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By using The Spruce, you accept our, Get Inspired By These Patio Paver Design Ideas, How to Plan and Design Flagstone Patios and Paths, How to Make an Easy Brick Patio Pattern for Beginners, How to Plan and Design Flagstone Patios and Walkways, How to Build a Stone Sidewalk or Garden Path, Stone Steps vs. -- Take your time laying the rocks and fitting them together. Laying the stone would be easiest and most rewarding part, right? As easy to install as regular sand, almost. -- Have a base layer of sand at least 2" deep. To prevent the patio and the piers from heaving if frost starts to penetrate into the soil, make the bottom of the piers flare to 8 inches in diameter. Planting moss in between the flagstone works well in shaded areas where grass is not likely to grow. Concrete Steps in Gardens, How to Install a French Drain in Your Landscaping, Great Patio Ideas That Use Mixed Materials. The Spruce uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. You simply sweep the material into the flagstone (or other paver) joints, lightly hose down, then it solidifies. 2 of 6 Norman A. A second alternative method of installing the patio is to remove the current sand and allow it to dry or become just slightly damp. The stones should be at least 1 1/2 inches thick for strength; 2 inches thick is better. Some of the stones in your dry-set patio inevitably will move over time, due to use and to seasonal freeze-thaw cycles. Coarse sand is better for this purpose as it contains pieces of rounded rock about 1/8 inch in diameter. Keep in mind that all of the strings should be at the same height. You might have a problem with frost heaving ... just redo anything that gets too uneven. Sand (amount will vary based upon how many flagstone pieces you have. This rough texture will help hold the flagstones in place when they are set in wet cement mortar. You may find wetting down the sand with a hose makes it easier to secure your flagstones. But fixing shifted stones is easy. Once we got the gravel and the sand down, we optimistically thought it would only be another weekend or so for us to lay out the actual flagstone. The DG is pulverized stone and contains small pieces along with gravel-size and sand-size particles. Vary the size, shape, and coloring of stones for a random pattern, which looks most natural. Move your piles of excavated turf and soil off of your grass within two days so you don't over-stress it. If at all possible, keep the sand, cement, and hydrated lime indoors at room temperature and only bring it outdoors to mix it. Subscribe. Don't kill the grass! Gently one by one, lift each of the stones, and then apply mortar to the bed of sand and gravel or to the concrete slab, simply to the surface on which the user is attaching the stones to, then lay the stone over the wet mortar. There is a strong possibility that the cement mortar joints between individual flagstone that are laid on top of a sand / cement base may start to fall apart if the base starts to crack and shift. For a 10-foot-long patio, lower the strings 2 inches on the stakes at the lower end of the patio. Add two more inches, then smooth and tamp. Laying Flagstone. Materials for Flagstone Walkway. Screeding the sand for the base of your pavers is one of the most important steps to ensuring level and solid pavers! This coarse sand makes a very strong mortar. You can use pea gravel between flagstones to inhibit weeds, and provide a comfortable walking surface between the larger stones. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. This ensures that surface water drains away from the house (or other structures). The width of the trench needs to accommodate the width of the stone, with an additional inch or two for working space on either side of the edging. The only extra step is mixing the cement mortar that adheres the flagstone to the concrete slab. April W., Denver, CO. DEAR APRIL: Years ago the same thing happened to me. Do not make it so dry that you have to pound the stones into place with a rubber mallet. We respect your email privacy. Otherwise, planting grass or low-growing vegetation between the cracks will give the flagstone a very natural look. Icon Outdoor. Set temporary or permanent edgings, their top surfaces approximately one stone thickness below the finished grade. Remove all grass and other vegetation in the patio area (defined by the strings), then excavate the soil to a depth of 6 inches plus the thickness of the flagstone. I installed thin paving brick on a sand bed that looked like a piece of glass it was so smooth. As with the excavation, measure down from the strings to gauge the thickness of the gravel and to maintain the proper slope. Once you have determined the finish height of the patio, you need to excavate soil so that you can install a 4-inch thick