Top 3 Ways To Use Flagstone In Your Landscaping

Natural stone usually makes for optimal ground cover in yards and gardens. It is low maintenance, has a distinct look, and could help draw the different features of your landscaping design into a coherent whole. Flagstone is regarded as a landscape chameleon since it is one of the materials widely used for multiple landscaping projects. This natural stone material typically comes in flat, thin layers of sedimentary rock like sandstone, bluestone, and slate. Depending on the quality of the sub-soil present in your yard, a soil base could be an excellent platform for installing flagstones, or you could have them layered over gravel. Preparation of your yard is crucial to achieving a neat look that will last for decades or even a century.

Flagstone is an incredibly versatile material that you could use to meet various landscaping needs. Here are the top 3 ways to use flagstone in your landscaping.

Using Flagstones in Your Landscaping

1. Building a Flagstone Patio

Having a flagstone patio will be a classic addition to your living space. The easiest way for you to construct an attractive patio is to lay the stone on a sand bed and later fill the joints with some gravel. This will create a casual patio setting which is not necessarily long-lasting.

If you want something more substantial, however, you will need to start by laying a concrete bed and then place your flagstones like concrete pavers. Putting concrete alone between the stones is not the best idea since it is not stable and could end up cracking in the joints. For a well-constructed and genuinely long-lasting flagstone patio, it would be advisable that you hire a professional for the job. This way, you are guaranteed to have a quality addition to your outdoor living space.

2. Create Outdoor Seating

You could create outdoor seats by stacking flagstone and placing mortar between the stone slabs. While this is an excellent idea, it would not be advisable that you go too high with the seat. The ideal height, in this case, would be 18 to 22 inches. You could construct the base with flagstone and have smooth capstone on top to offer a comfortable seating place.

Flagstone seats could be excellent additions for those who have outdoor fire pits. It provides a uniform appearance since the flagstone you used for the patio could be used in the fire pit, and they will all match. If you want to explore some creativity, it would be a good idea if you used flagstone in contrasting textures and colors.

3. Flagstone Steps

You could connect different levels of your yard with attractive stone stairs. Flagstone steps are much preferred because they are natural-looking and durable. Typically, flagstone is not sufficiently thick to make a complete step alone so you might need mortar to create the layers.

It would help if you bore in mind that the steps should be well-made for durability and safety. It is also advisable that you plant ground covering vegetation – creeping thyme or moss – between flagstones to create stability and soften the rock edges.