I was thinking of the polymeric hardening sand before reading your advice here and Im thinking screenings (Decomposed Granite I think is what its listed at in Lowes) might still seem attractive to the dogs if it is very loose like sand. Any suggestions to avoid this? You can see the low spots where the water pools. Properly installed, rain washing the decomposed granite out from in between the flagstones should not be a problem. I cant say too much about stabilized decomposed granite. The only times that Ive seen people having trouble keeping stone dust/decomposed granite in their flagstone joints, the flagstone joints were too wide. Ill keep trying to keep the fit tight and corners flat. Desperately need advice for how to improve curb appeal. Then I would like to avoid more polymeric sand, and use what you have described instead. Does anything on this page (http://highlandls.com/products/) or this page (https://www.landscapeandgarden.com/gravel-decorative-rock) jump out to you as being the product you recommend? If you wish to pressure wash a patio that has screenings for the joints, then you will have to sweep the material back into place after pressure washing. Specifically, decomposed granite aka decomposed granite screenings is crushed stone, made from granite. So I think you can get away with a 2 joint, if thats what youre into. So fun, so tiring!). Best,Aaron. My front walkway and patio stoop are on a concrete base and have a tan mortar between the flagstone joints. Worse, ants love it. You can also sprinkle cement over gravel to reduce sliding and shifting. What is the best order to correct an incompleted project gone awry? if yes, how do i make it firm permanently, such that i can have basketball tiles placed on that surface. I had the poly sand removed and the quarry dust filled in its only been a week or so. It depends on where you live. Do you think I can drop level on top of the brick 1 to 1 1/2 inches of screening as base, then lay these patio stones on top? Hello, I apologize if this has already been answered. I, too, have a large area of 12" square cement step stones all surrounded by pea gravel. Having not seen the patio in question, I really cant say what is best. You are so kind to answer so quickly and for the method link. Hi Devin. I had been tempted to use polymeric sand, but plan not to use it now. Problem. My husband who is a builder always goes to the product, which i always talk him out of, but cement is one that I cant seem to stop him from. Polymeric sand is no good. First, lay a foundation of compacted stone aggregate, then lay individual flagstones using screenings as the leveling agent. But then, it its still more rigid and solid than we want, for flagstone joints. Place the pea gravel on top of the concrete mix and level it out with the trowel. Haven't had a chance to try yet. Theres a lot of different ways to go about getting a flagstone stable. I wouldnt bother with the cement What youre describing probably isnt causing harm, but stone dust alone will do the job so why add cement? This project will be my first. It did say that clean up was with ammonia, so isit stray cat proof? Maybe a channel drain, along the wall furthest from the house? What I use is stone dust AKA screenings. Their concrete was too wet and/or they overworked it, troweled it too much and brought too much water to the surface. If it were me, Id repair the existing patio with mortarand then probably do the additional 10 dry laid. moment ie; finding this website, we had just completed installation of a flagstone patio upon which the contractor used hundreds of bags of polymeric dust (Gator Dust). We have worked with a company in Western PA called Harsco Minerals which has a product called Mineral CSA (formerly known as REC MIX) which we have used as a pond liner for treating mine drainage. The best way to predict your future is to create it. As long as were less than 1.5 inches or so, than its really not a problem. Get a product called gravel lok or a pebble binder product use them a lot they work great. Excellent advice! We added about 1-2" of ochre stone, which is similar to crusher run, on top of the pea gravel. Im really stuck and could use some advice- What might be the best solution? One last question on screenings is this something Home Depot carries? Chances are, they used a grout bag and soupy mortar mix.or just tuck pointed with somewhat wet mortar and didnt clean it up sufficiently while it was wet. Use the mallet only to gently set the stones into the crushed granite. For more information, please see our Usually in that case I would still repair the old concrete, and then mortar down Flagstone. My thought is to cut that mixture down 3 inches and put 1.5 inches of this shaker sand on top as my leveling material. When using a hand tamper on decomposed granite, it will stick to the bottom of the hand tamper in clumps. The original plan to use the polymeric sand to seal the joints is long jettisoned after reading your blog here and others how it destroys the shine and luster of the native rock. It just dissuaded me from polymeric sand. Good. I used the natural dirt to lay and level and pressed the flagstone cracks with the same. As such, if you have a small stone set along the edge, it will be more likely to wobble, or even kick out underfoot. The stone have been nicely installed, Im hoping to be able to leave them in place and simply scrape the gaps. How many inches would you do the compacted aggregate base? One of those might be ochre stone. 