Patios and walkways made with bluestone add a finished look and polish to your property with little maintenance and work required to care for it. Prepare the area and install the stones properly to ensure the longest possible life from your new bluestone area. Select a stone dust base, or use gravel and sand to create a supportive base for the stones to rest on.
Instructions
1. Mark the area where you want to install the bluestone using wooden posts around the outer edge. Tie string between the posts to help maintain a straight line when you clear out the area. Dig out the top layer of soil, rocks and roots in the roped-off area. Clear the soil out to a depth of 6 inches. Level the base of the area as much as possible.
2. Fill in your base material. Spread 4 inches of stone dust evenly through the area. Pack the stone dust to create a solid base. Alternatively, fill 3 inches of gravel into the base with 1 inch of sand covering the top. Pack the material completely.
3. Wet the base filler with a hose. Saturate the area well to encourage settling. Wait overnight for the excess water to drain. Pack the entire area down again before positioning the bluestone.
4. Place all of the full bluestone pieces first, using a rubber mallet to tap the squares into position. Fill in the remaining areas with the cut pieces to finish the outer trim and corner areas. Tap the pieces into place with the rubber mallet.
5. Spread stone dust or sand over the area to fill the cracks between the stone. Sweep the entire area with a push broom to encourage the filler to settle. Reapply the filler over time as needed.
Tags: stone dust, entire area, rubber mallet
