Help with Dry Laid Flagstone Patio

Pa Pattern Flagstone can be installed by wet lay or dry lay.  Dry lay is easier for a DIYer to do themselves as long as the base is properly done.  

1)  Start out by drawing and measuring your planned area.

2)  Purchase your flagstone, make sure to purchase extra for areas that may need to be cut or for ones that you may not like.

3)  Dig out your area about 9" deep and about 12" beyond your ending area.

4)  Make sure your slope going away from your home is 1/4" per foot.  Example a 12' patio there would be a 3" difference from top to bottom.

5)  Place stabilization fabric directly on the dirt and 4" - 6" of 2a Modified (crusher run) above that.  You will need to run a compactor over the gravel.

6)  Install 1" of stone dust to be used as a leveling agent for the flagstone.  Screened the fines with a pipe.  If it is going to rain make sure to cover the fines with a tarp.  

7)  Hammer spikes across from each other and attach a string line this will help keep your lines straight as your installing the stone.

8)  Start against the house laying the flagstone using the stone dust to help level out each one.  Make sure you have your rubber mallet in hand.  You will use it to bang on the stone to help place it.

9)  Once you have your flagstone installed you will want to install paver edge restraints and polysand.

Adding Stone Veneer Inside Your Home

This project is set for an intermediate DIYer.

One of the big new things in interior home designs are accent walls.  Accent walls can be made out of recycle wood pallets, veneer thin stone, tile and or just paint.  The wall gives your home depth and character and it is generally a trend that will last.

USING STONE VENEER

MSI Stone Ledger

Tools:  
             Tile Saw
             Cement Board Score Tool
             Diamond Wheel Tool
             Notch Trowel
             Drill
             Mixing Paddle
             Chalk Line
             Level

Materials:
             1/2" Thick Cement Board
             2-1/4" Cement Board Screws
             Thin Set
             Mesh Cement Board Tape

How To:

             Place cement board directly on dry wall.  If you have outlets along the wall you will need to purchase outlet extenders so that once you have a finished product the outlets are not effected.  After the cement board has been screwed into the studs apply mesh tape.  Apply thin set and then apply the stone veneer.  You will use a tile saw to cut the ends of the veneer to fit into your wall.  The diamond blade is used to cut your veneer around your outlets.  Note one box of screws will do about 40 square foot of wall and one 50lbs bag of thin set will cover 70 square foot of wall.  The are some great You Tube Video's you can find online for more precise guidance.

Cost:
   
        If the wall you are trying to cover is 10' x 8' = 80 square feet

Cement board needed 6 pieces at $11.50 each = $69.00
Cement board screws 2 boxes at $8.50 each = $17.00
Thin Set Cement 2 bags at $15.00 each = $30.00
Thin Veneer Stone average $10 per square foot = $800.00
Electrical Outlet Extenders (if needed) $3.50 each

Your looking at an estimate of $920.00 for a 10' x 8' accent wall.

Start Enjoying Your Back Yard!

Delaware Hardscape Supply offers many products that will make your backyard the envy of the neighborhood.  Fireplaces, Fire Pits, Outdoor Tile, Natural Stone Panel Veneer, Boulders and a Little help with creativity.

 Fire Pits are an easy quick addition to any patio.  They are visually attractive as well as some where that your family and friends can gather on chilly nights.  Image provided by Belgard.

Fireplaces help take your inside living outside for longer into the year.  Belgard offers pre-built fireplaces that just need a footer and a machine, a few easy steps and you could be enjoying it that weekend.  You could also customize your fireplace.  The fireplace from Stone Farm Living gives you the options to place any type of veneer that you want to your custom size fire place.  The fireplace comes packaged in pieces and you mortar it together.  We are now offering panels of thin real stone veneer.  The veneer comes in sections in small manageable boxes.

Do you want an attractive island outside?  Stone Farm offers custom outdoor cabinets and grill options.  Enjoy yourself and your family outside, no more running into the house to cook.  This outside island is easy to design, ships easy, easy to customize and easy to install.

