Beautiful Foundation Ideas For A Flagstone Patio

Posted on: 14 October 2016

Your patio is more than a space for barbecuing. The patio should serve as the hub of your outdoor life—a transitional space between outside and in. Flagstone is a prime material for your patio because of its durability and beauty. What's more, it's a relatively easy stone for contractors to work with because of its flat shape and thin nature. Design a patio foundation constructed out of attractive flagstone.

Patio Location

Your first consideration is where the patio is going. You have two big choices: adjacent to the house or a little ways away. The design of your home and yard largely decides the locale, but you should also consider what you'll be using the patio for. Adjacent to the house makes sense if you'll be traveling between the kitchen and patio a lot.

A destination patio might make sense if you're planning on constructing an outdoor kitchen or using the space more for lounging than dining. Likewise, consider how you can make use of natural shade. For example, if you have large trees in your yard, you may want part of your patio to be in their shadow. Finally, think about the view from the patio. Do you want it to be of your home or of the vista?

Flagstone Color

Much of your patio's color palette is driven by your choice in flagstone color. Flagstone comes in many color and gradient variations based on its source. For example, flagstone quarried in the Northwest comes from sandstone, which typically gives it a warmer base. On the other hand, flagstone quarried in the Central Plains features cool shades of blue, gray and brown. The Landscaping Network suggests using your surroundings as inspiration for flagstone coloration. Look at not only at the landscape but also your house and other hardscaping. For a cohesive effect, look especially into flagstone quarried in your area since it's likely to feature the coloration natural to your locale.

Paving Pattern

Another big design consideration is how the contractors lay the flagstone. Cuts of the stone range from perfect squares to free-form shapes. The most formal look comes from square or rectangle cuts laid in a uniform pattern. However, you can get a little more visual interest by selecting a random rectangle pattern, which consists of perfect rectangles in varying sizes.

The most casual pattern is a true random constructed from flagstone left in its natural shape. Contractors piece together the flags into an asymmetrical patterning. However, you can choose flags of more uniform size to create a little order in your flooring. Alternatively, consider crazy paving, which consists of small flags left in their natural shape. The finished look is very organic and natural.

Talk to a company like Pebble Junction, Inc. for more ideas and to pick out flagstone that will suit your backyard. Once you have the location and flagstone flooring laid out, outfit your patio to complement your outdoor lifestyle.

Share