07 Feb
Recycling in the landscape – reused concrete, affectionately known as urbanite.
One recent customer actually encouraged me to start a blog so we could document the sustainable landscape installation in their yard. Here you go!
Here is a project inspired by Terra Nova’s work.
We like Urbanite as an option for these reasons:
1) It’s a free material.
2) It’s recycled, so we capture all the embodied energy in the original concrete.
3) There’s no mining involved.
4) It’s versatile.
5) It lasts.
Finding urbanite
Tons of urbanite available!
Before
During
After
After staining with Iron Sulphate
Hi Ken,
I love the process sequence for the urbanite patio. And the finished product is beautiful. I think the raised beds are also lovely. Nice job, and thanks for sharing!
Susan Wyche
February 19th, 2007 at 6:11 pmDear Terra Nova,
March 30th, 2007 at 9:53 pmI’m in the beginning stages of taking a concrete slab and transforming it into a series of patios and walkways in our yard. My question is this: should I put down a weed barrier fabric as the first layer before putting down the next layer?Also, if we stain the concrete, can we do that after it’s already been put down?
Thanks! Your work is beautiful!
DC
[...] out these examples from Terra Nova in Santa Cruz, [...]
April 8th, 2007 at 9:04 pm[...] the possiblities. This from an ecological landscaping perspective, as you might have guessed. 1.) Urbanite = reused concrete, 2.) Recycled blocks and rocks, 3.) A wine barrel. 4.) Salvaged wood. 5.) Field stone. 6.) Old [...]
May 27th, 2007 at 8:15 pmIs the patio sealed? If so, with what?
Thanks!
June 13th, 2007 at 8:14 amI have a question about cleaning the urbanite before staining. Can you enlighten me? I love what you have done by the way. i hope to recreate it in my scape.
July 22nd, 2007 at 9:47 amThanks,
Robin
Can you point me to resources about staining with Iron Sulphate? How to do it? Where to find it? Thanks! I was inspire to make my own patio like this from your post. I posted on my blog about it today.
August 14th, 2007 at 11:22 am[...] on their cob kitchen for three months. I also helped my friend Dan with construction on his urbanite foundation, and doing light clay straw insulation on his second house. I’ve done bits of [...]
February 16th, 2008 at 4:07 pmI recently had to remove concrete and desire to use it in landscaping projects in my yard. However I am new at this type of work and need help. Could you please give me instructions on how to cut and shape it. I also need to know how to stain it with Iron Sulphate. Does the basic Lowe’s store carry the Iron Sulphate or where can I get it? I LOVE what you did with this; it meets my values of helping the environment while being frugal with my resources and it’s BEAUTIFUL!
March 30th, 2008 at 6:49 amI want to share a project I did reusing broken concrete…
April 4th, 2008 at 6:46 amThis links directly to the Landscape Architecture page of my site that shows the construction of stormwater control structures made out of reused concrete. Most is done with reused sidewalks but also used were a demolished foundation, and a “site ruin” that was cut into and planted with willows for stormwater uptake.
http://www.tobiahhorton.com/pb/wp_af26a166/wp_af26a166.html?0.03734856841826689
more photos at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16188315@N08/sets/72157603194009082/
[...] on their cob kitchen for three months. I also helped my friend Dan with construction on his urbanite foundation, and doing light clay straw insulation on his second house. I’ve done bits of [...]
September 1st, 2008 at 2:19 pmGreat pictures! We are building a wall and want to re-use. Where should I look for used concrete?
November 14th, 2008 at 12:18 amI have done standard masonry work for the last 4 years. I prefer dry lay technique to mixing portland , when possible. I really like this iron sulfate stain . I currently have a project to rip out a 30 ft. long 34 inch high retaining wall made of pressure treated lumber. I thought of replacing it with a dry lay urbanite look . What size pieces are preferable, and how do I go about doing the iron sulfate stain? Can I do the stain just on the exterior sides when the wall is complete , or must I do it in advance?
March 2nd, 2009 at 12:13 pmHey, The patio looks great!
May 25th, 2009 at 6:39 pmI am also interested in staining the concrete with Iron Sulphate.
