Were halfway through a DIY of flagstone on the side of our driveway. Hello, could you please post a few close up pictures of the stone screenings that you use so we can try to match our locally available products as closely as possible. The most common used of polymeric sand is on a few of the smaller interlocking concrete paver projects to increase the short term stability and unit interlock. For more information, please see our If not, some elbow grease and a plastic scrub brush is the next thing Id try. And have fun! We added about 1-2" of ochre stone, which is similar to crusher run, on top of the pea gravel. Ideally a pea gravel patio should have 3" base rock and 1" actual pea gravel. Just an aesthetic issue. Im going to go back and read through all the comments (there are a lot of them), but I just thought I would ask up front what is your best recommendation? Calcium chloride or other salt substitute should be fine, but salt will deteriorate mortar. I am in a similar situation where I did not gravel first and have a lot of movement when walking on the pea gravel patio. good luck and let me know how it goesmaybe you can teach me something on the subject , Hi Devin, your blog on polymeric sand was very helpful. Nope, no good. This is ideal for new pea gravel installation. It can be used in a pinch if your setting bed is very thin - like 1/4 to 1/2" inch and preferably with a tad bit of a binder sifted in to keep the particles from shifting. Anyone with real life experience using it? This will stop the problem of decomposed granite clumping. More importantly, are you overfilling your joints? * This works better with tight joints. A bit of a philosophical question, really. You can choose from various materials like plastic edging or metal borders. Others, with a concrete border. That Alliance Gator Stone Bond that was posted is not a pour on application - if the stone is down, you have to pick it back up and mix with the binder then put it back in place. Im going to have to do a trial test myselfjust so I can update this article! Yes, whenever you grind out mortar joints between flagstone, I pretty much expect a stone or two to pop up lose. What do you suggest using in the joints of a Limestone walkway (in NY)? (The previous owners thought a pea gravel front yard would be nice as well - so I already have that on my plate to remove).I was wondering if anyone has tried to stabilize pea gravel using concrete sand, DG, or other material and tamping? The Patio is shaded except during the winter. The stone settles, the joint cracks. The joint are fairly wide 1 to 2.5 average, and he even left some 3-6 areas along the perimeter walls. Im glad that you appreciate my work. these fines, when dampened, actually do bind up with the larger chips, becoming semi-solid. That depends on the supplier. Ready-mix concrete refers to concrete that is specifically manufactured for customers' construction projects, and supplied to the customer on site as a single product. Stones fit flush against each other with an 8th inch or so between themsweep in some stone dustand the dust may even stay put, in such a tight space, but if it washes away, so what? How should we address this issue? Just bought new custom built house that has screenings in between flagstone. Id have a couple of guys with pickaxes and/or digging bars and get them to help me lift of the large flagstone slabs on the low side, and toss some screenings under there in order to level them out again. I do know it's pretty spendy. Anyway, theres many diy articles on this website, which many people have found helpful over the years. As mentioned in the article right above..I go with screenings. If the joints are made of a loose material, then the joint material may settle down in and fill the voids beneath your flagstone. Desperately need advice for how to improve curb appeal. I like your views and outlook so poly is out and screenings are in.not very keen on chemicals where the barefoot grandson walks! Countless homeowners have done everything that they can to transform their houses into smart homes. Read the rest of my how-to articles, if you have any other questions! The more you push down on your mortar, the more water is push up to the surfaceso now you have a watery/soupy layer or mortar, maybe an 8th of an inch thickright up against the edge of the flagstone. Is the patio pitched in the right direction, and pitched consistently? I figured this was due to the change in temperature? My patio is quite old 30 years, or more. A path made out of this material will be very loose, and will easily dispersed by foot traffic and weather. I noticed almost the same effect/thing on the dirt in the garden. Then, if filled with stone dust or d/g (interchangeable, I dont know of any reason why DG might work better) the cut that you made will allow water to drain. Here we have tried to make paths of your description, by: Embedment in cement plaster. Do you have any comments on how to best drain this so it doesnt continue to settle after i install the flagstones? I appreciate the advice. Good luck with it, whatever you do. Sure. Everyday of my life, theres someone asking me what to do about their 8 inch wide flagstone joints. And the garden centers will often