How to Make a Slate Patio

Slate pieces come in a variety of colors and sizes that will blend in with the outdoor environment.

If you are looking for a building material for your patio that will blend in with the environment, try using slate. Slate comes in many different earthy tones and colors that will complement your outdoor space. The stone also comes in tiles or as rough pieces. Use slate in different shapes and sizes to give your patio a more natural look. Also, for an easier installation, install the pieces on a sand bed.

Things You'll Need

• Wood stakes
• Twine
• Shovel
• Power tamper (optional)
• Gravel
• Landscape fabric
• Sand
• 2-inch thick piece of lumber
• Slate pieces
• Broom
• Garden hose

Instructions

1. Measure out the length and dimensions for your patio by using a tape measure. At each corner of the proposed patio, drive a wood stake in the ground. Then rope off the site by tying each of the wooden stakes together with twine.

2. Excavate the inside the area that you have roped off. Use a shovel and remove all of the dirt and sod. Dig down to a depth of 6 inches.

3. Pour 4 inches of gravel over the entire excavated area. Pack the gravel by tamping it with a shovel. Tamp the gravel until it is tightly packed and level. If you are working on a large area, you may consider using a power tamper to pack the gravel.

4. Spread a landscape fabric over the gravel. This fabric will eliminate the possibility of weeds growing through the gravel and popping up between pieces of slate. Roll the fabric out and cut it to fit. Allow each piece of fabric to overlap by 6 inches.

5. Place a 2-inch thick piece of lumber in the middle of the excavated site. Pour the sand on top of the landscape fabric. Once the piece of lumber is covered, you will know you have poured 2 inches of sand.

6. Remove the piece of lumber from the sand. Then dampen the sand bed by lightly spraying it with a garden hose. You can use the same piece of lumber to screed the sand bed. Drag the lumber over the sand to smooth it out.

7. Take the slate pieces and configure a pattern next to the sand bed. By performing a dry run, you can see how the pieces of slate will look and fit together before placing them in the sand. Once you have come up with a pattern, take the pieces of slate and move them to the sand bed one by one.

8. Push the pieces of slate into the sand bed. Use a rubber mallet to gently pound the slate into place. Use a straightedge to make sure that each piece of slate is level with the neighboring stones. Keep placing stones until they are all set.

9. Cover the entire patio with more sand. Sweep the sand into the cracks between the pieces of slate. Then use a garden hose to dampen the sand and pack it between the slate pieces.

References

• "The Complete Guide to Patios: Plan, Build and Maintain"; Philip Schmidt; 2007
• "Start-To-Finish Patios"; Larry Erickson; 2004

Resources

• Paver Search