How did you do it? Where do you get it? Thanks
Hi, I followed your post on craigslist to here. beautiful work. I replied to you “Free” post regarding the urbanite. I would love to use it to build the retaining wall infront of my house. Do you have any information on how I might find this type of “urbanite” in my own area?
The work you did is absolutely beautiful.
Scott
May 26th, 2009 at 11:34 amhi,
my small town in colorado is about to redo a huge amount of our sidewalks. i am looking for interested people in the country who need this material. i am on town council and if i get some response then i can make the argument to palletize and ship the newly made urbanite to private citizens for a fraction of the cost of flagstone.
scott where are you and have you found any urbanite??
please contact me at picaflor@centurytel.net if interested, thanks
July 16th, 2009 at 3:41 pmI found your site by a random google search, good stuff! keep up the good job!
December 14th, 2009 at 5:23 pmDo you do work in the Sunnyvale area, or could you point me to someone you know who might work with my condo association (small, only 12 units, but lots of peripheral, water-guzzling landscape)to plan out and install hardscape?? Thanks, Nancy
December 30th, 2009 at 6:23 pmi was beginning to think that i might be the only woman / man who thought about this, at the very least at present i find out i’m not gaga
i am going to make sure to see a number various threads after i get a tad of caffeine in me, it’s challenging to read without my coffee, I was until the wee hours of the morning last evening playing zynga poker and after having a few brewskies i wound up melting away all my zynga poker chips take care 
March 20th, 2010 at 8:04 pmHow did you test the concrete /urbanite for toxins (dangerous chemicals) to ensure that they were not present or would not leach into the soil?
June 2nd, 2010 at 10:49 amThanks for this great post. It helps to get some great data from a knowledgeable person.The seasons are changing and it’s time to do some internal housepkeeping
September 4th, 2010 at 12:47 amhello
i am writing a book about urban homesteading, due soon to the publisher. we liked your photo of the urbanite pavers and wanted to use it in our book in our section about waste re-use. would you be willing to share it with us? we would need a high resolution version and any caption and/or attribution information you would want so you would feel well-represented.
we’d appreciate to hear from you soon!
thanks so much
September 19th, 2010 at 1:58 pmRachel Kaplan
K. Ruby Blume
Bay Area homesteaders/authors
[...] source and cost (click here). If you have access to a truck and some time to poke around for “urbanite” and free sand, your own costs could be $100, or even less. The firebricks are the only real [...]
October 17th, 2010 at 9:00 pm[...] source and cost (click here). If you have access to a truck and some time to poke around for “urbanite” and free sand, your own costs could be $100, or even less. The firebricks are the only real [...]
October 17th, 2010 at 9:00 pmThank you very much for the article and for creating a attractive site. I have been searching for savvy info on gardening and will put this information to use. I have found it hard to find good ideas, as there are so many sites with garbage posts. Certainly keep the good stuff coming!
October 25th, 2010 at 4:42 pmthis is so good, thanks for usefull article, i like this…
January 21st, 2011 at 10:11 amI really liked your blog. Will read on…
March 2nd, 2011 at 10:59 pmI have been wanting to do this exact thing with the tons of concrete we’ve got in enormous piles on our property! But every time i’ve run the idea past ANYONE–even those experienced in paving & cement work–they just give this look like i’m a complete moron and they just don’t want to come out & say it! THANK YOU for your wonderful & inspiring confirmation of my long-held suspicions! [Now all need are a few burly guys to make it so!]
March 9th, 2011 at 9:17 pmVery Cool and Great idea. I have been trying to figure out what to do with a 50 year old tennis court down on my farm in GA that is concrete and the Oak and Pecan roots are starting to break it up for me. I have a gully I was going to fill but can’t get my Bobcat down there without taking out tons of trees. I have been planning some wall and need to correct a few erosion problems so you have re-started my creative juices. Been putting this off but now I am ready to start fixing some problem areas with on big problem area that will become a fantastic garden spot.
April 13th, 2011 at 6:07 pmNice job on this forum. I have been searching for a gardening webpage to follow. BTW, I found you on Bing.
April 16th, 2011 at 5:28 pmWhat a great idea. I had no idea that urbanite could look that good. My husband prefers the look prior to the staining with Iron Sulphate, but I have to say that my preference is the paving after.
