How to Build a Flagstone Driveway
Flagstones are irregular shaped stones that sit flat on the ground and have numerous colors embedded throughout them. They are very close together in a puzzle-like pattern and the grooves between contain sand or sometimes grass and vegetation. Flagstones are durable enough to use for both pathways and full driveways. Installing a flagstone driveway is similar to installing a path, except that it has a much larger width to accommodate vehicles. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Garden hose
- Shovel
- Bulldozer (optional)
- Mechanical roller
- Crushed stone base
- Bow rake
- Course sand
- Flagstones
- Rubber mallet
- Wheelbarrow
- Cement
- Push broom
Instructions
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Lay two garden hoses on the ground to designate the sides of the driveway. Move the hoses around until you are happy with the results. Insert a shovel into the soil beside the hoses repeatedly along the length to designate the perimeter of the driveway.
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2
Move the hoses out of the way and dig out the inside of the driveway to a depth of at least 9 or 10 inches. You can use a shovel to remove the soil or rent a professional bulldozer. Place all of the removed soil into a wheelbarrow and move it to another area of the yard.
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3
Compact the area tightly using a mechanical roller and pushing the roller over the soil at a slow, steady pace.
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4
Install 6 inches of a crushed stone base inside the dug out area. Smooth the surface of the material out evenly using a bow rake and then roll it with the mechanical roller to compact it.
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5
Spread 4 inches of course sand on top of the rock, again smoothing it out evenly and then compacting it tightly.
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Fill a wheelbarrow with a mixture of 4 parts sharp sand to 1 part cement and mix thoroughly. Add water to the mixture and stir until it is the consistency of peanut butter. Spread the mixture over the surface of the driveway to a 3-inch depth.
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Walk to one end of the driveway and begin laying out the flagstones onto it, leaving a 1/4 inch or less space between them. Tap the top of each stone with a rubber mallet to settle it. Arrange each stone like a puzzle so it fits close to its neighbor. Continue until the entire driveway has flagstones on it.
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Create a new mixture of six parts of sand and one part cement in the wheelbarrow and use a shovel to dump it onto the flagstones. Do not add water directly to the mix, since this is a dry mortar mix. Push the mixture deep into the cracks using a push broom until they are completely filled. Water the driveway with a fine spray to activate the mortar mixture.
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References
- Photo Credit Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
