[ChestnutHillRd]

During site preparation, the client set aside a large number of flakes (large flat-ish pieces of granite). He wants these installed as in stepping stone paths in the less formal parts of the landscape. The flakes vary in weight from about 80 lbs to over 200 lbs. and frequently have a convex bottom face. Thickness varies from 6" to 10".

Given the variation is width and thickness, it looks like I'll have to pull each stone in out out several times to get them level at grade.

I'm not a hardscape person. Can anyone suggest nay tricks to make what appears to be a whole lot of work easier?

[jwholden]

I love the look of stepping stones and think they are a wonderful addition to any landscape. If I were doing that job this is how I would go about it

(1) Lay the stones out exactly where you want them to be while mixing up your sizes. I like to put a nice big one at the start of the path and if there are any Y's. I set the stones 26" ON CENTER so they have an orderly look. 26" is the lenght of an average persons stride though it always feels too short to me.
Some people set stepping stones in stone dust. With taters that size I would skip that part of the process, they're not going anywhere.

(2) Mark around the stone with your shovel and flip it to the side of the path and dig. If you are careful when you flip you can flip it back into the hole and it will still fit.

(3) Flip the stone back in the hole and see how close you are. After the first few your eye will tell you where to be.

(4) Once you are close enough use a prybar with one end designed as a tamper. Raise the stone with the bar or give it a gentle tamp to get it down lower. Once you are happy with where it is set tamp the ground under it with your bar so it won't move.

If I am setting the stone in a planting bed I like to leave them 2-3 inches high so they don't get lost in the mulch.

Finally, don't underestimate how long it takes to set those taters. This isn't HGTV and it's going to take more than a half hour!

Hope that helps.

John

P.S. Take my advice with a grain of salt, I just got trashed in the hardscaping forum for slow work methods.

[Stonehenge]

LOL - you didn't get trashed at all!! Just some other hardscapers that've been down that road before, trying to see if you can learn from their mistakes.

When we're placing stones like that, the convex ones are the biggest pain in the neck, because it's hard to set them in place without having any wobble.

We essentially do the same as JW, but we use a little sand in the excavation to help set the stone. We try to make a dish or rim of sand along the perimeter that will cradle the stone. This will leave a tiny gap between the stone and the earth below in the middle of the stone - this should allow the stones to be placed without any wobble.

[diginahole]

John- I hope you don't really feel like you got trashed it sure wasn't the intent.

I would use the same method as John recommends except I would dig the holes a little deeper and set the rock on some sopping wet sand and set them with sluggo (12 lb hammer) and a hunk of 2x4. The water seems to save lifting out the stones after they are in the first time. When attempting to streamline operations excessive material handling is a good place to look for places to shave time.

[jwholden]

I don't feel trashed at all. I have a sarcastic sense of humor, please don't feel you offended me in any way.

The reason I like this site as opposed to the many others is that I can get advice on how to do it better, not some smart A-- telling me that that I'm doing it wrong with no helpful input.

[BJR]

Why not set them on some mortar for stability?
Or does the ice in winter play a factor?

[dan deutekom]

I do it pretty much the same way as everyone else except I like to set them a little high on some soft soil. Then I take my 260 lbs. and jump on them once or twice to set them. Works for me.

[site]

As above. It is much easier if the hole is oversized a little. It's no fun removing a stone repeatedly to dig out more soil. It also reduces the temptation to whack excessivly high stones into place.

[Tim]

I can't help but wonder if using a pea gravel base would make it easier than using sand to jockey the large chips into place? Tim

[Stonehenge]

I think pea gravel might be harder to work with, and less able to firm up, than sand. Sand is a nice, soft material that's easy on the hands, helps firm the stone up. At least is does for me.

[Lanelle]

I'm not fond of having loose pea gravel creeping up on to the surface of the stones. It can be a slipping hazard and looks messy.

[Tim]

I can see both of your points of why this is not the way to go. I just thought the pea gravel might act more like small roller bearings and make it easier while trying to get the proper placement in the stone's bed. Tim

[Ax Man]

Roller bearing to allow the stone to continue to move as well. Stone dust or sand for me.

[BRL]

Another cool trick to speed things up is in the edging of the stone. We put an old junk blade on the cut off saw and after we set the stones where we wanted them, we outlined them with the saw. Saved a lot of the shovel effort & went really well & faster than in the past. Tried that once this past spring & will surely do it next time. Ditto the sand comments for this situation.

[Stonehenge]

I think Dan D or Diginahole taught me that trick for sod intalls, too. Funny thing is, we haven't had a single sod install since I learned the trick!!!