The patio and path as artwork – who would have thought? And yet it’s true – a stonework patio, path, driveway or retaining wall can be an enduring work of art. All it takes is an eye for color and design, and the expertise to lay stone according to a pattern. Imagine a rustic, cobbled path of alternating narrow and wide bands of pure white limestone edged with a narrow border of red sandstone winding through your beds of lavender and herbs. Picture the subtle beauty of natural slate in a pattern of simple squares and hexagons of natural deep purple and dark greens, or a striking sunburst of rich, dark slate set into a curving circle of limestone and sandstone. Whether your tastes run to the simple and rustic, the stunningly striking or elegantly subtle, natural stone patio floors, steps, walkways and retaining walls can add a distinctive and unique note to your outdoor living space that will endure as long as you own your home and beyond.
Natural Stone Patio and Walkways
The natural stone used in building patios and walkways is of a higher grade and thickness than that used for indoor stone floors. It stands up to the vagaries of weather – damp or dry – and withstands heavy traffic. Among the most popular varieties, you’ll find both native stone and that imported from foreign quarries, as well as stone reclaimed from old roads and construction. Each has its own qualities, from color to texture, that can be further enhanced by the method of cutting the stone.
Riven Stone
The most familiar surface, riven stones are rough cut and show the markings of the break lines of the stone. The natural fissures and striations that are left on the stone by the cutting process add to the rustic beauty of the stone.
Sawn Stone
Much modern quarried stone is cut with diamond bladed saws that leave a smooth surface that takes polishing well. Sawn stones are suitable for more intricate mosaic type patterns that depend on a smooth, flat surface that shows the coloring pattern to its best advantage.
Tumbled Setts
Whether sawn or riven, the cut stone is tumbled in something akin to a cement mixer to knock edges off and distress the surface. Tumbling gives an ‘aged’ appearance to new stone.
Honed Stone
Stones may be honed to shape the top surfaces into a dome or to slop the edges of each stone.
The most popular paving patterns are:
Coursed
A coursed pattern is one in which stone ’setts’ – rectangular paving stones about the size of a standard brick – are laid in parallel rows set at a 90 degree angle from the traffic pattern – i.e. – crosswise across the path’s width. This can be quite easy to do with newly quarried stones, which are cut to uniform sizes and depths, but a bit more challenging if you’ve chosen to use reclaimed stones for their history and beauty. In either case, there are ways to vary even a simple coursed pattern by using rows of alternating width or colors to create patterns within the coursework.
Crazy Paving
At first glance, a random pattern appears easier to create than a coursed one, but in reality it’s far more challenging. The stones are laid to fit wherever they will, creating a ‘jumble’.
Stone Circles
Generally, a central stone is cut from the chosen stone, and then stones are laid around it in widening circles. The pattern may include changes in color and stone, and incorporate radiating spokes or starbursts or stripes.
European Fan
The European fan pattern is an elegant and stylish pattern that’s often used for civic plazas and other large spaces, where its sweeping lines can be appreciated. The stones are laid in interlocking fan shapes, with each succeeding row of fans beginning in the center space between two fans in the previous row.
Whatever pattern, stone and surface treatment you choose, you can be assured that the finished work will be more than just a walking surface. A stone patio or walkway is an enduring work of art that adds beauty, value and style to your outdoor living spaces.