Thin Wall
Heavy Wall
Assorted Wall
8”-20” Wallstone
Small Wall
Outcropping
Flagstone Steppers
Flagstone Slabs
Natural Steps
Machine cut drywall
Sawn drywall
Sawn steps - natural edge
Sawn steps - machine cut edge
Veneer - natural
Veneer - sawn
Benches
Customer materials
Sitting Stones
Boulders
Rip Rap - Plain and Heavy
Sand
Crushed Stone
Decorative Stone
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How to Build Patios & Walkways
Building a patio or walk with natural flagstone is an easy way to add to your home’s
usefulness, appearance and even resale value. The satisfaction of doing the job yourself is
extremely rewarding and it is economical as well.
There are two methods for building a patio or walkway:
Dry Construction
Wet Construction
In dry construction, you use only a sand base in which to set
the stone. In wet construction, you set the stone in a grout setting bed on a concrete
slab. Both methods are described here.
Dry Construction
Dry construction is more suited for an average handyman in that it requires less technical
knowledge and equipment. First, determine the size of patio or walkway to be constructed
and then map the area with string and stakes. Then, the earth should be excavated to a depth
of approximately four to five inches. At all times please insure the ground is level.
Wet and tamp the earth in the excavated area and fill with sand to approximately 1 inch
from the top edging. Now, starting in one corner, begin to lay the flagstones on the sand
base tamping each piece with a rubber hammer or a block of wood. If the stone sinks too far
into the sand, it must be picked up and more sand placed under it. If the stone does not sink
level with the edge it must be picked up and the sand scraped away from under it. By placing a
straight board across the edging you can determine if each stone is level. When all the stones
are laid, sand should be placed on the patio and swept into all the joints. An alternate way
to fill the joints is to use crushed stone or decorative gravel. This added touch can enhance
the beauty of the patio even more.
One thing to keep in mind when choosing stone for your patio is that larger, thicker pieces
will stay level longer than smaller, thinner pieces. By keeping joints to a minimum width,
sand and gravel will more readily remain in place and maintenance of the patio will be
relatively easy. Dust or earth may be substituted for sand.
Wet Construction
Wet construction is slightly more costly than the dry method. However, the wet method does
yield a permanent, maintenance free patio. The basic ingredients of this type of construction
are a 4 inch gravel base, a 4 inch reinforced concrete slab, concrete footing to frost line
around the perimeter, and the flagstone set in a 1 inch grout setting bed.
First, as in dry construction, the patio should be laid out with string and stakes. Then the
earth is excavated for a depth of approximately 6 inches as shown in the sketch below. Then,
around the perimeter a trench should be dug the width of a shovel to the depth of the frost
line in your locality. Some area climates will not require that a footing be necessary.
After excavation is complete, set up form boards around the perimeter setting the top of the
form where the finished patio will be. At this point, care should be taken to allow for
drainage off the patio, so water will not remain after a storm. A pitch of 1/4" for every
foot will be sufficient for drainage. The form boards should be set to take in this pitch
of the patio. Now we are ready for the gravel base. The gravel should be placed in the
excavated area leaving approximately 6 inches shown all around the form boards. After the
reinforcing mesh wire is placed over the gravel we are ready for concrete. Using a mix which
consists of one part cement, two parts sand, and three parts gravel, pour this concrete to
within 2 inches from the top of the framework. Spread the concrete with a rake pulling the
reinforced wire up with the rake so that it rests in the concrete rather than on the gravel
where it was placed. No toweling or smoothing is necessary since a rough surface is desirable
to provide a firm bond for the grout setting bed which will be applied next.
After letting the concrete slab harden (at least 24 hours) we are ready to set the flagstones.
A grout setting bed mix, consisting of one part cement and three parts sand is mixed with
water to a consistency that could be balled and thrown as that of a snowball. This is then
spread over the concrete approximately 1 inch thick. Then each stone is laid and tamped level.
Spread only enough mortar for one or two stones at a time and tamp each one lightly by
hammering with a rubber faced mallet or block of wood. You can make sure each stone is level
by using a long straight board placed across the framework.
After a dozen or so stones are laid, each one is picked up one at a time and a cement “butter”
is poured over the grout and the stone dropped back in place. This “butter” consists of cement
and water mixed in a bucket to the consistency of pea soup. This adheres the dry stone to the
fairly dry grout which otherwise would not bond very strongly. When setting stones into the
grout, no attempt should be made to fill the spaces or joints between them. These joints are
not filled until after all flagstones have been laid and the entire job has been allowed to
set at least overnight. Mortar joints can even be filled in one day later.
For filling joints, a mixture of one part cement and two parts sand should be mixed to a
consistency a little wetter than the setting bed. A pointing tool should be used to pack
the joints tightly. Use care no to smear cement over the flagstone. If cement does get on
the stones, it should be washed off, using a sponge and water, as soon as possible before
it hardens permanently.
Steps in Building a Dry Stack Walls
Dig a footing - You need to start your wall 3" - 6" below grade so that it cannot be shifted at its base.
Break the Joints - A strong wall needs to be laid much like a brick wall - always one over two, two over one.
Give the wall batter - Retaining walls need to have a certain amount of pitchback - or batter - about 1" back for every 12" of height. This rule applies only to retaining walls, but accent walls also benefit aesthetically and, to a degree, structurally from this construction technique.
Use tie through stones - These are stones that go all the way through the wall to help bind it together. They should be spaced approximately 2 feet apart throughout the wall.
Always pitch stones toward the center of the wall - Be sure your stones either lie flat or pitch back. If they pitch out, they will cause the stones on top of them to slide outward and destroy your wall.
Larger Stones on the bottom - It just makes sense that larger stones should be on the bottom of a drywall for a strong base. Exceptions would be the tie through stones and cap stones, which will help structurally.
Use Cap Stones - Cap stones are necessary for 2 reasons: (i) they help hold the top of the wall together, and (ii) they keep out moisture and eliminate frost damage.
Choose the correct face on the stone - Every stone can be laid in a dry stacked wall, you just need to see its face. In a dry stacked wall, the stones always lie down flat, so generally the face is the largest flattest edge. Seeing the right face in a large pile of stones takes some degree of experience.
Fill center with stones and dirt - The center of the wall needs to be laid with fairly tight fitting stones and then leveled off with dirt.
Fill cracks in the face with slivers - After your wall is complete, fill any cracks in the face with small slivers or chips to help tighten the wall and increase its structural integrity.
Behind, around, and in front of every beautiful home is beautiful landscaping and nothing ties
your work of art together better than natural stone. Rough, yet sun-warmed and inviting,
natural stone elicits a feeling of permanence and simplicity. Its unique beauty, which includes
a wide range of colors from golden browns and tans, to rustic reds and oranges to buff grays,
adds exceptional visual appeal to your landscaping projects and is sure to leave a lasting
impression.
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