How to Lay Flagstone Patios

If you have decided to choose flagstone for laying your patio, you've made a great choice! It's not only very natural looking and elegant, but also very durable.

Instead of having to deal with all the extra work involved in laying mortar, there is a much easier way to lay flagstone patios.

You would build it the same as any other patio. However, instead of mortar you just throw down some sand and set the stones on top!

Let me walk you through the Basic Steps involved:

The first thing you should do is find a good place where you want to build your flagstone patio, then take some measurements to see how big you want it.

The next step isn't really necessary I guess, but it will give you a better idea of where you want to dig and how your patio will look when its done.

Place some wooden stakes in the ground in all corners of the area you choose. Then connect the stakes with some twine or any rope you might have laying around.

Now you can start digging out the area. Make sure you dig deep enough so that there's enough depth for about 4 inches of gravel and 2 inches of sand.

First you want to put down the gravel. Pour about 4 inches thick and try to get it as flat and even as you can. If your doing a big area, you might want something bigger than just a shovel!

After the gravels all set, lay landscaping fabric over the whole area. This is another optional step, but it will help keep weeds from growing up through your flagstone. Some people might actually like that look, so you choose whether to use it.

Next you can start pouring sand over everything. 2 inches thick is usually enough. An easy way to do this is throw down a 2 by 4 so you'll know when your at 2 inches. Let the sand just barely start to cover up your piece of wood.

After this you should lightly spray the sand with a water hose. 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. Make a little area next to the sand where you can place stones and line them up before laying them. Then you just have to transfer them to the sand.

It's easier to do a few flagstones at a time. Then all you do is pound them into the sand with a rubber mallet. Don't hit too hard though, I broke a few that way!

You can use a straight edge or level to try and keep your flagstone patio as even as possible.

Almost done!

Once you get all your flagstones where you want them, and pounded them in the sand, you'll want to throw down another layer of sand on top of everything again.

Make sure you have an old broom you can use to smooth the sand and get it all between the flagstones.

Take the hose again and spray the area with some more water. Let the sand dry, then throw down some more dry sand, and don't forget to sweep it with the broom!

Keep doing this until you get all your flagstones laid where you want them securely in the sand.

These steps are a great beginners guide on how to lay flagstone patios, however others may need a little more help.