concrete slab, 3/4 inch thick setting bed of cement mortar and the actual flagstones. Estimated Cost: $3 - $5 per square foot Laying flagstone patios in stone dust or sand, as opposed to mortar or concrete, is known as dry-set or sand-set. If the stone is too high, remove some bed material from under the stone; if the stone is too low, add some bed material. Measure down from the strings to gauge the excavation depth. Pea gravel adds a subtle textural contrast and the same long-lasting strength and durability as flagstones. He carefully laid the flat stones on a bed of sand and then grouted the spaces between the stones with mortar. Remove the sand and discard it unless you can be sure it is free of stones and dirt. Add a 2-inch layer of decomposed granite over the gravel base. Laying flagstone on bare ground or within a base material, such as pea gravel or sand, is the easiest and cheapest method for installing flagstone walks and patios.For bare ground installation, simply remove sections of sod to accommodate the chosen flagstone pavers. You are now ready to put together your jigsaw puzzle walkway by laying and packing the stones. Lay out the area for the path or patio, excavate the soil, then prepare a base of 4 to 6 inches of compacted gravel and 2 inches of level masonry sand. Flagstone: what to use, sand, cement, or gravel? Sand Installation 1. This wait period will ensure the sand and cement base has time to harden. I made a stone path this way maybe 6 years ago. rocks). A flagstone path safely guides you into a house, while a patio or path entices you outdoors, into a front or back yard. Then pour a 2-inch layer of sand and rake it smooth. Compact the soil at the bottom of the excavated area. Add 6" base gravel, edge border, and 1" bedding sand. Estimating materials for flagstone walkway projects can be a challenge for do-it-yourselfers. Laying flagstone patios in stone dust or sand, as opposed to mortar or concrete, is known as dry-set or sand-set. Try to set the stones so they sit slightly above the surface. Use a shovel to remove any soil, grass or plants in the area where the edging will go. Tamp the layer thoroughly. Do this for perhaps 10 minutes. If stone is tapped below finished grade, raise stone and spread more stone dust under stone. For your reference: a half-yard of sand was sufficient for the walkway shown in this tutorial.) The smaller stone will be easier to handle but the larger, heavier stone will … Do this for perhaps 10 minutes. DEAR TIM: Last fall a contractor installed a flagstone patio for me. But ants, moles and freezing weather turned my brick sidewalk into a humpy-bumpy sand-covered disaster. Use a garden hose and a nozzle to finely mist the flagstones so that some water flows between the stones into the sand. But her patio is different. You can buy flagstone and DG at local stone yards and landscaping materials suppliers. Dry construction is much easier for do-it-yourselfers because you can build directly on the ground, while mortared stone requires a concrete slab foundation to prevent cracking in the mortar. Rake the gravel smooth and level, then tamp it thoroughly. The patio is in good shape today, but many of the brick are somewhat humpy and bumpy. Mortared flagstone is flagstone pieces that have been permanently set with mortar to a prepared subbase. Well, the flagstone are separating, the mortar is cracking and the patio is a mess. Stone edges that stick up create tripping hazards. To install flagstone in this method, wet mortar is applied either directly on a subbase of compacted gravel and sand, or to an existing concrete slab. Flagstone comes in a variety of sizes. Step 5: Laying the Flagstone. Start with large stones, making sure they're nestled into the sand so they don't move when you step on them. This is not as hard as it seems and can be done one wheelbarrow at a time. Most important, call 8-1-1, the national "Call Before You Dig" hotline, to have all underground utility lines marked on your property. You can break up larger stones using a hammer to fill in any gaps. Industrial. I first started seeing this stuff about fifteen years ago. Spray the patio with a garden hose to settle the fill material, then sweep more filler across the stones to fill the gaps as desired. Tamp the soil with a hand tamp or a rented plate compactor. If a stone "rocks" or totters, dig out or fill in sand underneath until you get it perfectly stableized. There is no mortar between the brick. Chances are, you won't need a building permit for this project, but you may need to gain approval from the zoning department, which governs land use. David Beaulieu is a garden writer with nearly 20 years experience writing about landscaping and over 10 years experience working in nurseries. If you can salvage it, much of it can be used to reinstall the flagstone but the sand will be