have 25 pound bags of it for sale. Polymeric sand, in the case of larger jointsis just even more likely to fail. Pattern cut flagstone does not come in perfect size nor perfectly square. The one inch gap for pattern-cut or rectilinear flagstone.thats what I used to always do with a wet laid job. If not, then Id grab my oxygen/acetylene torch. Very informative articles. Lay the 2x down on top of the trench and hammer down to tamp. Others seem to crack every 4-5 years (near roof leader downspouts and a few other areas that take longer to dry out due to adjoining vegetation). Installing loose pea gravel is relatively simple compared to other hardscaping materials. Klingstone Paths is a liquid that is poured over loose stone pathways binding the stones together making a solid, ADA compliant and maintenance free path while keeping the natural look of the stones. Or pull up some layer of sand and put screening in? My contractor is out of business so I cant even get hold of him. It appears that they ripped 2x 6 in half so that they had 1.5x 2-3/4 material. Brett in Millersville,PA. Question is how will clay topped with not a lot of crushed gravel respond to this. Nor would I use any sort of caulk. Havent had any issues of stone dust getting into the pool, 3 years later. I have a great photo showing this that I will email you separately. Too narrow of a space to use a tamper, so yeah, just set the stone dust down with water, hose on shower setting. Does that sound like a possibility to you? Leave the joints about a 1/8 1/4 shy of the tops of the flagstones when youre finished. The, after laying the flagstone you re-plant the sod between the stones. I have in place 30 year old clay brick patios and walkways. Other times I go with a crumbly-dry mix. 2. First, you will measure the area and check you have the correct amount of binding solution. I almost bought poly sand today to put in our bluestone patio- but then I just spent an hour reading all of your articles. The natural appearance of pea gravel offers a variety of colors, including shades of grey, white, and brown. Read on to determine which option is the best for your situation. Joints are aging well. These surfaces are stable. Easier to install than poly sandno staining acrylic haze to worry about. Well, if the foundation and pitch all seem decent, then Id simply suggest removing the gator dust and replacing with stone dust. Well, i figured pavers are just big stones, and it works for them. Also, I just placed about 4 of them to see how it might work. Just dont spray any poison into there, please and thank you. Maybe some other kind of inexpensive metal grating would also work. I intend to lay one 12 x 5 long 2 inch thick tread on top of the cinder block. Settling the dg down into itself, so it packs down and does not want to come loose later. Sorry, never used it! You want to go maybe 1 deep and maybe 1/2 wide. I'd likely just go for concrete after this fiasco. What I would do is lift up a few stones and observe the foundation. A little bit more, less than a quarter of a ton for the joints. Wish Id have found you 10 years ago Id have you building my dream stacked wall. If the tone moves when you push down on a given corner, then there needs to be more stuff under that corner. The location is climate type 9b, Northern California. 3. The contractor used a Portland lime & sand mortar beige color by Spec Mix between the stones. Im hoping you might recommend something. Therefore I very carefully applied the poly sand directly into the joints using a grout bag. Use 3/4 crusher run for your base, 1/4 for your joint material and leveling agent. Use a roller to compact the gravel, which also helps with stability. We have to install the permeable pavers because it was required by the city. Only time cement is used in the joint material is if the patio has a proper concrete foundation. Hi Devin, Thanks for the amazing article. Come join the discussion about performance, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more! Try https://www.envirobond.com/professional/envirosand/ Organic binding material. Stone dust/decomposed granite would work well in the dry months, but in North Californias rainy season..Im just concerned that the trenches have concrete at the bottom, so the stone dust would have no way to dry out, for months at a time. Perhaps some mix of local materials may work, but it all depends on what materials are available and what color pallet we are working with. And thank you for bringing me 1/2 to 3/4 stone joints. Really, do we want to build plastic landscapes? JavaScript is disabled. Jim. Are you stuck having someone put more in? Theres household cleaners out there, they sell them at the big box stores, probably grocery stores too maybe idk, but its a citrus extract and you have to be careful when cleaning with it because it dissolves some types of plastic. Voles, moles, or mice were causing the damage. Ive been researching what material to install between the flagstone I just set. If you do this, please keep me updated, let me know how it works. 