How do you lay a stone patio?
A patio or deck can add greatly to the appearance and enjoyment of a backyard, and, arguably the best look is a stone patio. A job like this might look intimidating, but given a reasonably level spot to start work, laying down a stone patio is actually very easy. The sole complicated part is learning how to chisel some rough stones to fill the gaps between the big blocks. Start by using the stakes and hammer to mark out your work area. Dig out the work area to a depth of 3 or 4 inches. Check to see if the work area is roughly level, and use the extra dirt and the rake to smooth out uneven spots. Fill the work area with sand to a depth that leaves it with 1 inch remaining to work with. For example, if you dug out the work area to 4 inches, fill with 3 inches of sand. Check again with the level, and rake any uneven spots. Then spray the sand with a hose until it is damp and use a dirt tamper to compact the sand. Start laying the paving stones onto the sand, working from the outer perimet
