Can regular old flagstone be laid like brick pavers? I.e. no concrete slab or mortar.
Can it be done like this month’s article in FHB except substitute stone in place of pavers?
Will it perform the same? Does freeze/thaw move this kind of installtion around a lot or just a little?
Might it be less expensive to do it this way than traditional concrete and mortar?
I’m doing a house that has an on grade covered porch and would like to do a stone floor(because it fits the style of the house) or maybe brick pavers.
Or might it be cheaper to raise the house up a course of block and frame and floor it in wood?
Keep in mind it’s a spec house on a crawl space so I want it to be nice but that’s the reason for all the cost questions.
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bump
"regular old flagstone"
In some locals flagstone is siltstone, others it is sandstone, and yet something else in others.
Please specifically call out the type of stone, as it may help in delineating the answer.
Thanks.....................Iron Helix
Do you have a foundation at the outside edge of the porch to support posts for the roof or a stem wall? My thinking is, such walls would act as a frame to contain the flagstone and keep it from wanting to spread and end up in the yard. Other than that, I'm not sure, but it seems like it would work. I've seen articles where folks have put gravel and sand and then bluestone chips between pathways or even patios of flagstone laid on the sand. I would think good drainage would be the key to prevent movement and frost heave.
Absolutely.
If it is to act like a porch floor, and cost is an issue, you are probably looking at a manufactured product that has a uniform thickness, 90 degree corners, etc. That will be a lot less expensive to install than a natural product. I've watched people sweat for days and days trying to install natural flagstones without toe-stubber edges.
Some of the aggregate products will be more than nice enough to look at, especially for the price. The ones that have a few sizes and pre-planned layouts for a more 'random' look, and a convincing-enough surface texture surface, are very good.
Here's but one of umpteen examples (site shows installation is as per pavers pavers). Use the best-looking thing for money available locally.
http://www.bradstone.com
Don't scrimp on the ground prep or depth of drainage layers. Yes, you can count on having some heaving over the years, but then you just lift and relevel with some sand. You'll never have to break up the concrete pad later.