Given the variety of masonry products and materials the designs for masonry projects and in particular patios and walkways can seem to have almost endless possibilities. Working with flagstone alone the stone can be laid out in fitted irregular layouts like we did with the decking in our Hewlett Koi Pond project (photos 13, 14, 15, & 16) or using cut stone you can have an ordered geometric layout or one that is “random”.
The trouble is in planning and designing Random Cut Flagstone Patios and Walkway people are often stumped as to how to create a layout has a random look that that doesn’t generate a lot of wasted stone cutoffs. To accomplish that we use layout pattern that on a small scale looks random but on a larger macro scale repeats itself.
The trick is to produce a scale drawing of your project that defines the desired size and shape you want and to then lay scale drawing of the flagging pattern layout you find most pleasing to your taste (i.e. do you want your pattern to be predominantly small medium or large cut stones) over the top of your layout and piece the pattern templates together like a puzzle. To give a straight edge to the border of your layout when using patters such as these you use cuts from the stones on opposite side of the patterns to fill in the voids.
This plan (click for a larger view) illustrates how we used one of the patterns to layout a driveway entrance walkway with a quarter turn cut out of it to fit around and accent a nearby tree.
The patio layout patterns illustrated below are based on module size of 100 sf each while the flagstone walkway patterns are 3′ and 4′ wide in 12′ long modules.
Typically in the Westchester & Fairfield county areas we see a lot of homes with walks and patios done in Pennsylvania Flagstone which comes from quarries in Pennsylvania and the southern New York tier and depending upon the quarry and even the lot or palette we see a full range of color encompassing blue, green, brown, lilac, rust, and gunmetal. The natural cleft ( the flagstone is cleaved it along its bedding plane) gives the surface of the stone subtle natural variations which adds to it character and we recommend a trip to visit one of our stone suppliers to see the colors and variations yourself.
In addition to the Pennsylvania Flagstone we also see Vermont Slate (which can have even more dramatic pronounced color variations) and gauged thermal cut bluestone stone which is stone with four sawn edges, a sawn back, and a thermal (flamed) top face. The bluestone exhibits some variation it is valued for its blue to gray color range.
Random Cut Flagstone Patio Patterns
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Random Cut Flagstone Walkway Patterns
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Setting the Stones
After your stone has been selected, it is set in Portland cement (the result of a chemical process that combines limestone and other materials) and sand. The final process includes acid washing the walkway and surveying the surrounding project area for grading and repair. We apply topsoil and seed these areas, if necessary. Finally, after 60 days, for an additional charge, we can seal your project with sealant.
Special template patterns for building a cut dimensional bluestone or flagstone patio that has the appearance of a random cut stone layout.
flagstone, flagging, random, cut, template, pattern , bluestone, paving, patio, walkways, projects, landscape, design, construction, decorative stone, masonry, mason, concrete, stone dust, sand
Your paving layouts for 4 x 12 walkway actually show the 3 x12 pattern in both instances. Is it possible to see a 4 x 12? Thank you.