How to Lay a Patio With Recycled Chalkboard Slate

Spray the desired outline for the patio onto the ground using landscaping spray paint. Dig out the inside area of the outline to a depth of 8 inches with a shovel.

Fill in the dug-out area with a 6-inch layer of gravel. Pack the gravel down with a tamper by striking the surface in an even up-and-down motion.

Mix 1 part cement and 12 parts stone dust in a wheelbarrow using a trowel. Add water to the mixture and mix it until you have a moist packing consistency.

Add a 1-inch layer of the cement and stone dust mixture over the gravel using a trowel. The layer will set the chalkboard slate firmly in place and prevent it from shifting after it is completed.

Start at one side of the prepared patio area and lay the chalkboard slate in rows until you reach the opposite side. Tap the surface and edges of the slate as you lay them in place to firmly position them in the layer of cement and stone dust.

Place a level onto each slate and adjust it for level by lifting it up and removing or adding some of the cement/stone dust mixture. Tap the slate back into place with the rubber mallet. Repeat this process until each slate is level.