Paver and Natural stone installation

Walkways & Patio Areas

Pavers: Pavers are, in our opinion, usually the best option for a walkway, patio, or any outdoor area that you want to add a premium or unique aesthetic to; from natural, modern, cobblestone, porcelain, to more common “brick style” holland stone or even pavers that replicate flagstone at a fraction of the cost.

Unlike concrete, pavers (with poly sand) create a flexible hardscape, which means if the ground settles, shifts, or a tree root grows under it, it takes a significantly greater force to cause pavers to crack or to break. Because a paver hardscape is a flexible system consisting of thousands of interlocking pieces, it naturally flexes with seasonal ground movement without cracking.

And when damage does occur you don’t have to replace the entire installation, just fix the problem areas.

Unmatched Structural Strength: Individual (high-end) pavers are incredibly dense and highly resistant to chipping, cracking, or splitting under heavy loads.

Pavers do come with their own disadvantages as well, unlike concrete, pavers need the binding agent replaced every 3-10 years to insure water & weeds don’t make their way to the base. It is fairly cost effective to do but if you forget to it can lead to long term failures in the drainage system. Another massive issue is during installation, any corner cut or slight mistake will lead to a failure in a paver system, be sure you are thorough if you plan to DIY.

Natural Flagstones

Flagstone offers an authentic, timeless, and completely unique look. Because every stone is quarried directly from the earth, no two pieces are identical in shape, color variation, or texture.

  • The Installation Method: Flagstone can be installed using two distinct methods:

    1. Dry-Laying (Flexible Base): Similar to the paver method, large, irregular stones are meticulously fit together like a giant puzzle over a compacted gravel and sand base. The wide joints are filled with crushed stone dust or stable polymeric sand.

    2. Wet-Laying (Rigid Base): The stones are mortared directly onto a freshly poured slab, The joints are then filled with jointing mortar.

  • The Advantages:

    • High-End Organic Aesthetic: Natural stone delivers an irreplaceable, high-end look that matures beautifully over time, developing a rich patina that concrete cannot replicate.

  • The Disadvantages:

    • High Labor Costs: Fitting irregular flagstones together is a slow art form. It requires an experienced craftsman to hand-tool, cut, and shape the stones so the joint lines remain narrow and clean.

    • Uneven Surfaces: Because flagstone is split naturally, individual stones have slight thickness variances. This can result in minor ridges that make patio some outdoor furniture and appliances not suited for it.