Bluestone Patio Installation in MA

Bluestone patio installation is a favorite choice among homeowners for natural stone patios in MA.  Bluestone is a type of sedimentary stone common to the New York/Pennsylvania area.  As a sedimentary stone, bluestone is formed in layers deep below the earth’s surface.  As bluestone is quarried, the naturally occurring layers make it great for producing wide, flat, patio stones.

Bluestone is readily available in New England and is the go-to choice for natural stone patios.  It is attractive with subtle blue/gray/purple hues, quick to install, durable, and provides a timeless look.   There are a variety of different types of bluestone patios to choose from.  Whatever variety you choose it is sure to look great and last a lifetime.

Bluestone Patio Installation Process:

The bluestone patio installation process is fairly straightforward but does take a lot of attention to detail and hard work.  The process starts by first excavating an adequate base.  The base depth will depend on the existing soils but is usually ~8-10″.   The goal is to remove all of the organic soils that will hold moisture, and reach the firmly packed, well drained, sandy/stony subsoils below.   

Once we have removed all undesirable soils we compact the subsoil, and then lay our base material.  The base material will consist of crushed stone that gets spread in 4″ increments, and compacted.  Compacting it every 4″ ensures proper compaction of the base so that your patio doesn’t settle. 

After the base material is compacted we spread a 1″ layer of finer crushed stone or sand.  This layer of finer material is much more workable than the larger gravel and makes it easier to and set the stones in.  When spreading the bedding layer we pay close attention to pitch so the patio has a ~1% pitch for drainage.   This ensures that water will runoff the patio instead of puddling and working it’s way underneath.  

 

Next we lay the patio stones paying special attention to the pattern and mix of stones, square, level, and joint spacing.  Once all the stones are set we spread joint material and secure the edge.  A plastic edging strip will get staked into the ground with steel stakes.  This ensures the edge stones don’t tip or migrate over time.  For the joints we sweep in the same bedding material, or, a special polymeric sand that looks like sand, but hardens up like a firm rubber.  This polymer sand is meant to discourage weeds and insects from coming through the patio joints.

Why Concord Stoneworks?

At Concord Stoneworks we ensure our bluestone patios are made to the absolute highest quality.  Proper base prep, pitch, pattern, and joint size make for a cohesive patio that looks great and lasts.   A good bluestone patio installation will add value, beauty, and function to any landscape.

Interested in discussing your next bluestone patio installation?  Contact us for a free consultation.