How to Lay Bluestone Tiles Outdoors
Bluestone tile is a form of natural stone that is colored blue. The color, durability and large selection of sizes and shapes make bluestone tiles popular for all types of projects around the home. Outdoors, bluestone tiles give functional areas, such as walkways and patios, an organic feel and an artistic flare with their blue color. The average homeowner can lay bluestone tiles themselves outdoors. Learn how to lay a simple walkway using bluestone tiles. The same principles for laying the walkway apply to other projects in which the homeowner would like to use bluestone tiles outdoors. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Gravel
- Coarse sand
- Shovel
- Rake
- Level
- Rubber mallet
- Broom
- Compactor machine or hand-held tamper
Instructions
-
-
1
Determine how wide and how long you want to make your walkway. Multiply the length by the width to determine the total area in square feet being covered with your bluestone tiles. This will tell you how many square feet of tiles you will need to purchase.
-
2
Decide what pattern you want to use in the design of your walkway. A popular pattern, for instance, is herringbone. You might decide, however, that you just want evenly sized square tiles laid in a straight line. The pattern you decide to use will determine the size and shape of the bluestone tiles you need to purchase (see links in Resources).
-
-
3
Purchase the tiles you need, once you have decided the size and shape of the tiles you need, along with the total square feet of the area you are covering. Bluestone tiles can be found at home improvement stores, stonemasonry shops or any company that specializes in outdoor pavers. Ask the person at the store to help you determine how many tiles you need to cover your area. After that has been decided, add about 10 to 15 percent to the total number of tiles. This will give you extra tiles in case of breakage or in the event you find you have not measured correctly. It is always better to have too many tiles than not enough.
-
4
Dig out the area to be paved. The depth should be about 6 inches. Lay your base. You need a base on which to lay your bluestone tiles. Lay a 3-inch base of gravel. It is best if you put down one inch of gravel at a time and use your compactor or hand-held tamper to tamp down each layer of gravel. Add 1-inch coarse sand and rake it level. Use your rented compactor or hand-held tamper to tamp down this layer of sand.
-
5
Lay the tile. Your bluestone tiles need to be laid by hand. Use your rubber mallet to hammer each tile firmly into place. Use your level to make sure the tiles are level with one another as you go along. If a tile is too far into the surface, add sand underneath it and hammer into place. Keep the gaps between the tiles as uniform as possible.
-
6
Set the tiles. Once all tiles have been laid and are level, pour some coarse sand onto your walkway. Use a broom to sweep the sand into the cracks. Hose off the walkway and repeat the process of pouring the coarse sand onto the walkway, sweeping it into the cracks and then hosing off the walkway. (The water helps the sand settle into the gaps between your bluestone tiles.) Repeat this process as often as necessary until the cracks are completely filled. Your walkway is now ready for use.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Compactors can be rented from any equipment rental store. If you decide you want to use a hand-held tamper, check with the rental store for availability. You can also purchase the hand-held tampers at many home improvement stores. Consider using a different type of stone for the edges of your walkway to give your walkway a different look. Try to lay out your project so that you do not have to cut any stones. If you do need to cut stones, you will have to rent a wet-saw to do so. Use edge restraints if you think it would be easier to lay your bluestone tiles in a straight line. Plastic edge restraints can be purchased at your local home improvement store. They are flexible and come complete with plastic stakes to use to hold the edge restraints in place. Just remember to remove the edge restraints once you have finished laying your bluestone tiles.
Larger projects, such as a pool surround, might require more digging--and necessitate the need to rent a backhoe--and more expertise than you possess. For example, a concrete base may need to be laid instead of a gravel and sand base. For larger projects, consider consulting a professional.