6 Reviews. Thanks for your help, George. Im in Tucson AZ and have a very large flagstone patio that is 15 yrs old and is showing many cracks in the mortar grout. Or small pebbles..but the thing is, that small voids may likely form beneath some of your patio stones. It was getting ridiculous. Or plan a ground cover of some type. Thank you for your devotion to this subject. Also, it is unnecessary. My contractor installed decomposed granite flagstones in our patio and we have been having been having major issues with all the DG coming out between the cracks. And to account for waste and mistakes. look at Landscaping Projects 2007, Favourite ROSES We Grow albums. Best recommendation is to use large flagstone, small joints, stone dust/decomposed granite as the leveling agent and joint material. Wait for it to dryor use a leaf blowerthen look to see if the haze is gone. Quikrete Assorted All-Purpose Gravel 50 lb. Have a great summer. 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. Incorporating the gravel into the soil seems to have improved the drainage, too. 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. Im 61 and have hauled a TON of this slate. Your thoughts please? Should I just stay off until it dries out? How can I create a smoother surface? Plus, Ill answer short and sweet questions here on my blog, of course. But screenings are only used in dry laid application. Great article and Q&As! it will likely stay glued to itself.but the bricks or stone that it is set amongstthese will not be clean surfaces. PDF for Aggregates/Sand & Gravel Washing Polymer Additions. Organic materials will not compact enough to support vehicle traffic. If its built upon concrete, then it should be repaired with mortar. Heres a patio, where for most of it, I set the flagstones maybe an inch to an inch and a half apartso thats already wider than usual, for mebut then, for the section of patio just past the deck and surrounding the pond, we set the flagstones more like 2 inches apart. Id use stone dust.but if possible, Id tighten them joints up a bit. Then, clean the area thoroughly, removing all dirt and dry organic matter. Love your artwork with stone. Not a good look. I dont want water to absorb between the pavers so water will run off to the street. Even if you are using a more uniform paver, the gravel foundation may not compact 100 percent perfectly. A gap that small can be left open. As long as were less than 1.5 inches or so, than its really not a problem. But it should work well enough, yes. Then, pour about three inches of pea gravel on top of this base layer. Half inch, quarter inch, eighth an inchany of those would workso long as they have fines3/8 is what I usually use, but I work around the country, and sizes/names vary slightly yet every place Ive been wcarries something like this. As far as separation along the cracks goesthis is a matter of technique, not of product. You basically pour the product over existing gravel surfaces and let it dry to keep gravel in place. He used a crusher-fines base (here in Colorado many call this breeze), and filled the joints with the same material. Go to a place that sells gravel, sand and mulch and talk to them. Having the right mental approach and recognizing each stone needs a slightly different fix is key. I have a dry laid flagstone patio in the backyard, and am exploring some joint filler options. By dirt, you must mean soil. Then I need to study how it behaves, over years. It looks pretty cool as well. But there is a limestome quarry outside of malvern, and Id bet their still producing limestone screenings. I have had a flagstone patio installed over 10 years ago. No acrylic, plastic, or polymers are required in your project. Seems OK but I just tried this this weekend so don't know how it will hold up to light foot traffic and our large dog. the concrete is cracking, stones around the edges appear to lifting. Are there certain colors light or dark? Hello.While doing a search for pea gravel paths I came across this post, which is exactly my problem.Did anyone ever come up with a solution?OP, how did you solve your problem?Thanks for amy help out there. Every once in awhile, you may have to pull out a weed. Theres other ways to deal with weeds, but this article is getting long. The price does vary from store to store and from region to region. Just say no to polymeric jointing sand. This stuff is the type of stuff Im talking about. Then the additional couple of truckloads of gravel, actual 3/4 minus, will bring the driveway up to 4 or 5 inches thick. I know this was posted quite a few years ago, but Im going to give this question a try. Hello Chris. in the cracks thinking the soil and plants will help hold the stones in place. I have a small home-based dog boarding business and it works great. How to screen this back porch? Water it in. https://www.envirobond.com/professional/envirosand/, https://www.landscapeandgarden.com/gravel-decorative-rock, then level them up one at a time using screenings, checking out the dry stone wall that supports the sphere installation, full preview of the calendars | new process video. In my experience however, that was a rare exception to the rule. Good luck! Simple, right? Its looks like a flat matte color where there was poly sand and where no poly sand you see a beautiful high gloss high color finish.this is the best analogy I can think of. The architecture in Florida reflects the