Laying random rectangle bluestone
I’m trying to layout a 400 square foot bluestone patio consisting of approximately nine different sizes of rectangles. They vary in height and width from 12×12, 12×18, 12×24, 18×18, 18×24, 18×30, 24×24, 24×30, and 24×36. Number of pieces varies also. I went through the trouble of cutting up some paper to scale and number. I’m attempting to lay them over the scaled area but it has proven to be a formidable task. I’m trying to respect the no 4-corner rule and the no-3-adjacent-blocks forming a straight line.
Does anyone have a method to laying these out to ease my pain? I thought I’d save myself the physical torment of laying them outside by doing it on paper first but the mental labor is just as torturous.
Do the stoneyards assemble the random pallets with a pre-conceived pattern in mind?
Your help is appreciated.
Replies
You could run this question by your supplier, but I think you have to throw the rules out for this one. I used to install slate floors, where the tiles were from 6x6 to 12x12, and they had a pattern for them, but you are on your own.
I be`t the pallets are random, and you just have to wing it. I hope you figured enough waste...
I did my front porch which is an enclosed room with a concrete floor about 5 years ago using exactly the same product. I talked to the supplier and was fortunate to meet an accomodating manager there who really helped me out. He told me for my project (about 150 to 200 sf ) that the material would be shipped random and he warned me that some pieces would be broken. He told me that if I wanted to take some of their empty pallets and go through and pick what I wanted that they would just deliver those pallets which I loaded. I did exactly what you are doing with the layout. I had 4 fixed brick walls to work to and I was REALLY fussy about the pattern and the joint sizes. I returned to the yard with a list of exactly the sizes I wanted. It was a blend of all sizes so I wasn't just taking all of their 24x36 pieces. Everything worked great except that a lot of the pieces were out of square up to 1/2". Bitchen. I resquared everything more than 1/8" out with a 5" Bosch grinder with a diamond wheel, dry. What a pain in the butt, but I wanted perfectly uniform 1/2" joints everywhere and I got them. I live in town, so I had to do the cutting in the room with the windows and doors closed because of the dust. My next door neighbor (10 feet away, as they all are) sweeps her driveway every day.............."just because"......I can be a nightmare neighbor sometimes.
Personnally, I think that doing the layout can save you time and aggravation in the long run. Our mason never does it. But, he isn't as fussy about the finished appearance.
carpenter in transition
I've done many bluestone patios, and I am "fussy" about the final appearance.
But I'm not ANAL!
Grinding to within an 1/8", inside! Good god man, if that ain't the definition of anal, I don't know what is!
That's my laugh for the day! Thanks! Rod
I'm sure Tim had a good reason for doing it that way, and he was happy with the result. Don't be too rough on him here, he's had a lot of good input and does good work.
I love working with stone. Here's my 2 cents:
Some extra steps make laying the patio a smoother process and a better product.
Layout the patio on graph paper and make a stone list
Tips for laying it out: No small stones on the edges. No long running seams. No four corner joints.
Then go pick you stones yourself. Go for the 1 1/2" thick stone. Load an empty pallet at the supply yard. Look at each one trying to pick the straightest most uniform of the bunch.
Have Fun!
Brian P.
It's my job!