Laying Patio Stones
Patios are favorite home additions because they provide an ideal space for families to enjoy and relax outdoors. There are different styles and designs of patios. One element that completes the overall look of the patio is the surface. We can use a number of materials to pave your patio including patio stones, which are one of the most popular choices.
Patio stones, also called slabs or flags, are made of pressed concrete. These blocks are flat and either rectangular or square. Patio stones, which are five centimeters thick, come in standard sizes of 60 x 60 centimeters or 60 x 75 centimeters up to 60 x 90 centimeters.
Usually, patio stones are grey or dark grey in color much like concrete. Earthy colors such as terra cotta or red are also common. More unique colors are now widely available so you can easily pick out the color of patio stones that will match your garden’s color scheme. Others use two colors or more colors to create beautiful patterns. They work well with other patio or garden materials such as bricks and rocks, which you can use as borders.
The affordability of patio stones makes them an attractive choice. Obviously, plain stones are cheaper but patio stones look better. Additionally, they are easy to put in because of their uniform thickness. Patio stones are ideal surfaces for walkways or areas with foot traffic..
When laying patio stones, or any surface material, keep your hands and feet protected by wearing work or gardening gloves and boots. To install patio stones, begin by removing the grass from the area. After clearing the grass, build a frame for the patio area. You can use aluminum or treated lumber among other materials. Support the outside edges of the frame with stakes.
Then, put about 1 inch of sand over the area and then level the sand and tamp with a hand or mechanical tamper to make it compact. You can also spray it carefully with water making sure to spray upwards. Next, place the patio stones in the area starting from one corner. Check if the patio stones are level. Fill spaces with sand and then sweep the area. To add some touch to your patio stone surface, leave 60 to 90 centimeters of space across the area unpaved and add some plants. Depending on how big the area you will be working on, this project is something you can do yourself or with the help of a couple of friends.
