Bluestone Patio + Walkways

At this recently built home in Concord, MA the owners are looking to add a bluestone patio and bluestone walkway.

After discussing options we decide on thermal bluestone for the patio and bluestone stepping stones for the walkways. The stepping stone walkways save on material costs and labor and also compliment the modern style of the house.

Before

Before

Bluestone Patio + Walkway Prep

First the grades are set, the base is dug out, the subsoil compacted, and then filled with a crushed stone base. Proper base prep is important for a long lasting patio. When digging the base we want to remove all organic earth and/or clay until solid well drained subsoil is reached. In most areas this won’t be more than 8-12″ deep.

Bluestone Patio Prep

Bluestone Patio + Walkway Installation

After the base is prepped we lay a thin layer of bedding material to level and set the stones. Here we use 3/8″ crushed stone or “chip stone”. It is a fine gravel that spreads easily, provides a solid base, and good drainage.

The bluestone pattern is planned out ahead of time. The idea is to create a random pattern without any running joints or four corners. The walkway stones are spaced to create an easy stride.

The patio joints will be filled with the same chip stone to create a fully permeable system. More and more popular these days, a fully permeable patio eliminates potential drainage issues and puddling. It also means the patio does not have to sloped as much to shed water which can be visually noticeable against level lines on a house. The walkway joints will be filled with loam and seeded with grass.