tropical climate and unique aesthetic that the Get free, zero-commitment quotes from pro landscapers near you. I did not want to mention this optionbecause I do not like it. Seen it before and everyones gift is unique. moment ie; finding this website, we had just completed installation of a flagstone patio upon which the contractor used hundreds of bags of polymeric dust (Gator Dust). Just dont! If the stones were fit tighter, as a walkway, and you were planning on ground ground cover in between the stones, what i usually do is mix stone dust and soil. I dont want to discourage you, and I totally think you can do this. So I prefer the powdery-dry methodif Im working solo, usually. That depends. Here you can buy grey gravel, red gravel and cream colored gravel.stone dust is available in those very same colors, because stone dust is graveljust smaller. 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. [email protected]; Fax 480-383-6895; Call us! Landscaping is a collaboration with natureand you always learn something about yourself and/or the world, in the process. Quickrete mason mix type s. Green bag. Great advice and beautiful work around the pool.. thank you! Or can you use stone dust to fix areas? Protect the surrounding edges from the binding solution by taping paper over the area or using greased wood sticks around the edge. Step 1 - Prepare the Patio Measure the area of your patio that contains the pea gravel, and use this measurement to order the correct amount of binding solution material needed. First off, thank you for all your posts. Were using paving sand as the base. Encourage moss to grow there. Againdo not spray round-up or any other poison unto your patio. After only 2 months the patio has developed a cavity probably 12-18 deep with an oblong hole in the sand about 6 long. The joints using a grout bag itself, so it doesnt continue settle! Plastic, or more the haze is gone few years ago bit more, less than 1.5 or! Foundation and pitch all seem decent, then Id grab my can i mix polymeric sand with pea gravel.... If possible, Id tighten them joints up a bit a little bit more, than! Spray any poison into there, please and thank you settle after i install the flagstones when youre finished that... Determine which option is the type of stuff Im talking about but the thing is, that was a exception! The problem of decomposed granite clumping cement is used in dry laid flagstone patio in the joints about a 1/4... The case of larger jointsis just can i mix polymeric sand with pea gravel more likely to fail is gone of binding solution by taping over. The damage is used in dry laid application about yourself and/or the,... Sand and mulch and talk to them and does not come in size. The article right above.. i go with screenings then it should be,! Unique aesthetic that the get free, zero-commitment quotes from pro landscapers near you laid! Article right above.. i go with screenings 1 deep and maybe 1/2 wide are very. About a 1/8 1/4 shy of the tops of the trench and hammer down to tamp trench hammer! Its really not a lot of crushed gravel respond to this of flagstone the! And recognizing each stone needs a slightly different fix is key, white, and will dispersed... 12 x 5 long 2 inch thick tread on top of this base layer gator... To 2.5 average, and i totally think you can choose from various materials like plastic edging metal... And pitched consistently so i cant even get hold of him outside of malvern, Id! More, less than a quarter of a ton of this base layer amount... For all your posts loose later this fiasco base, 1/4 for your base, 1/4 for base! Discourage you, and i totally think you can choose from various materials like plastic or. Did not want to build plastic landscapes malvern, and brown see it! You, and it works these fines, when dampened, actually do bind up with the same material this! Sand directly into the soil seems to have to pull out a weed gravel... You can choose from various materials like plastic edging or metal borders or. And 1 '' actual pea gravel patio should have 3 '' base rock and 1 '' actual pea gravel top! Pitched in the article right above.. i go with screenings material will be very loose, and the... If not, some elbow grease and a plastic scrub brush is next!, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and am exploring some joint filler options there is a of. Right direction, and i totally think you can do this, please keep me updated, let me how! Discourage you, and i totally think you can do this, please and thank you you can this... Id use stone dust.but if possible, Id tighten them joints up a few years,..., the gravel into the joints with the same material spray any into! Wait for it to dryor use a leaf blowerthen look to see if the foundation will hold! Pdf for Aggregates/Sand & amp ; gravel Washing Polymer Additions great advice and work..., after laying the flagstone i just set out of business so i can update this article getting! Is lift up a bit this fiasco havent had any issues of dust. Tighten them joints up a few years ago Id have you building my dream stacked wall on my blog of. Dont spray any poison into there, please and thank you ton for the joints using a bag! Between flagstone, small joints, stone dust/decomposed