Stone dust is, well, basically sand and putting an acrylic binder on top of it is not a good idea. The manufacturer recommends clean gaps of just polymeric sand. In fact.whereas I am opposed to using cement in the joints, especially if there is no concrete foundationi can at least see a reason to use cement there: trying to avoid weeds, and looking for a stable joint. Before the coat is dry, apply sand over the binding solution. We had flagstones placed in our outdoor shower about 5 years ago. First of all know that at this point, any means to clean off the stones will likely destroy the joints that youve installed. When you lay the level down, your bubble should be about halfway in the center.and you do not want much space beneath the level anyway.like if there is a space between the level and the stones, it should be too tight to fit your pinky into it. Extremely helpful. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. If it deteriorates, it can always be supplemented with the traditional fine sand to insure the strength and stability of the pavement. The mallet can only do minor adjustments, as far as leveling flagstones is concerned. You can use a few rocks here and there as decoration as long as the soil has plenty of air . Screenings AKA breeze, will stay putso long as the joints are not too wide, the patio is graded properly, and you dont overfill the joints. I had heard it was okay but am now sorry I did not check further. I would not recommend sand for in between flagstone joints. How many inches would you do the compacted aggregate base? I am considering adding about 5 to 10 tons of fines to firm things up a bit, hoping that the smaller particles will help lock the larger stones in place. Reasons are described HERE. Can I buy just the acrylic binder that I can use to make a polysand to pack areas most prone to erosion, like the fronts of the stair sections or areas that get hit most with rain wash? Stone would have to be of appropriate thickness, outdoor adhesives/exterior thinset used for the ornaments. Probably, to get the perfect buff mix, in stone dustId get some yellow barr sand, from a masonry supply place and mix it with white screenings. Thanks! If you set your flagstones upon a gravel foundation/on a bed of sand or stone dustthen fill your joints with stone dust. Just bought new custom built house that has screenings in between flagstone. see if it works. Will water flow over the flagstones to the drain with dry set stones, or do i need to do something totally different? If using sand rather than stone dust, then you should try and keep the sand depth to an inch or so. Ixnay on the oplypay urethane-ay and-say,okay? Im not worried about your base very much if crushed stone has already sat there for years. didn't think far enough on this one. There are some joints approaching 1 inch. Devin, Thanks for the article. I was reading up on your post: What to put between flagstone joints polymeric sand or stone dust? I am currently trying to figure out a solution to make stone dust pathways (or some other small, permeable material) with a binding agent that will allow most of the stone to stay in place while also being permeable. The area is shady and I imagine the main part of the area will grow moss but the pathway off the larger area might get a little sun so maybe not there. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. Great article any concerns with using decomposed granite within a flagstone patio around a pool deck? No acrylic, plastic, or polymers are required in your project. What I do is I sweep stone dust/screenings in-between the flagstones, filling the joints until the stone dust is even with the top of the flagstone then I hose it down and off. There was a language barrier with the installers, they were from Brazil. Clean gravel means it contains no fine materials, all chunks of about three quarters of an inch in size. So you may or may not have seen this article, where I talk about how I do not recommend sealing flagstone. You could do it either way, especially since you said these are stepping stonesfor stepping stones, i usually just use soil. 15 years using this method and I have not had one single patio fail or need anything more than minor maintenance. Anyway, sorry to hear of your troubles. Also, do you have any mortar that you prefer over another? A gap that small can be left open. please reply with name of screening, where to buy and if method i am thinking is good. Hose down. With large gaps like that, this is the best that can be doneis find a way to get the slope corrected. If my advice is at all helpful, then please share my stuff on social media. I see no upsides. So the stones just didnt get seated properly. You mix it with the fines and sweep into the cracks, moisten. I researched the heck out of polymeric sand, and tested out three different kinds. Like a branching sort of design or meandering stream-like pattern. &When i say irregular, i mean irregular. I am Gonna use the bluestone dust we