Overlays

Overlays

You may either have an existing Pad or Stoop, that needs an update or you just want to have a different look than you already have. You can do an overlay to get the look that you desire.

There are a few options that you have when considering the product and installation method:  Natural Stone, Concrete Pavers and Outdoor Tile. The product that you chose will define the installation method, such as a dry-lay or wet-lay mortar set, it comes down to the style that you are looking for.       

Some factors that you will need to consider when you are thinking about doing and over lay are

·         Condition of what you are going to cover 

·         Height concerns if you are in a transitional area

·         When working on steps looking at both the rise and run  

Condition

The surface that you plan to cover with the overlay needs to be smooth,  free of cracks  and structurally stable.  If there are any cracks, new or have they been there for 30 years they will continue to crack more over time. Cracks in a Concrete Pad are generally due to insufficient base material compaction at time of installation. If  the overlay is done on this base material the cracks will radiate through the newly installed overlay.  If your current structure is in a questionable condition your best bet would be to start new.

            Height Concerns

            Most of the time when you are looking to do an over lay it is on an existing concrete Patio, Walkway or Stoop near an entryway and in some cases a transitional area. In my experience it is the front door area that you see the most overlays.

            When considering the material the material for your overlay. You need to look at whether you have a step-out or a step-down in this area. A step out is always a little more difficult when choosing the material for the overlay, so you don’t interfere with the operation of the door. The Step Down, gives you a bit more flexibility in choosing the material. But when choosing the material for your overlay just remember the total height of the installed product. This is an area that you do not want a trip hazard when entering and exiting.

(Note: when entering and exiting through a door people either step on the door sill or step over it)

           

Steps

            When you are working with steps, you need to consider the rise of the step as well as the sides of these steps, so that when you are finished the look is seamless. In this area you can use that same material or use a different material altogether.

            Installation

            The installation of your overlay will differ depending on the product you choose. So when considering an overlay, ask your installer(s){When looking at multiple bids} What product they would be installing and how.  If you are considering to do the overlay as a DIY project. Take inconsideration the factors above and consult us with any other questions, regarding the project from picking out the initial material that would work best for you to proper installation. 

Don't Need a Whole Pallet of Stone

Natural Wall Stone, Boulders, Irregular Flagstone & Garden Path - these materials are all purchasable by the weight instead of a pallet quantity.

PA Fieldstone Garden Path - Sold by Lbs

River Jack Boulders Small Sold by Ton or Lbs

Loose Wall Stone Sold by the Lbs

Visit our website or come by the yard to view the entire selection of materials sold by the weight of the piece.  There maybe something that matches just what your looking for.

Why Install Versa-Lok Retaining Walls

Versa-lok Standard units (16" x 6" x 12") are a versatile unit which are ideal for retaining small grade changes or large grade changes at residential or commercial properties.

The units are a solid core and do not have to be filled with stone.  They use a pin system to mechanically connect each unit into place with one another.  The units can be easily manipulated on site to create unique dimensions within the wall.  The tapered back side allows for radius turns to match the natural landscape lines.

The Standard Unit can also be used in conjunction with smaller units (Cobble Units & Accent Unit) to create an attractive mosaic pattern.  Smaller units could also be used individually to create a smaller retaining wall or garden wall.  There are many color choices, two style finishes and numerous design features that the Versa-lok retaining wall offers.  At an affordable price you can't go wrong with choosing this system for your next job or project.

provided by CST Pavers

provided by CST Pavers

Any retaining wall over 4' needs to be engineered approved and use grid for extra stability.

Natural Gravel Pathways and Patios

Natural Gravel Pathways and Patios

Delaware Hardscape Supply carries several Crushed Gravels and River Rock that would be perfect.

     Whether you are trying to create a Naturalistic garden pathway or patio or just trying to convert an area where you need a little more space (i.e. spare parking, area for you trash cans or hose bib) The use of gravels can add color and texture to your space.

The addition of Gravels or River Rock is a low cost alternative for creating a visual pleasing place to relax or increasing unusable space.