How to Build a Sett Driveway

Mark the outline of the driveway by spray-painting it onto the ground or by driving wooden stakes into the ground around its perimeter. When marking the location of the driveway, add 6 inches to the width on each side.

Excavate the ground inside the trench with a 1 1/2-ton excavator. Dig the hole for the driveway deep enough to hold the height of the sett stones, 1 inch of sand and a gravel base that is 6 to 8 inches deep.

Compact the soil in the bottom of the hole by running over it with a mechanical plate compactor.

Cover the soil with landscaping fabric to prevent weeds from growing through the sett stones and to make the soil more stable.

Pour gravel into the hole, and run over it with the plate compactor. Use enough to fill half the base, so if the base is 6 inches, pour 3 inches; if the base is 8 inches, pour 4 inches.

Add the rest of the gravel for the base into the hole, and run over it with the plate compactor.

Cover the gravel with a layer of sand that is 1 inch deep, then smooth the surface of the sand by dragging a 2-by-4 board across its surface.

Install edge restraints along the sides of the hole to help prevent the sett stones from shifting. You generally install these restraints by driving stakes through them and into the base. Read the manufacturer's instructions for the edge restraints for the installation technique specific to the brand.

Begin laying the sett stones into the driveway along the bottom edge, keeping a gap of about 1/2-inch between the stones. Install about 10 rows of stones, keeping the 1/2-inch gap around each stone. Offset the stones in each row slightly to improve the appearance of the driveway, and use a wet saw to cut stones to fit, if necessary.

Spread sand on top of the stones, and pour water over them to compact the sand and drive it into the gaps between the stones. Filling the gaps partway with sand prevents the stones from shifting as you lay the rest of the driveway.

Continue laying the stones in 10-row increments until the driveway is finished.

Fill the gaps between the stones with concrete mortar. Mix the concrete until it has the consistency of a milkshake. You can fill the joints by filling a grout bag with the mortar, or by pouring the concrete over the stones. Use enough concrete until it's at or slightly above the edges of the stones. Allow the mortar to set for about a half-hour.

Smooth the rough edges of the mortar with a trowel.

Wash the mortar off of the top of the stones with a sponge, and allow it to set for about a week.