How To: Build Your Own Flagstone Patio in a Weekend

Fast is good...especially in Chicago when the glorious warm weather is short-lived and far too precious to waste. Today we found an amazingly do-able seeming project (with great step-by-step instructions) on how to turn part of your outside space into a lovely flagstone patio in less than 48 hours. Here you go:

It is online at Popular Mechanics and according to the author, Home Editor Harry Sawyers, it can be accomplished "using very little equipment but plenty of sand".

It is organized in 5 steps and while it does seem labor-intensive, it also seems like a big bang for not so much buck as well as being a great way to kick off the summer, with a fully completable project that you can be enjoying the following weekend (Memorial Day!).

Check it out right here at Popular Mechanics.

Image: Popular Mechanics

Comments (6)

my only problem with this article stems from something ingrained in me by my mom: the woman in the picture is wearing flip-flops while doing yard work. DANGER! haha, Mom always said you must wear sneakers for yard work!

posted by Kate Hunka on May 14th 2009 at 11:26pm
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We put in a 14x16 paver patio in less than eight hours. My husband and I had a bet, I thought it would take two days, he said one. I lost the pedicure and he won a nice bottle of wine.

posted by hrleise on May 15th 2009 at 8:12am
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Ditto Kate Hunka's comment. Flip flops for stone work?? Never! Try work boots.

posted by vartenouche on May 15th 2009 at 9:53am
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Boxer puppy!

posted by Matilde on May 15th 2009 at 1:03pm
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To be fair, the lady in the flip flops is just spreading the sand, and that is the only step at which she is pictured.

posted by emmaduck on May 15th 2009 at 1:33pm
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Rock is HEAVY. So are bags of sand! It would take puny me a weekend just to move the rocks from the driveway to the backyard, downhill, using a garden cart, because I could only take one or two at a time. (I know because I put in a stepping stone path once...) Maybe with muscular help it could be done!

posted by SherryBinNH on May 16th 2009 at 1:13pm
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