Proper Installation of Natural Stone Patios
- 1). Define the patio site by inserting wooden stakes in the ground and looping string around the top of each stake.
- 2). Dig out grass and other growth from the site and keep digging until the surface is 8 inches below ground level. Dig 1 inch deeper every 4 feet away from the house to make a slope in the surface for drainage.
- 3). Compact the soil with a vibrating plate compactor machine to stabilize the ground. Put landscape fabric over the soil and insert spikes on the corners to secure it into the soil.
- 4). Arrange wood, metal or other edging material around the sides of the excavated site and drive 10-inch nail spikes through the slots with a sledge hammer.
- 5). Pour 3 inches of gravel over the fabric and compact the surface. Add another 3 inches and compact it until the gravel is completely flat and slightly sloped.
- 6). Dump a 2-inch layer of crushed limestone over the top to shore up the gravel surface for the natural stones.
- 7). Set the first stone beginning at a corner nearest to the house, pressing it into the limestone. Place the natural stones on the limestone, fitting them together like puzzle pieces and leaving consistent spaces of 1/8 inch between them on all sides.
- 8). Use a bucket or shovel to spread fine-grained sand over the natural stone surface. Pack the sand between the joints until the spaces are filled to deter them from shifting with weather and foot traffic.
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