- 1). Mark the pathway with a spray paint. This will allow you to look at the potential shape of the walkway and give you an idea where the flagstones will be placed.
- 2). Clear the pathway. If you are placing the stones from the house to the street or driveway, you will need to remove grass from the path. If you are laying the stones through the garden, clear any weeds.
- 3). Cut the grass in the pathway with a shovel. Place the shovel along the edges of your spray-paint marker and use your foot to insert the shovel into the grass at least two to three inches.
- 4). Pull up the grass where you want the pathway. Smooth out the soil with a metal garden rake. If you are placing the stones in a garden, smooth out the potential pathway with the rake.
- 5). Spray the area where the path is going to go with weed and grass killer to prevent any growth moving up in the pathway. Green Living Tips suggests using white vinegar or pure lemon juice as an earth-friendly weed killer.
- 6). Spread crushed limestone or sand over the pathway, at least two inches thick. Sand is an affordable base to place the flagstones in, though crushed limestone will help prevent the growth of weeds in your pathway.
- 7). Rent a compacter from a utility rental location to compact the sand or limestone into the soil of the pathway.
- 8). Lay out your natural flagstone in the design of your choice. Since the edges are uneven, there is no right or wrong way to lay the stone. There will be gaps in between the stone, and that is acceptable. Press the stones firmly into the crushed limestone or sand.
- 9). Sprinkle sand or limestone over your newly laid stones. Use enough to fill the gaps between the stones, and leave a light layer over the stones.
- 10
Hose down the pathway to let the sand or limestone settle in between the stones and harden.
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