How To Repair Flagstone Steps

Devin Devine, flagstone contractor, mason and sculptor

based out of the Poconos, Pennsylvania

devin@devineescapes.com

 DIY hardscape consultation services bachelor

Flagstone Repair Explained: moisture laid flagstone

 This article shall get into some item, explaining how to repair flagstone, how to assess flagstone harm and maybe some ideas nigh flagstone repair cost

Flagstone repair can be a catchy thing, and confusing for the domicile-owner. Specially in the instance of wet-laid flagstone, flagstone patios and walkways that have been laid in a bed or mortar. This article shall hopefully explain the issues at play and make it easier for home owners to find the correct contractor for the job.

Flagstones that are set in cement can be vulnerable to heaving due to freeze-thaw conditions. Here in Pennsylvania we take serious winters, leading to serious winter harm to masonry. (HINT if you're having a new patio installed go dry out-laid. repairs for dry laid will be much simpler.)

flagstone repair: BEFORE

flagstone repair: AFTER

Some important questions:

• how old is the patio or walkway?
• how long have the flagstones been showing damage–cracked mortar joints, loose flagstones?
• take you, the dwelling owner observed these weather condition worsening over the years?
• if in that location are major cracks present, how wide are they–and have they gotten wider over the years?
• Check references and ask to see a portfolio of completed works

That last question is one you should enquire the contractor. The rest are questions that your contractor should probably exist asking YOU.

For this flagstone repair job every single rock was taken up. Foundation was repaired and stones re-fix. Many of the original stones were accounted too thin/not likely to last too many Pennsylvania winters–and so they were replaced with thicker stones.

The last couple of questions relate to trying to discern if the problems at play involve and serious foundational bug or not. That question is all-time answered past having a professional mason pull upward a couple stones and have a look. Withal, I'll always enquire, as it's good to know how the patio or walkway has behaved over the past few years.

I used to do these types of jobs for an hourly rate, since you tin can't accurately predict exactly what a repair job will take. Not then, anymore! I find that I can look at a damaged or aged patio, judge fairly well what the task will take, and just give a full quote for the entire job. I used to nib 90 an hour for me, 40 an hour for a helper–now I merely make up one's mind that the chore will take 3 days and xxx corporeality of material, and quote you at that number.

Full general plan of action for Flagstone repair | how-to repair wet-laid flagstone patio:

I'll at present depict a hypothetical flagstone patio which is in demand of repair and and then I shall outline the proper ways of repairing said damage. Problems–failing mortar joints between flagstones on many or most flagstones. Some of the flagstones are lose. A long fissure exists on one section of the patio, running over x feet long which is fairly clear indication that the foundation itself has some serious bully.

Solution:

Loose flagstones shall be removed. Old cement from underneath these flagstones shall likewise be removed.

Any crack in the foundation itself shall exist widened to a full inch in width. Widened crack shall exist coated with a masonry adhesive agent, this shall be given proper time to fix up. The crack should then exist filled with proper mortar mix with bonding agent added to this mortar mix as well.

New steel* reinforcements may exist added every bit well, along the scissure area.

*or basalt

Oft flagstones that take come loose take a) to deep of a mortar bed and/or a very sparse flagstone was used to brainstorm with. If such is the instance…and in my experience information technology often is, and so I will a) use a thicker flagstone thus ensuring a smaller mortar bed and/or b) fiber additives will exist added to the mortar mix. These are 1″ fiberglass strips, they look kind of  like shredded upward cigarette filters and are sold as a stucco additive. Mortar has a low structural integrity. Concrete is stronger, past comparison, because it has gravel added to information technology. The addition of the fibers will strengthen the mortar, making it less likely to fissure.

This video will hopefully exist of some help, to illustrate some of what I'thousand talking about:

Many masons will build patios with thinner stones and thicker mortar beds, because information technology saves them coin, gets the job done quicker, is much easier, and is likely to last very well….for a few years or then. A proper mortar bed for flagstone should be about one inch in depth, say half an inch to ane and a half inches. Very frequently, more often that not, really, when doing flagstone repairs, I find flagstones that were laid in a solid two inches, or fifty-fifty 3 inches of mortar. Yikes, not skillful. Mortar is the weak link, and should be kept to a minimum. Irregular (natural shaped) flagstone is sold by weight, thus it is much cheaper to employ thinner pieces. Being lighter in weight, it is also easier and faster to install thinner flagstone. Furthermore, a two inch thick bed of mortar is a faster installation technique–you can just slop a whole bunch or mortar downwardly then take your individual flagstones and smoosh them downwardly to the proper level. Your individual flagstones are of diverse thickness, thus having a deeper mortar bed will brand information technology easier to get them all down to the aforementioned level.

The above paragraph merely describes one of the common cut-corners in flagstone installation. Stuff that I run into all the time. Masons and landscapers follow such practices considering a) the habitation owners do not know any better and b) sometimes the workers do not know any better. I hope this article serves to educate both my fellow stone masons equally well equally to better arm the savvy home owner and protect them from unscrupulous or unskilled contractors.

I adopt thicker flagstones. They accept more mass and thus are less like shooting fish in a barrel to disturb, to come loose, or to boost from the freeze-thaw. Information technology'southward harder to dislodge something that is heavier. Mutual-sense, right? Seriously, there are masons out at that place who take non figured this out yet. What? Masons everywhere–read Devin'south blog, and accept notes.

Thicker flagstones are also more well-rooted. A 2 inch flagstone volition take ii inches of mortar along it'southward sides, wedging it down in better. Commonly, masons and hardscapers will recommend thicker flagstone for dry-laid work and will proclaim that the thinner stuff is fine for cemented-in piece of work. In the short term, yes. Mortar nevertheless is not infinitely tough stuff and it is weaker than stone. Have more stone down there, less cement. Okay? My approach to wet-laid work is informed past 17 years experience in this trade and by many years feel performing repairs and many years doing dry laid work. Form-level )ground level) masonry is vulnerable. My wet-laid work is informed by my knowledge of dry rock work. Thicker flagstones are more steady for dry stone….that means they'll exist more steady for moisture-laid piece of work too.

In summary:

• Find and repair the foundational cracks
• re-ready flagstones in no more than than one and a half inches of mortar mix
• don't use also-wet of a mix.hire someone who you believe will take their time and volition pay attending. This stuff is not rocket science…paying full attending, having many years feel and actually caring about the work they practice–these are the qualities to wait for when hiring a masonry repair service.
• More how-to articles related to flagstone work: patio and weeds and what to use, sand cement or gravel? Too, for those of you interested polymeric sand, I've written up an article weighing the pros and cons of polymeric sand as compared to stone dust.

Also, delight check out the gallery pages for more examples of my landscape/hardscape piece of work, patio ideas and dry stone sculpture….in fact, if you find my communication helpful, you should say thank past sharing some of my creative dry stone work on whatever social media y'all utilise.

I now offer phone consultation services. Devin Devine, your Hardscape Helper.

DIY Flagstone and Hardscape help

My rates for DIY consultations are equally follows:

$80.00 for a half hour consultation

$115.00 for a total 60 minutes

Monies are payable via paypal or Zelle.

I love to exist helpful. At present please help back up my more artistic stone aspirations by sharing this website, and/or by sharing photos of my sculptural piece of work. Thanks.

Source: https://www.devineescapes.com/flagstone-repair-explained

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