A patio set with natural stones can create a beautiful hardscape surface that will last many years when it is installed properly. Here are some recommendations for you to plan and install a stone hardscape patio in your backyard.

Grade the Soil

As with any construction, the foundation is the most important element of the success of your project. A poor foundation is going to allow for air pockets that sink over time and moisture that will intrude into the materials and erode the soil out from under all your hard work. 

So, before you even plan out the exact placement of your new pavers or flagstones, be sure you complete a full surface level to the soil of the site. This should also coincide with excavating any soil that is present on the site where you will need to set your foundation's layers. Your site needs to be level but also the right elevation so that you will have the space to accommodate a new layer of base drainage materials, which also help reduce weed growth problems.

Set the Foundation

To place your new foundation for your stone hardscape, you will need an adequate layer of crushed stone that you have compacted downward to minimize the number of air pockets and reduce settling. You can use a compacting machine, a roller compactor, or a hand tamp to help you get it into place.

If you are hiring a professional contractor to do the work, they will have the equipment to properly set the foundation into place to minimize damage later on. However, be sure your contractor provides you a guarantee on their work so if there are any problems down the line, they will come and repair it for no additional cost.

Upon the layer of crushed and compacted stone will be layered the sand that will support each individual stone and hold them steadily in place. There are many different grades of sand and not all of them have the good drainage that your stone paving surface requires to allow rain and sprinklers to drain through the pavement. Look for a good quality washed concrete sand, which is also called bedding sand, to lay down in a layer approximately one inch in thickness. This type of sand is a coarse sand, which won't trap any excess moisture within the sand layer or around your paver stones. 

When you are ready to set the stones, be sure you press the stones to wedge them into the concrete sand, then fill the edges around each stone with additional sand.