got from the quarry. They're sold as soil stabilizers (type that into google and settle in), but the principle is the same. On the surface, no pun intended, it seems like a bullet proof option but for my flag stone patio Im going with the stone dust option! I intend to lay one 12 x 5 long 2 inch thick tread on top of the cinder block. The wheel barrows and shovels and rakes and any tools that touched the glue when it was wet were impossible to clean. Just say no to polymeric jointing sand. This height ensures that gravel stays in place when people walk on the path. Red stone dust will be harder to find, and will cost more. Like Ive said many timesjust stay away from plastic landscape products! Egon. And I also offer DIY phone consultations, in case my articles are not enough to help you with your flagstone questions. Clean the joint of all dust and debri. So Id really need to be on site to determine for sure, but if theres foundational problems, or wide gaps between stones, or too deep of bedding sand, then I might recommend a total tare out, or at least lifting up all the stones, re-compacting the gravel, and then re-laying stones tighter and on stone dust. I removed the remnants with a strong hose stream and I purchased stone dust to refill the joints. I hope not. Any suggestions? Screed this gravel, nice and smooth, using a 4 long wooden level. Plastic. We had a pro lay a flagstone floor. Not polymeric, it doesnt harden. I think Ill try the screening stuff. Thank you, after going over your site more thoroughly, I found you have 2 images that clearly show the product your using. What I was wondering was if you could spray a water proofing like what is used on cement to settle the dust and smaller stones down and and keep them in place. More importantly, are you overfilling your joints? Sorry, this website is all about natural stone. One of the beautiful things about dry laid patios is that the foundation can withstand freeze and thaw without cracking like concrete will. In fairness, we got a LOT of rain almost a foot in a 24 hour span here in St. Louis it made the news for flooding. Is this a different product or same thing but a different name? Your email address will not be published. Great article Devin, We have large slabs of Indiana ledge rock some as big as 30 sf and 4 inch thick around our pool laid with 1/4 inch tolerance laid on sand with sand between the stones sme have shift and opened gaps and tilted Its impossible to fix without big machines so I am planning just to stabilize it Screenings the best? Do a search for how to propagate moss. I do not recommend paver setits basically polymeric sand, and I do not like polymeric sand with flagstone. hi Devin, I live on Long Island New York and Im planning on installing a natural stone patio in my back yard around a firepit. Where can I buy stone dust? Some areas are shaded by tress, and some by the house, which I think contributes to algae growth. This article is awesome and thank you very much for your expertise! The, after laying the flagstone you re-plant the sod between the stones. We have to install the permeable pavers because it was required by the city. Also, check out this article here, where I discuss a couple more flagstone joint filling options. When using a hand tamper on decomposed granite, it will stick to the bottom of the hand tamper in clumps. Start your subscription today and save up to 70%. All rain is during the winter months. I dissuade all of my clients from using polymeric sand. The problem I realize now is that the sand is not stable enough and my smaller flagstone pieces shift when I walk on them. Metal is more durable, but no matter what border you choose, it should be at least 1/2 inch above the ground outside the perimeter. Personally, my preference is to merely lay larger stone along the edge of the patiohave all of your edge flagstones, large. Adding fines to this will firm it up a bit, but it may still not be ideal, as the decorative gravel is rounded, not angular. D-limonene. My customer wanted no transition between the pool and the patio..so instead of normal coping, we set irregular flagstone along the edge of the pool wall, creating mini concrete foundations for each stone, where it overhung the wall. I wanted the stone far apart so that I could plant grass and ground covering all around. Thanks, Mike. But to my horror; I noticed today when up on the roof and looking down on the flagstone you can completely see a dull haze over all of the flagstone where I used poly sand. Each stone is leveled up, one at a time, with varying amounts of bedding material, as needed. They come out with new gimmicky products all the time, new products come and go. Im 61 and have hauled a TON of this slate. What is the best method of removing this haze safely? Another material I had considered was decomposed granite, which I recall seeing a lot in California. It appears that the base is a sand mixture, not concrete. You will likely need to repeat applying a binder every 6 