1. After you have determined where you want your new patio, it will help to have the following items: garden hose, string and stakes, marking paint. If you have curves in your patio is a good idea to use a garden hose to establish the outline of your patio. If it is square or rectangular in shape, then mark the corners and use the string to establish the outline of your patio.
2. Once you have given your patio an outline, now comes the excavation. Depending on the type of flagstone you’ve chosen, the depth of your excavation may change slightly. Flagstone generally ranges from 1 inch to 4 inches thick. Excavate 1 inch deeper than the thickness of your stone, this will allow for plenty of base or ”bedding material” under the stones to help support your flagstone and prevent cracking.
3. Preparing your base. After you have your area excavated, it’s prefered to use stone dust as your bedding material or base material (you may also use crusher run). Stay away from using sand as it has a tendency to migrate and your stone will begin to settle, teeter or crack. Install about 1/2 inch of stone dust over the entire area and rake smooth.
4. Laying and Leveling your stones. As you set each stone use additional stone dust to level. Make sure that you are slightly above the old grade. Occasionally it is helpful to use a rubber mallet and lightly tap the stones to help set them. Do not space stones more than 4 inches apart.
5. Install your edging. After you have laid your patio, you will want to keep the stones “locked in” so they move around over time. A great product that most of your landscape professionals use is called Snap Edge. Inexpensive, easy to use and you don’t see it when your done. Each 8 foot strip is firmly placed along the outer edges of the stones and spiked into place. Afterwards all the edging can be easy covered with dirt, grass, sod, stone, mulch, etc.
5. Fill around stones. They’re several different materials that are commonly used. Most landscape contractors and a growing number of do-it-yourselfer’s are using Polymeric Stone Dust. It comes in a 60 lbs bag in either tan or gray. Fill the joints in between the stones, sweep the stones off and wet the joints down with your hose. After a day it cures, no weeds, no insects and no wash outs! It will flex with minor settling and will heal itself it cracks. You may also use the loose stone or dirt to fill the joints. Dirt is good if you are going to grow grass or some other type of bedding plant. Loose stone is somewhat cheaper than Polymeric Stone Dust, but has a tendency to migrate to other areas, rolling around on top of the flagstone or find it’s way into the house.