2023 The Taunton Press, Inc. All rights reserved. They're sold as soil stabilizers (type that into google and settle in), but the principle is the same. Anyway, I would like some advice on how you achieve such tight joints. Some of the stones now have a haze on them. And reallymaybe make the drainage saw-cut, then fill in a couple inches with road base type gravel. I think Ill try the screening stuff. Given how unpleasant it is to walk on screenings with bare feet, what would your suggestion be for spaces that are greater than 3? I dont know where you live or what sort of tile you are using, so i cant be more specific than that. Actually both sweeping and hosing results in joint material all over the stone surface, and of course the joints then become less level than the stone surface as the breeze gets swept or washed out. Calcium chloride or other salt substitute should be fine, but salt will deteriorate mortar. Not much sun on the walkway but Id imagine moss doesnt care that much about that. Sure, but not forever. A one inch thick stone can be used laid drybut the more surface area the better. Some areas actually need it more than once a year I live in Connecticut, and parts of my patio and walkways dont get much sunlight. I live in Texas with the soil is mixed clay and moves a lot. Also, in your article about using gravel, can you use AB3 or Crusher Run? Does work pretty well and doesn't foam up if the stone is dusty or the ground is damp like the Gravel Lok product does. Clay base, with about 4 of 1/4 clear gravel, followed by 1 of screening before putting down 20 X 20 patio slabs with next to nothing for gaps. Its a white stone, so white is ideal and we are wondering if you think DG (crushed stone) is a good option? Remove excess residue with a leaf blower. Cobblestones were probably laid on a bed of sand on top of that concrete, so it might be best to lift the cobbles, re-lay on stone dust, fit em tighter, fill gaps with stone dust. Pour the concrete into the mold and level it out with a trowel. But okay, if youre going to live with what you have then yea, stone dust is a much better option than poly sand. But the weeds are a pain to keep up with. Any idea on how to remove to get the stones back to previous state? Just make sure to do the project at a time inwhich the weather is not expected to get below freezing for a good 48 hours or longer. We dont want to worry about spilled water when gardening, so permeable is good. I hope not. It is an excellent material for leveling out your flagstonesthe best in my opinion, and likewise it is the best joint filler for flagstones. My brother suggested sand? If the stones are set upon a gravel foundation: 1/4 minus. 46 tons spread out over 4,000 square feet3/4 material, fairly rounded. Must be a west coast thing. I have a great photo showing this that I will email you separately. It already has plasticizers added into the mix, to increase workbility and stickiness, no need to add lime. Love your artwork with stone. Few years back I went to take apart a cemented in patio, getting ready to build a new patio, more level and pretty than the oldbig surprise for me is that is was a dry laid patio. Lay the 2x down on top of the trench and hammer down to tamp. Incredible. Decomposed granite is crushed granite. Spread it all over and hosed it down into cracks. My issue with the concrete border is that the concrete may crack. Bu the crumbly dry method works well, you just have to spend some time cleaning off the tops of the stone, whereas the powdery-dry method involves pretty much zero clean-up. I know, you said youre not into sandneither am I, for flagstone joints. https://www.devineescapes.com/flagstone-what-to-use-sand-cement-or-gravel/. Hi Devin, Thanks for the amazing article. Back and forthsweep in, hose down, leaf blower, I recommend that you check out this article as well: patio maintenance. If it means re-grading a bit of yard, or installing a step. I have had issues with weeds growing like crazy and for the past few years I have had digger wasps boring holes and burying their eggs in the holes. The stones have large gaps between them and weeds are taking over. Worried about chair legs busting through. To lay your flagstone patio 1) set out yours tones like a puzzle, as you said. My neighbors approve. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo, http://www.alliancegator.com/2011/gator-stone-bond/, http://www.alliancegator.com/2011/gator-rock-bond-liquid-binding-agent/, VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. Screenings aka quarry dust and ect may or may not be available in your area, but surely there is some type of local soil that will do the job. First, you will measure the area and check you have the correct amount of binding solution. I just put down some pea gravel around my fire pit area and now anytime someone walks on it the gravel gets into the mulch and all over. Others, with a concrete border. If not, then Id grab my oxygen/acetylene torch. Any ideas? My contractor is out of business so I cant even get hold of him.
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