also got to be smooth enough so that the jockey wheel of the trailer doesn't get stuck!
At least now I've definitely decided I'm not putting decking down so that's a start.
Dot

Hi Dot,

We did a section at the side of our house about 2 metres wide and 7 metres long.

I will need to ask Hubby exactly what he did but it is cheap and it is not smooth at all, in fact perfect for their claws etc.

He hired a small mixer I think it was £12 for the day mixed it up and poured and smoothed it out. It is great , so easy to clean.

I just give it a scrub with a hard brush then power wash it,

No probs with smells, weeds, broken slabs.

WHy would there be pipes under your garden? New to me. Our concrete is only about 5-6 inches think alothough need to confim with Hubby again.

I will ask him and if you like I could take a picture and mail it to you so you can see what it looks like.

BFN

Pam

:D :D Pam, how do you think the water arrives in your tap and how do the unmentionables disappear from your bathroom :p

LOL Isabel,

Don't know about your house but my houses that I have had and one just built pipes come with all the services from the front under the foundation and up into the house none at the back.

Maybe different in some older houses but if there are any water pipes they should be well well down.

Dot will take a picture and let you see. My run area is not huge but serves the loo purpose for 2 westies well.

BFN

Pam

Thanks Pam I'd like a picture if you wouldn't mind.

My Dad has been overly cautious ;) and is VERY hard to please ;) I know there's no pipes at that part but he just won't believe me. even if it were dowsed, he'd still think they were wrong ;) :)

There's no hurry, I'm going away for a few days but I'll be back on board next week.
Thanks,
Dot

"What if it ever needs lifted if there's pipes underneath?"

You could always try dowsing for pipes. I found a water pipe running through my parents garden by dowsing.

Helen