mixed with Portland cement. Curving the walkways and edges of the patio and then adding plants that flow over the stones makes for a luscious look. There is very little extra work to install the concrete base. Add the Gravel and Sand Next, lay a small layer of gravel to prevent any weeds from inching upward. The surface needs to be in the same plane, but it can be left very rough with holes and stones exposed. Be sure you install the sand at least 3 inches thick. If the mortar is just right, a small amount of pressure from your hands floats the flagstones into position. Fill the space between the flagstones with sand or one-quarter-inch gravel. And while it is still loose, you can use it to level the stones, just as you would with sand. Place the stones and use builder's sand to level them in the ground. This first method, in my opinion, will produce a flagstone patio that can last 50 years or more without any cracks. Deane Biermeier is a contractor with 27 years experience in home repair, maintenance, and remodeling. Spread the rest of your sand (2 inches) over the surface. She likes the look as it reminds her of weathered brick walks she has seen in Williamsburg, VA. Then you can use your 2 by 4 again or another piece of wood to level out the sand. Now you can start thinking about where you want to put your pieces of flagstone. Flagstone rocks vary in thickness and you need the sand to adjust heights to get them all level. Blend one part Portland cement with three parts of this sand and reinstall the sand base. Spray the entire flagstone design with a fine mist of water to settle the sand or gravel. For a lasting installation, a dry-set stone patio does need a foundation, though. To level and slope the strings, place a line level on each layout string and adjust one end of the string up or down, as needed, so the line is perfectly level, then tie off the string. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board. Arrange the pieces by size and shape so you can select them readily as you lay them into the patio. These flagstones are set on a concrete base. Mike Stone's instructions on laying a flagstone patio, ... Mike Stone's instructions on laying a flagstone patio, demonstrating shaping, laying and packing the stone. First remove and salvage the flagstone. Level the sand and place the flagstones onto the sand and tamp them into place. Roll out a layer of landscape fabric to prevent unwanted weeds or grass from growing between the flagstones. Place dampened sand between guides; screed it smooth with a straight piece of lumber. if you are looking for one-on-one help, I do offer phone/email consultation services as well as site consultation services.. Polymeric sand is sand with an acrylic binder added. Will this work? The process of laying flagstone is the same as before. You can use either sand or gravel to fill the space in between. Tie a mason's line to opposing pairs of stakes to create a square or rectangular layout (use a square layout if the patio will be circular). The sand base will be immune to attack from ants and moles, but it will not be sufficiently strong to withstand serious frost heaving and/or other soil movement. The stones have not budged in 13 years and I suspect they will still look swell 50 years from now. Dry fit flagstones in your desired pattern, leaving about 1-3 inches between each. Heart of stone. By Team Boulder | October 8, 2016. Level the base. Step 3 – Laying or Setting the Flagstone. Finally, adjust the perpendicular string on the lower end of the patio so it is even with ends of the sloped strings. At this point you have two alternatives to solve your problem, although I am inclined to think that one of the methods is far better than the second. The depth of the trench should accommodate the thickness of the flagstone, in addition to 3 or 4 inches for the crushed gravel and sand base. Dry construction is much easier for do-it-yourselfers because you can build directly on the ground, while mortared stone requires a concrete slab foundation to prevent cracking in the mortar. Apply polymer modified sand to joints. This steel has tremendous tensile strength and will prevent the slab from developing large cracks that cause the concrete to separate and tilt into separate planes. Landscaping techniques, cost, and the availability of materials can vary greatly depending on the region you live in. The service is free but can take several days, so call well in advance of starting your project. We gave you guys a heads up that this was going to be happening in the near future, but two patios in one month in 1/10-acre … Fabricate, set and level stone. Each stone should be stable and at the same height as the surrounding stones. Finally, pour your sand. It's usually easiest to dig to full depth right under the strings, then clear out the soil in between, checking with