[Stonehenge]

I have a question - I'm guessing you aren't going to mortar the joints, because you're installing a flexible pavement. Why gap the stones 3/8" or 1/2", when you can make the seams tight?

[jwholden]

Excellent question.

Bluestone is never (unless someone knows a better supplier than me) cut to exact dimensions. I figure the pieces in 6" increments but they are usally anywhere from 1/4 to 3/4" (extreme) short. I would have to cut every piece of that stone before placing it to go tight (for hours and hours), though it would look pretty cool.

I measured the patio to exactly 18.5 by 23' INSIDE the granite. The seams have become whatever is neccesary to make the bluestone fit that space.

Short answer, that's the way it's done in my parts. It gives it a rustic feel.

When at the supply yard I got a look at some bluestone with a thermal top. That was some sweet material!!!

[Stonehenge]

I may have to try some of that 'flamed' or 'thermalized' bluestone in the hardscape work at my house - I believe we had a thread about it back in the early days.

What will you be using for the joints? Polymeric sand?

[jwholden]

In my parts we pack stonedust into the joints to lock the stones. A little polymer in the mix wouldn't hurt, but not going that route on this job.

Funny story about stonedust. When we filled the walls in the patio I tried to mix the stonedust I set my temporary walk on last fall with the 3/4 process I brought in to fill the walk. While hitting it with a compactor with 8500 lbs of force it got a jelly like consistency. Turns out there were some pockets of stone dust 3-4" thick that were waterlogged and wouldn't compact. I had to dig them out to get a solid base.

The smoothness of the thermal bluestone amazed me as well as the consistency of the blue.

I welcome other members input on bluestone.

[site]

Quarries cut bluestone to provide 3/8" gaps. That way it works well on mortar jobs. I'm not sure who runs the saws at the quarry, or who is supposed to be doing quality control on the measurements, but it's pretty bad sometimes. It is possible to re-saw every stone in a patio, but who would pay for that? We use about 80% of what comes off the pallet sizewise, and re-cut the other 20%. We recut the oversized ones with a cutoff saw after they have been set in place.

[jwholden]

Moving along...

Site,

Out of curiousity what is the 'optimal' size you shoot for with your bluestone (if it's not a trade secret). With 3/8" gaps you would end up cutting all stone to 3/4 " less than the 'dimension' of the stone. Most of the stone I have is around 1/2" ' short. IE 11.5, 17.5, 23.5 etc. I only had to cut a few that were closer to a round number or not square.

[jwholden]

Almost there...

[Stonehenge]

Looks great! I do hope you haven't been working solely on this project since early April - either that or I hope you're charging an arm and a leg!