skip to main content
Photos
Photos
Advice
Stories From Houzz
Houzz Discussions
Houzz Research
Sign In
Houzz Logo Print
Explore Discussions
landscape design
groundigger

Fixing an old flagstone path,

groundigger
7 years ago

I just took several inches of soil and grass off of an old flagstone walkway that was barely visible. Now, I'd like to take out the soil from the joints and put something that won't create a muddy mess, but I don't want to plant between. I was thinking along the lines of traffic bond gravel, pea gravel or polymeric sand. The joints are quite large, up to 2 inches at some points. Any advice or other options would be appreciated, thank you!

Featured Answer
  • User
    7 years ago

    I used 1/4 10 washed gravel in my path. I've been happy with it and like the color variety of this stone. It needs to be topped off every spring and it does get a few seedlings from surrounding perennials.

    Comments (20)

    • littlebug zone 5 Missouri
      7 years ago

      As this really isn't a Landscape Design question, you might have better luck posting it here instead: Gardening with Stone forum

      groundigger thanked littlebug zone 5 Missouri
    • groundigger
      Original Author
      7 years ago

      Oh, I wondered if I was in the right place...thanks!

    • waynedanielson
      7 years ago

      2" gaps are quite wide for the polymerics I've dealt with. What you are calling traffic bond would probably work. I've rarely encountered polymerics in wide gap situations and have heard mixed reviews about how they work...enough that I don't know if the problems are caused by lack of familiarity with materials, improper expectation, or what. if you have a local person who has worked through some of this, lean on them.

      how much do you use this walkway? I have a walk that I used to have item 4 in...similar to your traffic bond, ie, limestone fragments with stone dust. Sweep in, wet down, sets up nicely...but little pieces on top are always tracking in, and if you like to go barefoot at all, you're not going to like the fragments. so, back to plants it was...

      can't say as i'd do pea gravel...nothing to hold the little buggers in place, they'd be all over the place. but that's one opinion, and other than for me, may be worth what the proverb states.

      groundigger thanked waynedanielson
    • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
      7 years ago

      If the pathway has edging, pea gravel will work fine. But I'd agree with wayne that without edging it will be just a mess :-) Gravel or crushed rock (traffic bond) can work also but as noted, not a comfortable surface for bare feet and if with too many fines, can compact a LOT, making weeding (inevitable!!) difficult. Pea gravel is very easy to weed :-) If going with the gravel, I'd get a 3/8 to 1/2 inch washed gravel (no fines). In fact, I'm not sure I'd use any of the fillers without edging but that's my view :-)

      And I am not at all sure why this isn't a landscape design discussion.........the forum was intended to address technical issues as well as aesthetic ones and this sure qualifies as a technical issue.

      FWIW, I had a patio and walkway in my old garden I constructed of recycled concrete chunks (like flagstone in appearance but free!!) that was set with generous spacing and the voids filled with rainbow pea gravel. Very attractive and easy to use. But both had rigid edging to keep the gravel confined.

      groundigger thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    • groundigger
      Original Author
      7 years ago

      This walkway does have an edging of sorts, the lawn being higher on both sides and I had to edge down a few inches to uncover the stones. Now I'll be scraping and digging the soil out from between each stone to fill with gravel of some kind.

    • mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
      7 years ago

      If the path is dry laid, it will much more satisfactory, and not much harder, to pull it up and relay it. At that point, cut stone can be placed closer together. Crazy paving is harder to arrange, but by no means impossible.

    • PRO
      Treesdale Landscape Company
      7 years ago

      Any chance you could provide a photo? depending on the style or look you might want we might be able to give you some advice.

    • groundigger
      Original Author
      7 years ago
      Yes I could take a photo in a couple days, thanks.
    • User
      7 years ago

      You could spray paint pebbles with glow in the dark paint and place them! just an idea =P

      groundigger thanked User
    • PRO
      Revolutionary Gardens
      7 years ago

      products like TechniSeal HP are polymeric sands designed for joints up to ~3". It's what I used on my back walk, worked out great.

      groundigger thanked Revolutionary Gardens
    • groundigger
      Original Author
      7 years ago

    • groundigger
      Original Author
      7 years ago

      Revolutionary Gardens, do you think the TechniSeal HP would be suitable on this? I would scrape out the existing soil and grass roots.

    • User
      7 years ago

      Irish Moss ?


    • PRO
      Revolutionary Gardens
      7 years ago

      if you can get ALL the soil and vegetation out, sure. It should work. But don't buy the hype about poly sand, if there's a means for weeds to germinate below you have a good shot of them coming up through your joints.

      And I'd definitely tighten the joints up as best you can, especially that monster joint in the foreground. Good luck!

    • groundigger
      Original Author
      7 years ago

      Thank you, and I think I have confused things by also posting this in Gardening in Stone, but over there Landis had suggested larger river rock in the joints and included a picture which looked very nice and easily done. I wonder if the Techniseal HP would work in that application?

    • Dalton the Bengal (Zone 6)
      7 years ago
      last modified: 7 years ago

      Mayflowers - Can you tell me more about your walk? What kind of base did you use? Did you do it yourself? How difficult? Did you did the while thing flat , add sand, set stepping stones, then gravel? How did you get the edging so straight?

      April

    • User
      7 years ago

      The path was sod on clay, which I dug out. I cut the edge of the bedding with a straight shovel and laid the bricks. I laid the flagstone on the compacted clay and used sand under any stones that rocked. I filled in around the stones with the washed gravel.

    • Dalton the Bengal (Zone 6)
      7 years ago

      Mayflowers - Thank you for the info! Love your garden. April

    • User
      7 years ago

      Thank you! That's my favorite bed.

    Sponsored

    Reload the page to not see this specific ad anymore

    Ireland
    Tailor my experience with cookies

    Houzz uses cookies and similar technologies to personalise my experience, serve me relevant content, and improve Houzz products and services. By clicking ‘Accept’ I agree to this, as further described in the Houzz Cookie Policy. I can reject non-essential cookies by clicking ‘Manage Preferences’.