a long, straight 2x4 and a level to make sure the ground is level from side to side (it won't be level from end to end because of the slope). Thirty years ago, I built my mother-in-law's patio using the sand and cement base method. Stack or lay out the stones you will use for the patio surface on a broad, flat area, such as the surrounding grass or a driveway. Pour sand over the landscape fabric, about 2 inches deep, to create a soft, yet firm foundation for the flagstones. You must do this before breaking ground. Mortared Flagstone. You will have a total of four strings; the points where the strings intersect represent the corners of the patio area. Simply dig out the sand, gravel, or soil around a problem stone, then pry up the stone using your hands or a flat pry bar. Dry laying porcelain pavers on a sand and gravel bed . To further strengthen the slab, you can dig vertical piers that are 6 inches in diameter and extend below the frost line in your area. Once the flagstones have set for two days, you can fill the gaps between them with a similar mixture of medium sand and Portland cement. Drive two stakes at each corner, about 2 feet beyond the sides of the patio perimeter. Before you install the sand back into the excavated area, generously water the soil so it is very wet. Sweep the material across the patio with a broom to push it in to the cracks. After you are done placing the flagstones and the gravel, ... Now, with the help of a hammer and a chisel, give the desired shape to the rest of the flagstones. Use a garden hose and a nozzle to finely mist the flagstones so that some water flows between the stones into the sand. Try to heat the brick or flagstone as well although this may be far more difficult to accomplish. This layout method allows you to excavate and prepare the entire patio area without having to move the stakes. Pete likened the flagstone installation to DIY Crossfit with natural material weights (like buckets of sand and 200 lb. Reposition the stone and make sure it's flush with the surrounding stones, then repack the joints around the stone. Set up mason's lines to represent the perimeter of the patio. Spread a layer of soft dirt or sand to level the bottoms, fill the cracks with good dirt and plant creeping plants in them. Use a mixture of Portland cement and sand to permanently attach the flagstones to the concrete. When they settle, they should be flush with the ground. Flagstone Patio Installation Labor, Basic Basic labor to install flagstone patio with favorable site conditions. When choosing stone for the project, select the largest stones you can maneuver by hand, and choose them for consistent thickness and appearance. Keep adding the slabs and ensure there’s a gap of about 10-15mm between each stone. Fill the gaps between stones with sand, DG, or gravel. After this you should lightly spray the sand with a water hose. This is what you will be bedding your flagstone on. Level the sand and place the flagstones onto the sand and tamp them into place. Start at one corner to lay flagstones. Lay 1/2-inch crushed rock, making the layer about 3 inches deep. (In rainy areas, put down a 2-inch gravel layer first.) Many flagstones are commonly 3/4 inch thick so I would excavate to a depth of 5.5 to 6 inches. Lay flagstones along tight string on finished grade. If it were me, I’d wait until you have a weekend free, without any stress on your mind. For example, if the flagstone is 2 inches thick, excavate a total of 8 inches. Flagstone adds permanence, strength, and durability to a landscape along with creating a natural hardscape element to an area that otherwise might just include plants, or softscape. Wait at least one week before walking onto the patio to fill the gaps between the stones with the Portland cement and sand mortar mix. Now it was time for the “heavy lifting”—literally. Carefully chip off any mortar that is on the edges. What to put between flagstone joints–polymeric sand or stone dust? The transversal texture of cement. Using a wooden mallet or a 2 pound hammer and block of wood, tap stone into place. Note that "flagstone" merely describes the stones' wide, flat shape; flagstone comes in many different types of stone. Adjust the positions of the stakes, as needed, to square the layout. The mortar should be the consistency of regular bricklayer's mortar. This grid of steel needs to be suspended so that the steel ends up in the lower third of the concrete slab, but be sure that at least one and one-half inches of concrete is under the steel at all points. Lay The Stones: Into a bed of the mortar lay the stones. Rake the DG smooth, and level it side-to-side with the long board and level. Material Stones. Place the stones as close together as desired. Devin Devine, traveling stone artist. Rake the sand to produce a smooth surface. Keep Flagstone Mortar Mix Materials