The Basics of Flagstone Pavers

If you’ve been thinking about installing pavers in your home as a walkway or driveway, you’ve probably been browsing photos and looking at catalogs to get ideas and come across flagstone pavers. Flagstone pavers are a little different than normal pavers because of their unique shapes and sizes. Even though their patterns look more complex and random, like a puzzle, flagstone pavers are still easy to choose and install. Here are some of the basics you’ll need to know about flagstone pavers.

About Flagstone Pavers

Known for its unique attractiveness, flagstone is a durable material that is mostly used for walkways and patios. No matter what your yard looks like, you can use flagstone to make it look even more fancy and fun. Flagstone comes in many different colors and sizes so you can find the exact right pavers for your home.

Benefits of Flagstone

Flagstone paving is very easy to maintain and is fairly inexpensive when compared to other options. The texture of flagstone is also good to prevent slipping when the surface is wet. The many different stones that combine to make up flagstone paving are easily replaced, so if one of them breaks or damaged, you can fix it very simply. Plus, installing flagstone walkways and pavers can actually raise the value of your home in some ways.

Flagstone can last for years or even decades if you install if properly, regularly maintain it and set it in concrete.

Considerations to Make

Before you lay flagstone on concrete yourself, you should clean the flagstone with some sort of detergent. This way you can make sure your flagstone will lay smoothly and stay in place when you lay the concrete.

You should also be careful when laying flagstone that has sharp edges because it can be dangerous. Don’t try to install flagstone completely by yourself because it’s heavy and can cause back problems if you lift it improperly. If it’s an option, you should probably hire a professional to install your flagstone for you so you can avoid hurting yourself or accidentally damaging your flagstone pavers.

How to Install Flagstone Pavers

Now that you know a little bit about flagstone and its benefits, you can start to think about installing it. Of course, if you have the option you should have a professional install your flagstone, but if you have to install it yourself (or simply want a project for a few weekends), here’s how to do it.

Before you start anything, make sure you’ve picked out your flagstone and know what you’ll be dealing with. While you can simply lay your flagstone if you want, it’s recommended that you lay it in concrete to make it last longer and look more attractive. This will require skill with mortar and a trowel.

• The first step of installing flagstone is to excavate the area where you will lay your pavers. The depth needs to be at least the depth of the flagstones plus 3 inches for a sand base. If you live in a place where the weather gets really cold or if you have frequent earthquakes (like California), you’ll want to excavate an additional 4 inches to lay a concrete slab. Make sure the bottom of your excavation is flat.
• Next, you’ll want to lay the cement (if you live somewhere cold) and then prepare the sand to be poured into the excavation. You’ll do this by mixing one part Portland cement to three parts builder’s sand.
• After that, water the bottom of the excavation until the ground is completely soaked and wet.
• Next, pour the sand into the excavation until it is 3 inches deep. This can take a lot of sand depending on how big the area you are paving is. Once the sand is poured, you should smooth it over and level it.
• Place your flagstones in place on top of the sand. Once they’re in place, use your hand or a rubber mallet to tap them into place. Don’t hit them so hard they break.
• Get a garden hose with a mist nozzle and spray the entire area until water seeps in between the cracks around the stones. This usually takes about ten minutes.
• Don’t walk on your flagstones for at least a week after you lay them. If there are any gaps in the mortar, you should fill them with the Portland cement, sand and water you used to make the original sand mix. After using the mortar to patch cracks, give the flagstones several days to cure before walking on them.
  While you’re actually mixing the sand and mortar for the flagstones, make sure you only mix a little bit at a time. If your sand or mortar hardens, it will go to waste.

Some Simple Flagstone Tips

When you’re selecting your flagstones, make sure you select stones that are all about the same thickness. If it’s at all possible, go to a location and choose your own stones to make sure they’re the same thickness. If you choose thick stones, know that they’ll be heavy. Thin stones will break much more easily but be easier to transport and carry.

If you choose a level surface to build your flagstone path or walkway on, it will make for a better project because it will make sure your flagstone does not crack, shift or even break as time goes on. Filling material should be used in holes or indentations on the ground to make sure you’re using a completely level surface. If you live in an area with heavy rainfall, consider installing drainage to make sure your base materials under your flagstone doesn’t get washed away.

Flagstone pavers are a simple and attractive way to make your house look better and even increase its value. It’s relatively easy to install, and because there are so many options to choose from, you can find flagstone pavers that will look perfect with your home. See where you could install a flagstone patio or walkway on your property today.

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