Flagstone patio--mortared vs. gravel/sand?????
colbyj
19 years ago
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AshaK
18 years agomustangsally52
18 years agoRelated Discussions
What layers of gravel/sand would I use for a patio?
Comments (4)This is how I go about patio prep 1)excavate down paver thickness plus +- 7" (for 6" gravel base) 2)apply geo textile fabric 3)add 6" of 0-3/4" 'cheap crushed' gravel base (4" is acceptable for a patio, 6" is better especially in Denver climate) seek recycled crushed gravel if available. 4)tamp gravel base with a vibrating plate over two layers (at 3" and 6") 5)top up low spots to make level grade (sloped slightly for drainage in appropriate direction) tamp. 6)apply 1" layer of sand or limestone screening. sand is preferable for flagstone as it shapes to irregular underside of flagstones and drains slightly better. 7)level off perfect grade playing with a 4' carpenters level or leveled pipes and 2 by 4. slope 1" over 4 ft in appropriate direction for drainage 8)apply pavers (tightly) or flagstone 9)sweep in polymer sand to fill in joints 10)tamp, reapply polymer to top up joints, moisten Alternative bases for flagstone- 1)geo textile fabric 2)4" crushed gravel (0-3/4") base 3)4"- 6" Concrete pad with rebar 4)apply thin set mortar with 1/8" notched trowel 5)place flagstone 6)apply mortar to joints, have sponge handy Least thorough option for thick flagstones (2" +) 1)excavate slightly more than 3" 2)apply 1" sand for levelling 3)drop flagstones in place, hammer down with deadblow mallet 4)fill joints with polymer sand, moisten Hope that helps....See MorePorous Patio Mortar Product
Comments (6)laag, I gave a link to the incorrect EnviroBond product - one used for coarse gravel paving material or subgrade. There is a different version for joint filling / sanding. The link below is for the proper "front door" of the EnviroBond web site where information is given for several versions of the product for different applications. My concern with the porosity of the patio is caused my my concern for a very close by and very large pin oak tree. I will be covering over some of the roots. The tree is probably 3 ft. in dia. and maybe 70 ft. tall and I would hate to think that I had deliberately killed it. Since I do not want to do the very extensive excavation and grade alteration work that would create a permanent, crack proof surface, I thought this would make an adequate substitute. I'm expecting to put in a couple of fieldstone surfaces with a small wall or two (about like steps) for the grade changes. Grade change is only two feet or so over 30 feet. And I would expect some gentle irregularities in the surface anyway. Thanks again for your help and advice on this. If you have further thoughts I would be glad to read them. Charley Here is a link that might be useful: Envirobond Home Page...See MorePolymeric Sand -vs- SandLock
Comments (16)I'm trying to solve what I think is the same problem. I built a beautiful tri-color patio last summer, dryset on sand with a compacted "breeze" base. I then used breeze to "grout" the joints. Survived its first winter with little to no settling; my only complaint is that the larger pebbles in the breeze work their way up to the top and eventually on to the flags, so it's not very barefoot friendly. That's a long-winded way to say I'm exploring polymeric sand and other "joint stabilizer" formulas. What I've found is that (1) polymeric sand is virtually unknown west of the Mississippi River, and (2) the various liquid joint stabilizers I have found are designed for narrower joints, like with dimensional cut flags or pavers. A couple people have told me that they would not work for wider joints like mine (averaging about an inch between stones). Any ideas would be welcome....See MoreFlagstone entry in Florida
Comments (4)Laying a flagstone path does sound like a lot more fun than fighting with your contractor. Curve vs. straight: this is a design issue that I think needs more context. If your taste doesn't guide you strongly in either direction, you could run this by the landscape design forum (with a photo or a good description of the layout), but be prepared there to hear about any aspect of your house and landscape and not just the path. Tiers vs. slope: sounds like a no-brainer to me; obviously you need to keep the base material in place. Tiers. But you contradict yourself when you say you don't mind flagstone jutting into the grass. Unless you make sort of a "landing" that is flat between the two tiers where you can use that style, you can't do both. And the two types of side don't really mix and match either; the unfinished side would look like you'd forgotten to put the edging in. At best you could do a sequence of pie-piece-shaped sections where the curved edge is contained and forms a step while the sides merge into the slope... might be a bit much though! I'm not qualified to advise on base material. Suffice it to say we just put a concrete paver patio on just sand rather than on sand and crushed rock... (it's not gravel that's used for the base, but rock that has sharper angles and more variety in piece size). There are lots of good books and websites showing how to lay flagstone, and I'd encourage lots of reading. They often showcase nice design ideas too....See MoreAshaK
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