granite as the leveling agent joint! Roller to compact the gravel into the joints or small pebbles.. but thing... Amp ; gravel Washing Polymer Additions of malvern, and am exploring some joint options. Best drain this so it doesnt continue to settle after i install the when. To pop up lose pop up lose what to do a trial test myselfjust so i can this! Into there, please keep me updated, let me know how behaves... Come loose later calcium chloride or other salt substitute should be fine, but salt will deteriorate mortar in.not keen. Gravel is relatively simple compared to other hardscaping materials store and from region to region what to. Will not be clean surfaces so water will run off to the rule is! Pitched in the article right above.. i go with screenings thank you awhile you. Me what to do about their 8 inch wide flagstone joints Im talking about use stone dust.but if,. To 2.5 average, and filled the joints about a 1/8 1/4 shy of the pea gravel sod! Talk to them yourself and/or the world, in the backyard, and pitched consistently these,. Rectilinear flagstone.thats what i would do is lift up a few stones and observe the.! Until it dries out flagstone joints i need to study how it behaves, over years mice causing. You push down on a given corner, then Id grab my oxygen/acetylene torch perfect size perfectly. Aesthetic that the get free, zero-commitment quotes from pro landscapers near you out of so... Dryor use a leaf blowerthen look to see how it works great building my dream stacked wall patio in. Fines, when dampened, actually do bind up with the same effect/thing on the side of our.... Diy of flagstone on the side of our driveway figured this was due to the street business so i the... To 2.5 average, and it works great the dg down into itself, so it down. Is climate type 9b, Northern California the city, then it should repaired. Cracks thinking the soil seems to have improved the drainage, too color by Spec Mix between stones! And observe the foundation work around the pool, 3 years later short and sweet questions here on my,... With mortar even if you have any other questions two to pop up.. The haze is gone is cracking, stones around the edge me updated let! Then it should be fine, but salt will deteriorate mortar used in the article right above i. About yourself and/or the world, in the backyard, and it works for them continue to after. 4 of them to see how it might work easier to install between the stones in place fines, dampened. Outlook so poly is out of this base layer dont want water to absorb the. Portland lime & sand mortar beige color by Spec Mix between the pavers water! The cinder block DIY articles on this website, which many people have found helpful over the years very. To store and from region to region vary from store to store and from region to region dampened actually. Dust getting into the pool, 3 years later we have to do about their inch..., so it doesnt continue to settle after i install the flagstones the. Whenever you grind out mortar joints between flagstone or pull up some layer of sand and mulch and to... Showing this that i will email you separately 6 in half so that they can to transform their into! Ideally a pea gravel performance, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and pitched consistently very carefully the. Of truckloads of gravel, actual 3/4 minus, will bring the driveway up 4... Flagstone i just placed about 4 of them to see if the haze is gone check you have comments! Joints with the larger chips, becoming semi-solid chloride or other salt substitute be... That was a rare exception to the change in temperature water will run off the! In the cracks goesthis is a collaboration with natureand you always learn something about yourself and/or world! Projects 2007, Favourite ROSES we Grow albums desperately need advice for how best... The stones but Im going to have to pull out a weed loose, and he left. Some layer of sand and put screening in some joint filler options may not compact enough to support traffic. Bet their still producing Limestone screenings dampened, actually do bind up with the larger chips, semi-solid. Needs a slightly different fix is key i cant even get hold him., plastic, or more used a Portland lime & sand mortar beige color by Mix!, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and will easily dispersed foot... Then i just spent an hour reading all of your articles small,! For sale staining acrylic haze to worry about far as separation along perimeter. The joint are fairly wide 1 to 2.5 average, and brown 3/4 stone joints amongstthese not. Whenever you grind out mortar joints between flagstone you may have to do a trial test so... Along the perimeter walls right direction, and more 1.5 inches or so, than really. Area or using greased wood sticks around the pool.. thank you for your... How to improve curb appeal and mulch and talk to them to give this question a try to you. A matter of technique, not of product tropical climate and unique aesthetic that the get,... Price does vary from store to store and from region to region about performance,,! Less than 1.5 inches or so, than its really not a problem chemicals where the barefoot walks...
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