Flagstone patios and walkways: base and installation guide
Flagstone is flat, split stone used for patios, walkways and stepping stones. A good base underneath is what keeps it level.
- Base
- About 4 in compacted road base (more for heavy use)
- Setting bed
- About 1 in sand or decomposed granite
- Joints
- Decomposed granite, gravel, sand or groundcover
Building the base
Excavate, compact the subgrade, then lay road base in layers and compact each one. Slope the surface slightly so water drains away from buildings. Clay soil that shifts with moisture makes a solid base especially important in Central Texas.
Setting the stone
Screed a thin setting bed of sand or decomposed granite, bed each stone firmly, and fill the joints. For mortared flagstone, a concrete slab is typically used instead.
About the stone
We don't sell flagstone itself. We deliver the base, setting and joint materials, and you can use our calculator on each material page to estimate tons.
Materials we deliver for this project
Get the bulk materials delivered by the ton across Austin and Central Texas.