How to Install a Granite Landscape

Write out a plan for the surface with a paper and pencil. Choose a location and measure the area with a tape measure. Decide on the shape of the surface and the design pattern. Granite tiles can be placed in a grid or angled to form diagonal lines. Paint the outline of your surface with landscape spray paint.

Unearth six inches of dirt from the site with a shovel. Make the inside walls of the hole straight and vertical, not curved. Dig out high areas and rake the bottom so the dirt is even. Press a tamper tool against subsoil to compact it.

Fill the hole with a 4-inch layer of 3/4- inch aggregate and tamp it. The tamped base remains flexible enough to absorb tension when the ground freezes and thaws so the stones won't shift out of place, while also allowing the site to drain so the surface stones don't sink.

Rake an inch of course grit sand over the base to offer a level surface for the stones.

Place metal edging along the interior perimeter of the site, and fasten it to the ground with lawn spikes and a hammer. Metal edging is strong enough to hold granite stones in place.

Lay granite tiles or pavers on the sand bed. Adjust the granite so each piece is level with adjacent stones. Set them flush against each other, leaving no more than 1/8 inch between them.

Use a stiff-bristled broom to sweep stone dust over the granite and push it into the joints to pad each piece.