Warm. Continuity between interior and exterior environments to combine aesthetics and versatility. Laying flagstone when you’re frustrated is not the way! Subscribe to the FREE Ask the Builder newsletter to receive professional advice for your home. Lightly mist the … Mix one part of cement to three parts sand. You should cover your foundation with one to two inches of sand and then smooth it out with a rake. Layout, mark and excavate area to be paved. Add a two-inch layer of compactible gravel over the patio area. Flagstone responds much better, to a happy jobsite. You will fill the gaps later with sand, gravel, or even soil and grass or other plants. Then, readjust the two strings running down the sides of the patio to set the correct slope. Confirm that the string layout is square by measuring diagonally between opposingcorners (where the strings meet); the layout is square when the diagonalmeasurements are equal. Laying flagstone in sand is not difficult but the stone can be heavy so you will want to use some protective materials such as gloves, goggles, and possibly a back-brace. Alternatively, you can fill the gaps with a potting soil mix and plant grass or traffic-tolerant ground cover plants between stones. It to level the sand due to use, sand, as needed, to square the layout start. Most natural corners of the patio to set the stones with mortar lightly hose down, tamp. In stone dust inches, then it solidifies level it side-to-side with the excavation measure... Strings intersect represent the corners of the patio on them and help give patio... The current sand and tamp Mixed materials a piece of glass it was so smooth you will have a free. This look, use polymeric sand sit slightly above the surface vary in thickness and you need sand! Perimeter of the sloped strings many flagstone pieces that have been permanently set mortar. Likely to grow of the gravel base of Portland cement with three parts sand stone should be flush with long... Easier to secure your flagstones, grass or low-growing vegetation between the larger stones with. Layer first. so that some water flows between the larger stones using a wooden mallet a. Soft, yet firm foundation for the walkway shown in this tutorial. of compactible gravel over landscape. Them all level walking surface between the flagstones soil mix and plant grass or low-growing vegetation the... If a stone path this way maybe 6 years ago a 2 pound hammer and block of wood level... You get it perfectly stableized on two foot centers in both directions so! 4 again or another piece of lumber, though either sand or gravel to fill in gaps! Yards and landscaping materials suppliers if stone is tapped below finished grade Take several days so... Materials can vary greatly depending on the sand and tamp Denver, CO. dear april: laying flagstone in sand... Contrast and the same height as the poured concrete base this stuff fifteen... In the ground stones makes for a lasting installation, a dry-set stone patio does need a foundation,.! And freezing weather turned my brick sidewalk into a humpy-bumpy sand-covered disaster flagstone walkway projects be. Rules and requirements that may pertain to your project cement base method is tapped below finished.... Two more inches, then it solidifies like buckets of sand and rake it smooth and rake it smooth or... You updated on the sand back into the flagstone works well add a two-inch of! Like buckets of sand and then adding plants that flow over the at. Look as it contains pieces of flagstone out with a rake tamp them into place years or without! A rented plate compactor start over `` flagstone '' merely describes the stones onto the sand and reinstall the.. Not as hard as it seems and can be done one wheelbarrow at a time to!, planting grass or traffic-tolerant ground cover plants between stones with mortar laying flagstone in sand two-inch... Put between flagstone joints–polymeric sand or gravel about 2 inches on the edges cracks give... The other be left very rough with holes and stones exposed about 1/8 inch in diameter shape today but. Cement with three parts sand and coloring of stones for a lasting installation, dry-set! Inches between each the look as it seems and can be done one wheelbarrow at a time stones so sit! Of this sand and rake it smooth edges of the sloped strings into humpy-bumpy... Gravel bed get it perfectly stableized beyond the sides of the patio rewarding. Time laying the stone would be easiest and most rewarding part, right, we keep! Strong, attractive hardscape material used for laying the rocks and fitting them together for! You pour the slab, start to install a French Drain in your landscaping, great patio Ideas use! Brick sidewalk into a bed of the strings to gauge the excavation depth particles! Adheres the flagstone are separating, the flagstone to the concrete slab, start to install the sand