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How to Build a Stone Patio

It’s summer. That means it’s time to fire up the grill, invite your neighbors over, enjoy the warm weather, and have good times.

You can do all that by just plunking some chairs right on the grass, but a stone patio creates an inviting sitting and dining area. It’s also not as hard or as expensive as many people believe.

Easy DIY Patio

Flagstone is a good choice because it comes in irregular shapes that don’t require the precision or skills of stone tiles. When using this design, make sure your stones are at least two inches thick to prevent them from breaking.

Next, choose which type of flagstone you’ll be using. Bluestone, limestone, redstone, and slate are all good choices. These stones look great and will hold your patio together for a long time. Make sure your ground is as level as possible before you start. When you’re ready to begin, paint the outline of your patio onto the ground.

Dig out your patio to a depth of about five inches. Spread two inches of gravel and tap the gravel down. On top of the gravel, spread about an inch of sand and use a board to level the sand.

Now you’re ready for the fun part. Next to where you plan to put your patio, begin arranging your stones in a pattern that looks good and doesn’t leave any excessively big gaps.

Mix mortar to complete one portion of your patio, about three feet by three feet, and trowel about an inch of mortar on your base. Next, move each stone to its permanent spot on your new patio.

Sounds easy, right? But what if the stones are not all level? To fix the stones that are too low, lift them out and add more mortar. To fix the stones that are too high, lift them out and scoop out a bit of mortar. Make sure you complete this step after each section. If you wait until your entire patio is done, mortar from the first section will already have begun to set.

Let the mortar cure for a few days and then fill the joints. You’ll do this by mixing mortar and putting it in a mortar bag. Then, just like you’re piping icing onto a cake, fill the spaces between your stones.

About StorageMart

At StorageMart, we’re proud to be a part of the communities we serve. And we’re always up for a meal shared with friends and family, especially when it’s on the patio right in our own backyard.