Lakeway Hardscape

The Brief · Lakeway

Stone that moves.

1,800 sq ft · 16 Days

The backyard was 1,800 square feet of bare caliche and patchy Bermuda — baking in full sun, draining nowhere, connecting to nothing. The homeowners wanted a single unified surface that could handle a 12-person dinner party, a fire pit gathering, and daily family use without looking like a parking lot.

The answer was marbled concrete: two integral colors — charcoal and warm sand — hand-swirled during the pour so the veining runs through the full 4-inch slab depth. No topcoat to peel. No stamps to wear flat. The marbled finish upgraded the base $14/sq ft concrete to $22/sq ft, but it eliminated the need for pavers at $21/sq ft with none of the settling, shifting, or weed infiltration that comes with a segmental system on expansive clay.

Every edge is defined by 1/4-inch mild steel — 240 linear feet welded and set on-site — separating concrete from planting bed, concrete from decomposed granite, concrete from turf. The steel edging doubles as a channel for 24V FCOB lighting, turning every border into a continuous glow line after dark.

Marbled concrete patio surface showing charcoal and sand integral color veining at $22/sq ft — Lakeway Austin TX — 01 · Marbled SurfaceCharcoal + sand integral color

1/4-inch mild steel edging separating marbled concrete from decomposed granite planting bed — Lakeway Austin TX — 02 · Steel Edge Detail1/4" mild steel / 240 lf

Floating boulder fire pit with propane plumbing on marbled concrete pad with FCOB perimeter lighting — Lakeway Austin TX — 03 · Fire Pit ZoneFloating boulder / propane

The Build

Poured. Swirled. Set in steel.

Full 1,800 sq ft marbled concrete pour with control joints at 10-foot intervals — Lakeway Austin TX

Board-formed concrete edge detail with rough-sawn cedar impression against steel edging — Lakeway Austin TX

Hardscape · 01 The Slab Marbled · Board-Formed Edges 1,800 sq ft poured concrete on 6-inch compacted limestone base. Rebar on 18-inch centers. 4-inch minimum slab thickness with thickened edges at grade transitions. Two integral colors hand-swirled during the pour. Board-formed edges using rough-sawn cedar formwork. Control joints saw-cut at 10-foot intervals within 24 hours of pour.

System Details

Concrete + Formwork

—1,800 sq ft marbled concrete — $22/sq ft finished
—Charcoal + warm sand integral colors, hand-swirled
—Board-formed edges with rough-sawn cedar impression
—6" compacted limestone base, rebar 18" o.c., 4" min slab

Steel Edging + Fire Pit

—240 linear feet 1/4" mild steel edging, welded on-site
—Corten weathering finish — natural rust patina
—Floating boulder fire pit — welded steel base, limestone cap
—Propane line plumbed underground to fire pit with shut-off valve

Lighting + Controls

—24V FCOB embedded in steel edging channels — 240 lf continuous
—COB uplighting on specimen trees (CRI 90+)
—ESP32 WLED controller — 2700K ambient + scene modes
—All runs in conduit below grade — zero visible wiring

Landscape + Drainage

—Native xeriscape beds: Flame Acanthus, Mexican Feathergrass, Blackfoot Daisy
—Specimen Blue Glow Agaves at focal points
—Decomposed granite transitions at planting zones
—French drain along slab perimeter — routed to street

Takeoff / Lakeway

The blueprint.

01 / Hardscape

Concrete + Steel

1,800 sq ft marbled concrete
Board-formed cedar edge impressions
6" compacted limestone base
Rebar grid on 18" centers
240 lf 1/4" mild steel edging
Control joints at 10-ft intervals

02 / Fire + Gas

Boulder Fire Pit

Floating boulder on welded steel base
Natural limestone cap stone
Underground propane line
Manual shut-off valve at pit
Fire glass media bed
Seating wall radius: 8 ft clearance

03 / Light + Plant

FCOB + Xeriscape

240 lf FCOB in steel channels
COB tree uplights (CRI 90+)
ESP32 WLED controller
Native xeriscape planting beds
Decomposed granite zones
Drip irrigation on timer

Component	Specification	Cost
Marbled concrete (1,800 sq ft)	$22/sq ft, charcoal + sand integral, board-formed edges	$39,600
Subgrade preparation	Caliche removal, 6" limestone base, compaction, rebar grid	$6,200
Steel edging (240 lf)	1/4" mild steel, welded on-site, Corten finish	$4,800
Floating boulder fire pit	Welded steel base, limestone cap, propane plumbing	$4,500
24V FCOB lighting system	240 lf in steel channels + COB uplights, ESP32 WLED	$5,200
French drain system	Perimeter drain, corrugated pipe, gravel backfill, street tie-in	$3,400
Xeriscape + irrigation	Native planting beds, agave specimens, DG zones, drip system	$4,800

Location

Lakeway

Build Time

16 Days

Total Cost

$68,500

Execution

100% In-House