I wouldn't try to treat or seal the rock in as this might create other problems The best fix to tighten the gaps between the flagstone and skip the river rock all together. To keep the river rock in place keep it well below the flagstone height. I generally use a crushed rock that is 3/8 minus with fines, it generally stays in place. In the spaces between rocks I put small decorative river rock.but the pebbles knock easily all over the place.is there some sort of sealant I can use to keep the pebbles in place.something that doesn't look plastic-y?Ī: Its tough to keep any gravel in the spaces between flagstone.

Q: I just finished building a flagstone patio. I used the papercrete mix, but ordinary concrete could also be used. This was a bit tricky to accomplish, but the end result has worked out well, and in some ways it was easier than the other method. Then I would proceed pouring and arranging the stones until the entire floor was covered. Then I poured several inches of a papercrete/sand mix over part of the area I wanted to cover, in such a way that I could drop the flagstones into the wet mix and settle them so that they were level, even, and the mortar spaces were filled. In the mudroom I tried an entirely different approach: I roughly arranged the flagstone in the pattern that I wanted, and then set it aside in such a way that I could reconstruct the pattern.

In the greenhouse area, I did exactly the same thing, but used ordinary cement mortar between the stone, and this has stood up to the test of time and traffic much better, since the cement is harder and more durable. The only problem I have had with this approach is that the adobe is a bit fragile and chips up occasionally and I have to repair these places periodically. Because the adobe shrinks as it dries, I had to do a second application. This space I filled in with the same adobe material that I had used elsewhere. In my living room, which is mostly an adobe floor, I arranged the flagstone in the pattern that I wanted down on a bed of a few inches of sand, then pushed and settled the stones until they were as level as I wanted, leaving an average of 1 1/2 inches of space around the stones. I actually tried three different techniques, and they all have worked fairly well. I just cannot live with ceramic tile, the stone/slate flagstones bring something with them into my home that I can't describe.Ī: (Kelly) I love flagstone, and laid quite a bit of it in my living room, mud room and greenhouse floor. Any advice you'd care to offer would be greatly appreciated. My partner and I are pretty 'handy', is it so veryĭifficult to lay flagstone if you are a novice? I do not mind irregularities, the only thing I want to avoid is 'lipping' so that we don't trip over edges. I am having a lot of problems getting someone to give me a reasonable quote to lay the pattern flagstone I have chosen ( last quote was $4,500). Q: I am trying to lay a flagstone floor in my kitchen/den. It has been lightly oiled with linseed oil to protect the stone from spills and to bring out the color. Towards the bottom of the earthbag page is a picture of our dog at the window.

My dad made a rock floor in an area near the fireplace that was composed of flattish rocks, but you had to watch you step or you might stumble. Otherwise, it is a matter of scouring the countryside (where you legally can) for natural stones that are flat enough.this can be an arduous task. I would recommend using this type of stone, if it can be found in your area, as it greatly simplifies the laying of a reasonably flat floor. I chose flagstone, because it is available locally and is nearly perfectly flat, being a sedimentary stone that separates along the striation lines. I know the rocks won't be level if I do this, but I'm inquiring for that reason to see if anyone has ever attempted it before.Ī: (Kelly) Well I have a substantial portion of my floor composed of rock. Q: Have you every heard of someone using natural rock (like the ones you pick up yourself out of your own field) for an interior floor? Do you know of any websites I could check this out at? I would like to see some photos & know of what type of finish to use.

Stone for floors