Steps to Dry Laying a Flagstone Patio
asantaga
19 years ago
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well_drained
19 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Proper install for flagstone steps & walkway?
Comments (4)I installed my own dry-laid 1.5" PA bluestone patio last summer. I ran a vibraplate tamper on the bare soil and then again after the 4" gravel (did not do it half way, like you asked). I did not use landscape fabric or edging. I used about a 4" layer of masonry sand. I don't have a recent pic handy but I posted a midway pic from the summer below. This was my first patio, but I have a stone mason friend who's done tons of them and he said it's really solid and that my foundation is probably more burly than what they normally do. It's not completely finished, as I just have topped off sand in the joints - trying to get sedum/thyme established this spring and may also fill with stone dust. As far as durability, I first tested it with my car and a friends minivan - no problems. I then drove a pickup with a 600 lb tree in the back over it - again, didn't budge. However, I got a little too confident when I tried to get a delivery of a cord of firewood driven over it. Had a few nice big stones shatter, but this was mainly due to a drainage problem I encountered on the car path. I get a lot of water runoff from my front yard into this sloped area and have lost a lot of sand during rain storms, and the stones that cracked had pockets of missing sand. Looking to fix the drainage this spring, but for now I have to lay tarp over the driveway section whenever we expect heavy rains. Other than that, it's rock solid, especially when the ground freezes. Once I fix the drainage, settle on a solution for the joints, and get my plants going, I think this will be good to go. And it already has a weathered look like it's been around for years. Message me if you need any more info and maybe I can find some more pics. Good luck, it will be worth it when it's finished! PS - I should also note that I was really picky with getting the right pitch away from the house. I used to get tons of water in my basement but ever since I put the patio in, it's been practically bone-dry. Here is a link that might be useful:...See Moreflagstone patio and dry stack raised beds
Comments (2)Ironically, you're not a newbie compared to most people who take on this sort of project. You also fall into the category of people who will probably be most frustrated by having contracters, as you probably have pretty specific expectations about how they should do it. I agree that the site prep is what you sound most leery of, and it isn't rocket science. Get a book on laying patios that explains site prep, levelling, and base material selection (I have one I like called Patios and Walkways, do it now do it fast do it right, by Taunton Press), and you'll see that it's well within your reach. Regarding drainage, think about where the water comes from, and where you want it to go, and slope the patio accordingly. Flagstone has gaps that the water can soak in between too, and you're not exactly in a high rainfall area either, are you? If you want flagstone, you won't be happy with pavers....See MoreNeed help from flagstone patio experts...
Comments (1)Hi jeff, I don't see anything wrong with what you plan. The only suggestion I have is to use crushed limestone instead of sand. Give it a good tamping down, a mist of water and tamp again...it makes for a very solid base whereas sand, because of rainfalls, can leatch into the soil and eventually you will get dips. Sand also tends to sift through the smallest places when really dry....See MoreHelp Needed by Landscape Designer for Flagstone Backyard Patio -Please
Comments (20)@greenfish1234 Thank you again for your input. I'm attaching a better picture of the back door area. Our door is currently a slider door - not sure if that will be switched in the future to a french door. How far past the door should the steps/landing go? The further we go, the further we cut into that dead space next to our family room wall (to the right of the door). Also, the deeper the total of depth of the steps/landing combined, the deeper the bed gets to the left of the steps/landing, unless we don't make that bed as deep as the steps/landing, but not sure if that will look right. I'm also attaching a pic of landing/steps I found on line. Not that I want curved steps or that material, but was wondering if I could turn that dead space into a raised planter on the landing. That way I can soften that area. If I did this though, not sure how far to bring out the planter - just to the last step, or to the edge of the back of the family room wall. In this pic, their dead space is probably 1/2 that of mine....See Morewindy_meadow
19 years agolast modified: 9 years agoGreggSev
19 years agolast modified: 9 years agoericspoo
19 years agolast modified: 9 years agoZonetrap
19 years agolast modified: 9 years agoericspoo
19 years agolast modified: 9 years agoCarol_from_ny
19 years agolast modified: 9 years agotimscott
17 years agolast modified: 9 years agoplanet_services
15 years agolast modified: 9 years agoblenk2
15 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
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