How to Pave a Natural Stone Patio

Spray landscape paint directly onto the grass to mark the area for the patio. Unlike other spray paints, landscape paint is completely safe to use on your lawn.

Dig out the patio area to a depth of 10 inches to account for the gravel, sand and stone needed to make the patio. Consider renting a mini-excavator for a job this size or recruit the help of several friends if you wish to dig the area with shovels.

Tamp the soil down to create a flat surface. You may be able to do this simply by walking on the soil, using a hand tamper or rent a motorized plate compactor.

Lay landscaping fabric over the soil to create a barrier that prevents gravel and sand from mixing with the soil. The fabric should be large enough to fill the hole, spread up the sides and lay 6 inches on the ground around the hole.

Pour a 6-inch layer of gravel over the landscaping fabric and run a plate compactor over it several times to tamp it down; the gravel you use should be a mixture of small gravel and gravel powder. Adding and tamping 2 inches of gravel at a time will ensure that the surface is packed well to create a solid base and spraying the stone with water will reduce dust.

Stretch nylon strings along the edges of the patio area to mark the finished height of the patio after the stones are placed; secure the strings on wooden stakes. To determine the height to set the string, measure the thickness of the stones, add 1 inch for the layer of soil and 1 inch for clearance to lay the stones.

Fill in the patio area with a 1-inch layer of sand. Use a two-by-four board as a screed to level the sand.

Set the first stone into place in one corner of the patio area and add more or less sand underneath so that the stone is 1 inch below the nylon string. Use a level to ensure that the stone is level, otherwise it may crack after light use.

Continue placing stones next to the previously laid stone in the desired pattern until the entire patio area is filled.

Cut stones to fit with a circular saw fitted with a diamond-tipped masonry blade. Mark the cut line, score it with the saw to create a guide and then saw through to finish the cut.

Insert a pry bar between stones and push back and forth to line up the grout joints to suit your preference. You will only be able to move the stones slightly, but this will help to make your grout joints more uniform.

Pour stone dust or sand over the stone surface and use a push broom to push the dust into the crevices between the stones.

Pack the dust into the cracks with a mason's trowel and add more stone dust if needed to fill the hole. If you don't have a mason's trowel, you can use any other tool that is narrow enough to fit between the crevices.

Spray the patio with a fine mist to clean the stones and help the stone dust to settle between the crevices.

Pack soil firmly around the perimeter of the patio to cover the extra landscape fabric. You might also wish to install plastic paver edging to help keep the stones in place and prevent shifting; they can be anchored with 12-inch nails driven into the ground through the holes in the edging.