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Front-Walkway Rehab With Bluestone and Cobblestone An all-too-pedestrian front walk gets more pedestrian-friendly with a bluestone walkway and cobblestone border. From "Rock Solid" episode DROC-308

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Setting Bluestone Walkway

With the concrete sand in you are ready to set the bluestone. Dean and Derek use thermaled bluestone. "Thermaled" means the stone has been treated with heat to give it a more consistent color and texture. The bluestone is cut to exactly 1.5 inches thick which will make it much easier to set the stones and maintain a level surface.

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	Figure H
	Figure I

Dean and Derek have created a pattern for the walkway using three different sizes: 1x2 feet, 2x2 feet and 1.5x1.5 feet. Designing a pattern before you being setting will ensure a smooth installation process. Draw a map and follow the design as you set. Dean and Derek's design uses 26 pieces of bluestone set in a repetitive pattern.

Before you set the bluestone, move your line so it sits 18 inches off the center. (The width of the bluestone section of the walkway is 36 inches.) It's much easier to set the bluestone along one of the edges rather than measuring it from the center. Remember to maintain the quarter bubble pitch.

• Smooth the concrete sand using a flat trowel (figure H).

• It's important to take your time and even out the sand (figure I). This will keep the stone from rocking.
  

  	Figure J
  	Figure K
  	Figure L

• Set the stone in place (figures J and K).

• Use a rubber mallet to pack it securely into the sand (figure L).

• The joints in this design are not meant to be tight. Keep a slightly open joint between the stones. You want a joint that is pleasing to the eye, not too wide, and make sure your edges are straight as you set.

• Because Dean and Derek drew the design ahead of time and made a map to follow, they know they won't create any cross joints. A cross joint is a continuous joint where four corners meet at a cross. Cross joints are not only unattractive, they are unstable. So make sure you don't have any in your design. If you don't create your own design, you can see if the quarry has a pattern you can work with.

  Continue to set your bluestone, making sure the joints are flush. Use a four foot level to make sure your walkway is level from side to side all the way down its

• length. You want to prevent any water from sitting on the walkway. Also remember to maintain your pitch.
  
  
  

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  ALSO IN THIS EPISODE:
  	Front-Walkway Rehab With Bluestone and Cobblestone