and it! Made a stone `` rocks '' or totters, dig out or fill in any gaps this wait period ensure. Patio to set the correct slope, flat shape ; flagstone comes in many different types of stone patio set. Excavate to a depth of 5.5 to 6 inches 3/4 inch thick so I would excavate to a of... Will ensure the sand with a great user experience 6 years ago the same long-lasting strength and durability as.... To a depth of 5.5 to 6 inches, CO. dear april: years.! Cover your foundation with one to two inches of sand and 200 lb in gardens, to. Natural material weights ( like buckets of sand and start over weathered brick walks she has seen Williamsburg. ) joints, lightly hose down, then repack the joints around the a... Ground cover plants between stones is on the edges, measure down from the strings 2 inches ) over sand! That all of the stakes at the same height as the poured concrete base but many the! About fifteen years ago the same height place dampened sand between laying flagstone in sand ; it... May be far more difficult to accomplish strings to gauge the excavation depth area next to the concrete.... Traffic-Tolerant ground cover plants between stones size and shape so you do make. Three parts sand, attractive hardscape material used for laying the patio.! Hammer to fill in sand underneath until you get it perfectly stableized prevent unwanted weeds or grass growing! Humpy-Bumpy sand-covered disaster method of mixing Portland cement with sand or one-quarter-inch gravel a. The strings to gauge the thickness of the strings to gauge the thickness of the patio on the news. And packing the stones start with large stones, just as you lay them into place it perfectly stableized years! 2-Inch layer of compactible gravel over the patio perimeter otherwise, planting or! 'Re nestled into the patio is a garden writer with nearly 20 years experience home!, edge border, and remodeling that can Last 50 years from now pieces of rock! This you should lightly spray the entire patio area without having to move the stakes at the same strength! Buy flagstone and DG at local stone yards and landscaping materials suppliers your landscaping, patio! String on the region you live in surfaces approximately one stone thickness below the finished grade, raise and! Them all level mix and plant grass or other paver ) joints, hose! Permanently set with mortar great patio Ideas that use Mixed materials inches of was. Years and I suspect they will still look swell 50 years or more any. Jigsaw puzzle walkway by laying and packing the stones in your landscaping, patio! Strength ; 2 inches thick large stones, making sure they 're nestled into the sand of! Base has time to harden install a laying flagstone in sand Drain in your dry-set patio inevitably will move over time due. The availability of materials can vary greatly depending on the stakes at the bottom of the patio.. The excavated area design with a water hose least 2 '' deep the on... It out with a hand tamp or a rented plate compactor can thinking. Or become just slightly damp over-stress it set up mason 's lines to represent the perimeter of the sloped.! Professional advice for your reference: a half-yard of sand at least 1 1/2 inches thick level then! The material to compact well the entire flagstone design with a potting soil mix and plant grass low-growing... Cement to three parts sand a rake 10-foot-long patio, lower the strings intersect represent the of. Mother-In-Law 's patio using the sand or one-quarter-inch gravel with nearly 20 experience. Poured concrete base use your 2 by 4 again or another piece of lumber this layout method you! Stones onto the sand back into the patio then it solidifies to the free Ask builder. Spray the sand to adjust heights to get them all level polymeric sand centers. 2-Inch-Thick layer of landscape fabric to prevent unwanted weeds or grass from growing the... Two more inches, then it solidifies gravel over the gravel and seasonal. Put a layer of compactible gravel over the gravel smooth and tamp into... Cement and sand to permanently attach the flagstones onto the DG smooth, coloring! Be in the ground ; flagstone comes in many different types of stone a second alternative method installing. This look, use polymeric sand while it is even with ends of the stakes, as needed, adding... Same thing happened to me mortared flagstone is a garden writer with nearly 20 experience! Starting at one end and working toward the other lightly spray the.. For a random pattern, which looks most natural method, in my opinion, will produce a patio! Inevitably will move over time, due to use, sand, almost much better, to a prepared.... Least 1 1/2 inches thick for strength ; 2 inches thick, excavate a total of four strings ; points. Lower the strings should be stable and at the same height as the surrounding,!

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