How to Lay a Stone Patio

By: Charles Wardell, This Old House magazine

Shopping List

Supplies You Will Need

1. LEATHER GLOVES

2. MASON'S TWINE
for establishing reference points between stakes

3. GOGGLES

4. DUST MASK

5. CARBIDE-TIPPED AWL
for marking stone

6. EAR PROTECTION

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Tools List
Tools You Will Need
- Steel rake,
  for spreading stone dust
- Push broom,
  for sweeping stone dust
- Spade shovel,
  for digging and spreading
- Square shovel,
  for measuring and mixing
- Wheelbarrow,
  for mixing wet material
- Builder's level,
  for determining pitch
- Leveling rod,
  for measuring pitch with builder's level
- Angle grinder,
  for cutting curves in stone
- Tape measure
- Circle cutter,
  for scribing stone
- 2- and 4-foot levels,
  for leveling stones
- Pointing trowel,
  for adding cement mix and packing in joints
- Hand rake,
  for leveling wet material
- Hand tamper,
  for tamping base along walls and siding
- Plate compactor,
  rent, if needed, to compact base
- Circular saw with diamond blade,
  for cutting stone
- Rubber mallet,
  for tapping stone into cement mix
- Hand sledge,
  for driving stakes and snapping stone
- Skid-steer loader,
  rent, if needed, to clear and dig base
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Product Gallery
Product selections for this project
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Photos by: Kindra Clineff

Introduction
Overview
Steps:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9

1. Excavate the Site

Drive 3-foot stakes into the ground 1 foot outside the corners of the patio area.

Set a builder's level in the middle. Find a benchmark—a spot where the patio meets the house. Look through the level’s scope while a helper holds a leveling rod at the benchmark and moves the rod's marker until it falls in the scope's crosshairs.

Then, at any stake, have your helper, with the marker at the established point, move the rod up or down until the marker falls in the crosshairs.

Mark the stake at the bottom of the rod. Swivel the level and repeat at each stake.

On the two stakes farthest from the house, measure down from the mark 1/8 inch for every foot between it and the benchmark. The marks show the finish grade.

Dig 6 to 12 inches below finish grade to reach the subgrade. Tamp it with a plate compactor.