If indeed you are looking for a stone patio contractor Vermont based, you will not do better than Jay from Open Earth Landscaping. When Jay comes to give you a free estimate for your stone patio, he will speak to you about the scores of varieties available for your patio. For instance there is the metamorphic rock called slate, which is frequently utilized for patios. Or you may opt for a sedimentary rock called bluestone, which has various hues of blue through it, thus it’s name. Either of these will create a very satisfying smooth and flat surface for a patio.
He will also present you with the choice of fieldstone, but you should be prepared for the fact that it will not be as smooth or flat as the other two choices. You will also be given the choice as to the depth of the stones you desire. Commonly stones run from 1 to 3 inches thicknesses and their width is commonly 6 inches. Length increments vary from the commonly utilized 12X12 inches, but you can also get 2 ½ feet by 2 ½ feet flat stones. Should you decide to choose other sizes or thicknesses, you will have to special order those with commensurate price hikes.
The “art” of laying natural rock is in creating a flat surface when the materials are not the same. For instance these are not bricks and are certainly not man made as pavers are, thus each stone is thicker or more slender than the next, and so on. The variable thickness means that the installer must actually custom fit each stone in its sand base. The work entails lifting the weights, and if you’ve gone with larger sizes of stone, the weight may even amount up to 175 pounds! The thickness of the stone also accounts for the added weight, so keep in mind that if you are going to drive over this surface when it’s done, you will have to go with thicker than the 1 inch “standard.”
Standard too is the use of compacted gravel beneath your patio, which is then covered with sand, however if it’s exposed to the elements most installers utilize only gravel so that it will have improved drainage. Different installers depending on which stone patio contractor Vermont based you’ve called, utilize more or less gravel than others, so it’s an interesting question to ask your estimator. Once the sand/gravel is in place, a compactor will be used to tamp down the gravel making sure that there are no hills or valleys in it.
When the installer is finally ready to install the stone, he will run a line so that he can check the installation to be sure that it is flat at all times, and is lined up with each stone so that there are no crooked installations. Throughout the process the installer will be concientous of any tree and shrubs that may have extended root systems beneath the patio location as these can be problematic as well. Keeping the surrounding turf intact is yet another consideration for the installer. Once more you should know that this is an art!
Once in a while you will see the laborer lift up a stone to adjust the sand underneath so that it sits squarely on it, demonstrating yet another necessary task of the construction process. Eventually when it’s all laid, then he will align the stones to be sure they are all slightly apart, and eventually then comes the moment when he will lastly pack the grout in and gently wash off your patio, and voila, you will know that you have found the perfect stone patio contractor Vermont based!