Natural stone materials are very popular in today’s outdoor living space trends. More homeowners are turning to natural products to create everything from patios to retaining walls, pathways to walkways, driveways to natural stone veneer and much more. Once you decide what type of material you want to use for your outdoor living space, you can start thinking about where you want to build your patio, what type of materials you want to use for edging and borders, as well as what type of landscaping or plants you want to grow around it to complete your backyard project.
Edging and Border Materials for a Flagstone Patio Installation
There are lots of options available for homeowners to choose from when creating a flagstone patio. Whether you are learning how to lay flagstone in Westport or doing a backyard makeover in Pawtucket, more and more South Coast homeowners are choosing to use natural stone materials. Not only do these materials naturally go with the local architecture and theme of the New England area, but they are also plentiful in this region and are a logical choice for many homeowners. Here are some of the options available for a flagstone patio installation that will complement the look and feel of your project:
- METAL – In some situations, a metallic barrier works best for a garden. One of the materials available to DIY project makers is a steel or aluminum border/barrier that can be used to separate landscaping materials, such as grass, flowers or other plants, from hardscaping materials, such as your new flagstone patio installation.
J&J Materials carries: STEEL EDGING and CURV-RITE ALUMINUM EDGING
- PLASTIC – While it might sound like a cheap alternative, there are some pretty amazing border/barrier materials made from flexible plastic that are perfect for building a patio, walkway, pathway, driveway or other project using natural stone materials. Again, it creates a barrier between landscaping and hardscaping materials to separate your project, but these awesome tools also provide structure and stability while you build, level and set your new patio.
J&J Materials carries: OLY-OLA EDGING and DIMEX EDGING PROJECT KITS
- NATURAL STONE MATERIALS – Sometimes when you learn how to lay flagstone for a patio, the best choice for your new outdoor living space is to use natural stone materials, such as blocks or cobblestones for the edging. In addition to the products listed specifically as edging, there are also other natural stone materials, pavers and bricks that can be used to create a unique edging or border for your patio.
J&J Materials carries: TECHO-BLOC EDGING and GRANITE COBBLESTONES
Why Do Many Homeowners Choose Flagstone for Patios?
There are a couple of reasons why flagstone is one of the most popular natural stone materials used to create patios, walkways, pathways, barbecue areas and other types of outdoor living space. First, it looks beautiful and has a wide range of natural colors that vary from blues to grays and lavender. Second, it can be purchased in two different ways, as a man-made flagstone or as natural stone materials that come from a quarry.
Here are some more reasons why many homeowners choose flagstone over other materials:
- LONGEVITY – A flagstone patio installation will last longer than man-made or other types of materials. It won’t warp or crack when exposed to sun and water like wood, and it cannot be damaged by insects, termites or other types of infestations.
- DURABILITY – Like other natural stone materials, flagstone can handle a wide range of climates and seasonal conditions. This is a wonderful attribute for homeowners in Westport, Massachusetts and other areas in New England where hot, humid summers quickly blend in to cold, snow-and-ice-filled winters, topped off with the occasional Nor’easter.
- FLEXIBILITY – Unlike other more uniform types of natural stone materials, a flagstone patio installation can be customized using the filling material of your choice. From sand to gravel, bark to moss, advanced materials such as polymeric sand or anything else you would like to use. Flagstone does not shift like other materials because of its natural dimensions and shape.
With any material it is important to do some research before just diving in and learning how to lay flagstone, permeable pavers, brick, cobblestone or anything else for your patio or other outdoor living space. There are benefits and drawbacks to each, depending on your situation, so it is always a good idea to spend some time weighing your options and talking with materials experts, such as the sales and customer service team at J&J Materials.
Preparation is Key
When building any type of hardscaping outdoor living space, such as a patio, walkway, pathway, driveway, porch or stoop, it is important to prepare the area. The more time you spend preparing the area to receive these natural stone materials, or even man-made pavers and blocks, the better your finished project will look and function when you’re done.
Preparing the bedding that your stones will lay on is the most important step. Dig down to the recommended depth based on the thickness of the natural stone materials that you have chosen for your flagstone patio installation. A four inch thick bed of sand on top of any gravel or other suggested materials will help you to adjust the level of each piece that you lay. If your flagstone materials have varying thicknesses, a thicker sand bed will be even more beneficial, allowing you to make adjustments, as needed.
Marking out the area to layout where you will do the flagstone patio installation is the next step. Removing the sod and dirt to the appropriate level, allowing room for a base plus a layer of sand. Dragging a piece of lumber across the sand will help to level the ground where the patio will be set. Follow the directions of your stone patio kit or according to your custom plan on how to lay flagstone for a unique, natural stone patio. Make sure to level the materials throughout the installation to ensure a level finished project.
Where to Get Natural Stone Materials
Homeowners in Westport, Massachusetts on out to the Cape and west to Providence and Pawtucket can get natural stone materials, quality pavers, bricks, blocks and, of course, flagstone materials, to build a variety of outdoor living space hardscaping and landscaping projects at J&J Materials. Call our team of friendly and knowledgeable sales and customer service representatives for more information on all of the natural stone materials available.
Two locations are available to serve the South Coast region, including one down in Bourne near the Cape and a second location up in the Seekonk/Rehoboth area. J&J Materials delivers to a wide delivery range as well, which includes all of Southeastern Massachusetts as far north and along the coast as Scituate all the way out into Rhode Island.