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Stone dust or gravel+sand for patio

Lyptus | Posted in Construction Techniques on June 7, 2007 04:17am

I am building a 200 square foot brick patio. I have received conflicting recommendations about the foundation for the patio: 3 tons of gravel + 1 ton of sand vs. 4 tons of stone dust. What do you all recommend? Is stone dust really better and will I require a respirator to work with it. I’ll be tamping whatever substrate I use by hand.

Thank you,
Lyptus

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  1. Hudson Valley Carpenter | Jun 07, 2007 05:41pm | #1

    Assuming that you'll be retaining the brickword and it's base with a redwood or pressure treated frame, I'd use the gravel and sand...simply because it's much easier to work with and will give you the same result as stone dust. 

    1. User avater
      BillHartmann | Jun 08, 2007 04:57am | #6

      "Assuming that you'll be retaining the brickword and it's base with a redwood or pressure treated frame,"Why that and not any of the other edging products?.
      .
      A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

      1. Hudson Valley Carpenter | Jun 08, 2007 09:00am | #10

        Why that and not any of the other edging products?

        Good point.   Just refering to materials and methods I'm familiar with.

  2. Hudson Valley Carpenter | Jun 08, 2007 12:12am | #2

    3 tons of gravel; is that supposed to make about 4-5 inches?  And is that pea gravel?

    1 ton of sand; is that supposed to make about 1and1/2 inches? 

    What's the soil condition?    

    I'm asking because that sounds like a lot of gravel to me, unless you're putting this patio over very soft, wet ground.  Even then, I'd question using that much gravel.

    Now this isn't a job that I do very often but...generally, with normal soil, only coarse sand is required to make a good base. 



    Edited 6/7/2007 5:22 pm ET by Hudson Valley Carpenter

  3. renosteinke | Jun 08, 2007 02:20am | #3

    I would be wary of anything called "dust."

    One of the main purposes of the bedding material is to let water drain. Anything that might compact to to form a waterproof layer is a bad idea.

    That said, we have a type of sand out here that is called 'decomposed granite.' This stuff, which is gray in color, simply does not compact, allows for excellent drainage, and would be superb for such a use. Perhaps the 'stone dust' you describe is a similar material.

    1. FastEddie | Jun 08, 2007 04:08am | #4

      Stone dust is nothing more than yuppie sand."Put your creed in your deed."   Emerson

      "When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it."  T. Roosevelt

  4. andybuildz | Jun 08, 2007 04:14am | #5

    stone dust is much better. I've used both stone dust and sand and currently I used stone dust for a flagstone patio. The good thing about stone dust is that no weeds grow through it and it packs down a lot harder. Almost like cement.
    They do have special sand that allows no weeds as well but its more expensive than stone dust.
    Thing is...if you don't keep the surface clean, dirt from surrounding areas will get in and grow weeds but not nearly as much as if you use the stone dust.

     

    http://www.john-lennon.com/imagine-neilyoung.ra

    http://WWW.CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM                                 

     
  5. myhomereno | Jun 08, 2007 05:27am | #7

    I would not use sand, ants like to built nests in it.

    Martin

    1. darrel | Jun 08, 2007 06:45am | #8

      I'm no expert, but put in a brick patio last year. Went with about 4" of class 5 (gravel) machine compacted, layer of landscape fabric, then an inch of sand, then brushed in the locking sand, then machine compacted.Worked great...except for what myhomereno said...ants like the sand. So, had to sprinkle ant poison along the house.

      1. myhomereno | Jun 08, 2007 07:02am | #9

        I did a paver walkway to the shop the same way you did it, except I brushed stone dust in the joints. I can't use ant dust since the dog is outside during the day.Next time I have to do this I will not use sand anymore, just lay the pavers in stone dust.Martin

        Edited 6/8/2007 12:03 am by myhomereno

    2. todd | Jun 08, 2007 02:21pm | #12

      Bingo

  6. andybuildz | Jun 08, 2007 01:58pm | #11

    Far as "edging" goes. If its not raised you can do as I did. I just mixed up some bags of Sacrete amd pardged the edges and then backfilled with soil and did my plantings but if you do raise it the skys the linit far as edging goes.

     

    http://www.john-lennon.com/imagine-neilyoung.ra

    http://WWW.CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM                                 

     

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