May 24th, 2011 at 7:28 amLooks soo beautiful!! I love it!! I have concrete from a slab we had to remove. Could you pease tell me how to do it? It looks that we need to put gravel under the concrete, but after that what do you sugest? soil or sand? Thank you very much for your advise.
August 24th, 2011 at 7:51 pmSave the planete, you guys doing excelent work teaching us how to use recycling materials for landscape, thank you. I have to questions, #1 the iron sulphate can create another color or only rust color? #2 can you send me more ideas of recycling materials can be use for landscape.
September 6th, 2011 at 2:46 pmThank you very much.
[...] For more information about urbanite: http://www.terranovalandscaping.com/blog/2007/02/07/90/ [...]
September 13th, 2011 at 6:57 am[...] For more information about urbanite: http://www.terranovalandscaping.com/blog/2007/02/07/90/ [...]
September 13th, 2011 at 7:41 amI have aggregate concrete patio with lots of stones in it that we need to take up. I’ve been trying to figure out how to reuse this concrete in our new landscaping but since it has stones in it, I’m not sure how we could do this. Our yard isn’t that big and we don’t like the bumpy texture now of the concrete so I’d like to find something different than using it as pavers. Any ideas?
October 2nd, 2011 at 6:05 pmWow..It was really nice work. I really impressed to see your work. If you can publish more articles regarding landscaping and also various pergolas designs then It would much appreciated.
I will be waiting for more articles soon.
October 16th, 2011 at 9:29 pmHow to Become Registred Nurse…
[...]Recycling in the landscape – reused concrete, affectionately known as urbanite. | Terra Nova Ecological Landscaping blog[...]…
October 20th, 2011 at 8:05 pmvery interested , would like to have delivered.
October 26th, 2011 at 2:11 amThis looks great. I landscaped my front yard and now the water bill is outrageous. I need to do something that looks good without having to water the area. I can’t see your answer to “Tim – #39″ if you deliver. Well, do you?
October 31st, 2011 at 3:14 pmWould love to hear how/where to get iron sulphate- i just broke up a sidewalk and want to reuse. Also, after leveling the dirt, what goes on top and then after laying concrete, do you put sand? Does this hold up long? Thanks!!!
February 19th, 2012 at 7:10 aml
February 19th, 2012 at 7:10 amHi:
Would love to hear how/where to get urbanite pavers. I have a Huge backyard and also a front yard that I would like to decorate without harming the planet
Ahank you!
Anna
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May 2nd, 2012 at 1:55 pm[...] looking for ideas for raised bed designs, I stumbled across this awesome article on building with urbanite. How cool is that? Very. Do you know why? When we moved into the house and started [...]
June 12th, 2012 at 9:29 amI have a project that I’m certain using urbanite would work out very well for. I’m curious about one modification I was considering. What would be the downside of not laying the gravel subsurface? I have a sloped acre in the high desert and at the bottom of the dirt road (hard bedrock actually) leading to the lower “flats,” I need to paved a surface with urbanite so I do not require 4wd there. it’s fairly soft and sandy soil with some native grass growing there (foxtails mostly) so there is already a certain amount of drainage there. The purpose of using urbanite aside from economy and its unique looks/properties is to allow runoff to percolate back into the soil. The neighbor poured driveways on his property that act like substantial spillway. If I don’t lay down a grave bed first, can’t I just do it after the fact by removing those that sink/settle and shim them with gravel then?
July 3rd, 2012 at 10:49 amLance you may e-mail me at ken@terranovalandscaping.com and I wlll respond.
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July 28th, 2012 at 7:21 pmAny thoughts about using aggregate concrete patio for retaining walls? Is there something different to consider than when using regular concrete?
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February 25th, 2013 at 1:13 amAfter getting this idea, and people thinking I’m crazy I found your blog.Yeah!!! Love it!! My problem is I can’t seem to find any used concrete. I am in Southern CA. Can you suggest how I can obtain some.
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April 9th, 2013 at 8:08 pmWe live in a farming community that used to have concrete ditches for irrigating fields everywhere. They are being removed and replaced with crop circle sprinklers. Because the broken concrete is stacked on farms everywhere. We have used it for lining our driveway, patio areas, walls, etc. We call it Dexter granite because we live in Dexter, New Mexico. Love the raised beds using it.
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