How to Lay Sandstone Pavers

Dig the area where the pavers will be, using a measurement that adds 4 inches for the base to the depth of your pavers. For example, if you are using 4-inch pavers, make the trench 8 inches deep. Use a level as you go, checking both directions every foot or so. If the area to be dug out is large, use heavy machinery, such as a bobcat with a shovel, then use a hand shovel to level.

Lay the base for your pavers. If you are creating a walkway with pedestrian traffic, apply 2 inches of crushed gravel as a base, or do the entire base in course sand 4 inches deep. For heavy-use areas, such as a driveway, use a mix of cement and sand to keep the pavers from sinking or buckling with the weight. Begin with 2 inches of portland cement or a cement and grey sand mix. Lay the base in the trench, checking every foot to be sure the depth is correct.Tamp the base down with a tamper, compacting it as much as possible. Measure, add more base if necessary, then tamp again.

Add course paver sand to the top of the base if you used crushed gravel or cement, at a depth of 2 inches. Tamp again to compact.

Begin laying the sandstone pavers in the design you have chosen by starting in one corner and working outward along the bottom edge of the area. Continue until you reach the opposite side and have one end complete, then move upward through the area, doing several feet at a time. Use a masonry saw or chisel and masonry hammer to size pieces to fit at the edge of the trench if necessary. Don't push the bricks into the sand, try to keep the base flat and smooth, and simply set the bricks on the top.

Spread sand over the top of the pavers once they are all installed, and use a broom to sweep the sand into the seams between all the pavers. Add more sand and sweep again until you have as much sand as possible in the seams. Tamp the entire surface with the tamper, or use a compactor to compact the surface. Add more sand, and repeat the sweep, tamp or compact process until no more sand will fit in the seams.

Apply sealant to the pavers with a brush or roller to weatherproof them. If you have used the pavers for the driveway be aware a heavy sealant may be slick in wet conditions; use an appropriate product.