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INSTALLING FLAGSTONE OR PAVERS WITH SAND FILLED JOINTS
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| Flagstone with Sand Filled Joints |
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Before you invest in paver or flagstone material, make an installation plan. To achieve the best results, we recommend enlisting the help of a qualified contractor. If you are in the mood to tackle the job yourself, then gather your supplies and get ready for some hard work. Natural stone is the most beautiful, durable and versatile material available. Whether you choose natural stone or common brick for your patio or walkway, the basic preparation of the site is the same. The following is only a helpful guide and not meant to be your only source of information. Please consult the internet, library or professional sources before ordering material or excavating.
You will need:
1. Dense Grade Aggregate
The Belgard recommended subgrade base of dense graded aggregate for ICP (Interlocking Subgrade Systems) is as follows:
Driveways: 6 inch to 8 inch thick base (add 2 inches for low, wet or clay soils)
Patios: 4 inch to 6 inch thick base
Walkways: 4 inch to 6 inch base
Pool Decks: 4 inch to 6 inch base
Calculate the material needed by multiplying the area in square feet by design depth in feet then divide by 27 to obtain cubic yards of base material needed. If the bulk density of the material is not known then calculate the cubic yard by 1.6 to obtain the tons needed for the job.
2. Edger
An edge restraint of stone, plastic, steel or aluminum curbing, a building or stationary object can be used to keep the flagstone or pavers from moving and the sand form spilling out.
3. Sand Bedding
3/4 inch to 1 1/2 inch have been sited by various sources. We recommend 3/4 inch of sand.
Calculate using the 1/2 ton per every 100 feet of area.
Belgard recommends ASTM C33 washed concrete sand.
4. Flagstone or Pavers
Pavers are generally purchased by the square foot. Some waste from cutting or breakage should be allowed. Belgard recommends 30 square foot of extra pavers for each 100 linear foot of cut edge.
Calculating flagstone depends on the thickness of the flagstone being used. Flagstone is generally purchased by the ton. Depending on the thickness of the stone, coverage could range from 40 to 250 square foot per ton. Most of our 1 1/2 to 2 inch flagstone should cover roughly 125 square foot per ton.
5. Joint Sand
You can use the same sand the was used for the setting bed to fill the joints or use any all purpose or construction sand. Do not use play sand or sandbox sand. We highly recommend polymeric sand for filling the joints. We sell polymeric sand in bags. It contains polymers that harden like concrete after sprayed with water. It softens, expands or contracts in the weather and keeps weeds from growing in the joints. If regular sand is used then we recommend using a sealer such as Surebond or Brickblock to seal the material and prevent weed growth.
If you are still with me at this point then maybe you are serious about doing this job yourself. It is not too late to call a local contractor. I would never do this job myself but if I were in the mood for a challenge then this is what I would do:
1. Mark the site to be excavated with spray paint. It is recommended that you excavate an extra 1 foot around the area that will be finished. This allows provides a firm base to support the edger. Stake out the job and string lines to show areas that need to be sloped away from the home or building to allow for better drainage. Belgard recommends that the area be sloped or dropped a minimum of 3/16 inch for every 1 foot of pavement while a 1/4 inch slope for every 1 foot of pavement would be better to facilitate drainage. Plan your excavation. If you will be placing layers of 4 inches of dense grade , 1 inch of sand then 1 1/2 inch flagstone then you will need to dig out 6 1/2 inches of dirt.
2. Begin digging using a shovel or a backhoe. Be careful not to dig too deep because areas of loose soil will have to be filled with dense grade and compacted.
3. Compact with a rented vibratory plate compactor or a manual hand compactor. My dad mad a manual hand compactor with a wood block and wood handles.
4. Spread the dense grade material in two to three layers, keeping the dense grade damp but not wet and compacting between each layer. Do not place dense grade over frozen ground and do not allow water to puddle.
5. Place the edge restraint according to the edger used. We like the look of natural tumbled rectangle cobbles along the edge of flagstone. Plastic edgers are cost effective and can be nailed along the edge of the patio or walkway.
6. Spread the sand bed. If a 1 inch sand bed is needed then use 3/4 inch PVC pipe as screed rails. Place 2 PVC pipe parallel to each other so that a 2 x 4 or other straight board can be pulled across the top of the pipe. Hand fill sand until the 2 x 4 makes a smooth surface of sand 1 inch thick. Carefully remove the PVC pipe.
7. Layer your pavers or flagstone. This is the fun part. Use your imagination and artistic ability to fit the flagstone or pavers in place.
8. Either compact the pavers or flagstone manually or with a compactor.
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