Patios and walks
Stone underfoot that stays level
The stone is the part you see. The part that keeps it level is five layers deep, and we build all five.
We build
Flagstone and cut stone
Terraces, landings and walks
Steps built into slopes
What we lay
From the back door to the garden gate
Flagstone patios
Irregular or cut flagstone, set so the joints are tight and the water leaves.
Terraces and landings
Larger stone surfaces at the back door, with steps and low walls where the ground drops.
Walkways
Front walks and garden paths that stay level and drain after a storm.
Steps and stairs
Treads set into a slope, with even risers and a firm base.
Under the stone
Five layers, bottom to top
A patio that stays flat in March starts with the layers nobody photographs.
- 01
Step 1: Dig out
We remove topsoil and soft ground, and dig to the depth the stone and the frost call for.
- 02
Step 2: Base stone
Crushed stone goes in lifts, each compacted before the next, pitched away from the house.
- 03
Step 3: Setting bed
A thin, screeded layer of stone dust that lets each stone be set level to its neighbors.
- 04
Step 4: Stone
Each piece is fitted, cut where needed and tapped down. Edges are held by stone or a buried edge.
- 05
Step 5: Joints
Joints are filled to suit the stone. Where it matters, we use a mix that drains rather than one that cracks.
Questions
About patios and walks
Can a patio be built in winter?
No. We don't set stone on frozen ground. Winter is for visits, drawings and ordering stone, and we book spring starts as the ground thaws.
Will the patio heave?
Frost lifts what holds water. A deep, compacted base that drains, with stone pitched away from the house, gives the water somewhere to go. Nothing laid outdoors in New Hampshire is immune, and we say so in the scope.
Do you do pavers or concrete?
Our work is natural stone. We will say so at the visit if another material suits the job better.
Can you tie a patio to the house and the garden?
Yes. We match the stone to your foundation or walls where we can, and plan steps and walls with the patio.
Site visits
Walk the site with us
Leave your name and cell number. We text you from the shop to set a day, and Hugo or Katie come out with a tape and a probe bar.
The written scope comes after the visit, with the stone and the base listed.