How to Fix Patio Stones

Answered by Jeffrey ~ March 15th, 2010 | 2 Comments » | Respond to this question

We installed our own flagstones over our concrete patio in Macon. Now they’ve settled and cracked. I believe the surface has warped. Do you have a solution?

Howard J. ~ Macon, Georgia

Jeffrey Anderson

Hi Howard, Using flagstones for a patio can be tough.  They are thin, and crack very easily if they are not supported properly.  Water getting under them and freezing can also cause problems, but I wouldn’t think that would be an issue in Macon, Georgia.  I like using a concrete base, such as your concrete patio, and then spreading out about an inch or so of masonry sand.  Spread it evenly over the concrete, and you can use the sand to level out the patio if it is uneven in areas.

I prefer using brick pavers or landscaping pavers, as they have a little more substance than flagstone, but flagstone will also work.  Press each stone firmly into the sand, and use a level to keep the top of the stones even.  You want a little fall away from the house, so the water runs off, but not much.  Leave about 1/4-1/2 inch gap between the stones.  When you are finished laying the stones, go back and sweep sand into the gaps.  You may have to do this several times over a period of a week or so, until the sand completely settles.

This should give your flagstone enough support, and every spring you should spread a little additional sand in.  The other alternative would be to have a landscaping expert come in and do the patio.  They could do it very quickly, and probably very professionally.

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2 Responses to “How to Fix Patio Stones”

  1. Ted Ted says:
    May 20, 2010 at 4:08 pm

    How do I clean dried mortar off of blue stone patio stones? Got a bit messy while building a couple of steps.

    Reply
    • Jeffrey Anderson Jeffrey says:
      May 21, 2010 at 7:28 pm

      Hi Ted, if the mortar is in gobs and not just smeared, the first thing I would do is use a flat chisel and gently give the mortar a few whacks. Normally the chunks of mortar will break away. Be careful you don’t gouge or crack the patio stones. Then I would try household vinegar to remove the remaining mortar and stains. Before doing so, check with the quarry or home improvement store where you got the stones to make sure they aren’t a type of stone that might react adversely to an acid such as vinegar, you don’t want a stain that is worse than what you already have. If the vinegar doesn’t work, you might have to step it up a notch. Brick masons use various types of acid to clean the mortar off of brick they have installed. The acid is watered down, but you still must be very careful when using it, as it is still acid. The secret is using the right acid, as different types of brick have different cleaning recommendations. The most common type of acid used is muriatic, and it should be available at a building supply store, but DEFINITELY verify with the place you got the patio stones that you can use acid to clean the stones, and find out what type should be used and how much it should be diluted. After using acid thoroughly hose down the patio stones and everything around them, and use protective gloves and safety goggles while working with acid.

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