Patio Design

• Creating a design plan is a key part of the building process because it prompts you to adapt your vision for the patio with the actual logistics of your backyard. Take your sketch pad outside and measure the space you have available for the patio. As you consider different shapes, consider the amount of sun the area receives and where you'll put your furniture. Once you know the shape, decide if you'll use bluestone tiles or snapped pieces. Tiles create a formal, polished look, while the snapped pieces have a rustic charm.
  
  

Laying the Foundation

• There are two types of foundations you can choose for a bluestone patio: concrete and mortar or gravel and sand. When poured correctly, concrete provides a strong base. The mortar holds the stones where you set them and less maintenance is required. Mortar hardens quickly so you have to work fast to set the stones, leaving less time to perfect each placement and more room for error.
  
  Building a gravel and sand base, also known as dry installation, has a number of benefits for novice do-it-yourselfers. Dry installation requires a 5- to 8-inch bed of compacted gravel topped with sand bedding. The gravel facilitates drainage, and once the sand is added you can take your time placing the stones, adjusting each until they are even.
  
  

Setting the Bluestones

• Whether you lay a concrete or gravel base, dry-laying the bluestones in an area beside the patio site will help you figure out exactly where to place each stone. You can number the pieces in chalk in the order you will lay them. Bluestone tiles have straight edges so you can set them flush against each other. Try to keep the spaces between snapped pieces within 1 to 2 inches. Make sure that each new stone you set is even with the stones around it so your surface will be flat.
  
  

Maintenance

• Maintaining the look and strength of a bluestone patio is not difficult. If the joints between the stones are filled with sand, you'll need to refill the sand at the beginning of spring so the stones remain locked in place. If your joints are filled with grout, look for cracks each year. Small cracks can be repaired with epoxy of cement patch, but large cracks may indicate a larger problem with the foundation, which calls for a professional.
  
  Weather-resistant sealing will minimizes fading or bluestones, make stones easier to clean and preserves the strength of the joints. Apply sealant with a roller paint brush or spray pump brush every 2 to 3 years.