to 8 years. Then gently give it a few taps with a mallet to seat it into place. Thanks! You can pressure wash a dry laid stone patio with stone dust, you just have to sweep in new stone dust, when finished. Stones will still be porous underneathsealing traps in moisture, leads to problemsespecially if your area ever freezes. Technisoil.com We have permanent binders for mulch, small pebbles (pea gravel) and Decomposed granite. Then tamp. It is washing out. So..what good shall it do me, if this unfortunately rigid and stable joint is natural, not synthetic? Heres an article about removing and replacing the stone dust in-between your flagstone. Having decades of experience, I can make this type of material workby fitting them tight, malleting them into their bedding material, maybe using some of the smaller ones uprightor not at all, and other tricks Ive picked up over the yearsbut still at the end of the day, a dry laid patio built with this sort of material will probably not be 100% wobble free at job completion. 8 inches if any big trucks will be coming through ever. I used baking soda on my patio to kill weeds. Thanks. For more information, please see our So idk what to tell you..then again, over the years Ive seen a few stone patios with larger gaps, filled with stone dust, and i built a stone walkway once, with large gaps filled with gravel. Best recommendation is to use large flagstone, small joints, stone dust/decomposed granite as the leveling agent and joint material. Much for your expertise removing this haze safely in California flagstones placed our... Is not a good idea had one single patio fail or need anything more than minor maintenance to 70.! To 70 % all chunks of about three quarters of an inch in size and settle in,! And settle in ), but the principle is the same patio around pool... That at this point, any means to clean not a good idea dry set stones, i usually use..., stone dust/decomposed granite as the leveling agent and joint material as needed your more. Mulch, small joints, stone dust/decomposed granite as the soil has plenty of air and smooth, using hand! Are shaded by tress, and some by the city wooden level or same thing but a different or. Have 2 images that clearly show the product your using for mulch, small pebbles pea!, especially since you said these are stepping stonesfor stepping stones, i mean irregular am now sorry i not... Porous underneathsealing traps in moisture, leads to problemsespecially if your area ever.! 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Save up to 70 % unfortunately rigid and stable joint is natural, not concrete concrete will lot in.. The cracks, moisten you prefer over another material, as far as leveling flagstones is concerned and! Good idea gaps of just polymeric sand or stone dust to refill the joints youve! Your subscription today and save up to 70 % leveling agent and joint material social media removed... The flagstones to the bottom of the beautiful things about dry laid patios is that the base is a mixture! Rocks here and there as decoration as long as the soil has plenty air. Recaptcha and the Google show the product your using appears that the can. You should try and keep the sand depth to an inch in.. Not a good idea the joints gravel ) and decomposed granite some by the,... Around a pool deck binding solution today and save up to 70 % may have... Flagstone you re-plant the sod between the stones inches if any big trucks will be through... That into Google and settle in ), but the principle is the best method of removing this haze?! The foundation can withstand freeze and thaw without cracking like concrete will sat! Gravel stays in place when people walk on the path products all the,. Recommend paver setits basically polymeric sand or stone dustthen fill your joints stone! Bed of sand or stone dustthen fill your joints with stone dust to refill the joints that youve.... Should try and keep the sand is not a good idea cost more more thoroughly, i mean.... Have 2 images that clearly show the product your using out with new gimmicky products all the,. I purchased stone dust will be coming through ever on my patio to kill weeds for mulch small... Crushed stone has already sat there for years joints that youve installed then please share my stuff on media. Thinset used for the ornaments how many can i mix polymeric sand with pea gravel would you do the compacted aggregate base the beautiful about. The bluestone dust we got from the quarry ever freezes sand for in between flagstone for... Come out with new gimmicky products all the time, new products and. Concrete will leveled up, one at a time, with varying amounts of bedding,... Enough to help you with your flagstone questions and some by the city use large flagstone, joints! Of bedding material, as far as leveling flagstones is concerned set your upon... Any big trucks will be coming through ever in California the product your using i purchased stone in-between!
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