Bought a new house and the the deck in the back yard was a very old two tier deck with a giant Mulberry tree growing through the second tier of the deck. I tore out the second tier and had the tree removed and the stump ground out. Had sod laid over the entire area. The bottom tier is very old and all the boards are warped and cracked. Was thinking of removing all the top boards and if the frame was still in good condition, which I doubt, but if it was I was going to just reboard the existing deck and be done with it. Got to pricing out the pressure treated 2x6x16's and materials I'd need to do the project and it's coming out to around $800ish not too bad. While measuring the deck I found there is an existing concrete slab under the deck. I'm not sure what condition the slab is in, but if it's coming off the house I'm guessing it is in pretty good condition. Won't know until I rip the rest of the deck up.

Finally on to the question LOL, if the existing slab is in good condition what would be the best way to lay a flagstone patio out over it? Was thinking the easiest would be 2" of leveling sand with the flagstone laid put some of the joint sand that hardens in the joints to basically mortar it. Or, thick mixed mortar bed directly on top of the slab and then mortar the stone with thinner mix. I just did a stone veneer on my fireplace so I'm guessing the second option would be close to same technique butter the back of the stone, set the stone, then mortar it.

The stone patio is coming out to right around $1K which is a little more expensive but would much rather have the stone than a wood deck.

Has anyone ever done this?

Stamped concrete is what I had done to my patio. It looks fine to me.

This isn't my yard, but I have stained a couple of concrete patios and I think they turn out really nice. I scored them first and it looked like tile with a border. Just something to think about.

1" thick flagstone will work fine. Put around 1/2" of wet mortar on the slab, butter the thin edges of the flagstone and press it down. We have patios and interior floors done this way and it works great. You can use thicker flagstone and use a thicker bed of mortar if you need to build it up higher.

I took a nap. Here is mine it's several years old. They have several different patterns.

Here are a few of the patterns.

https://www.google.com/search?q=pictures...p;bih=478#spf=1

Thanks, that looks good and wouldn't mind that, but the slab under deck is just a 16'X16' rectangle and not sure if it would look great like that rounded one would.



Thanks that exactly what I was looking for, the flagstone I priced was 1" will probably get some bigger pieces for the 1 or maybe 2 steps up to the back door. Would you happen to know ball park how many 50 pound bags of mortar I'd need for 315 SqFt?




Thanks Bill that looks good and would consider it if I were getting a new slab poured, but my slab is already there and wanting to cover it with a veneer basically. Thanks though.

Sorry, I don't know how many bags that you will need.

Mine was done over a 30 year old slab.

Thanks I got it calculated. Should need 20 80 pound bags to cover the 310ish sqft.

Show me a picture

Show you a picture of what my deck now or when I'm done?

BigPig did a flagstone patio not that long ago I am pretty sure. I like what your thinking Kyle

Dude it's easy. Mortar mix, and lay just like tile, but much easier. For the edges, rent a concrete saw, don't worry about the flagstone hanging over a little, you will cut it off. Grought with the mortar mix since your grout lines will be spaced pretty far apart.

If you want to stain it, I suggest a 1 foot boards as seen above, and then score the inside with 24inch squares done in a diamond pattern to add some eye sppeal

Thank you sir, yea looked up some videos on how to do it and I'm for sure doing it. Exactly what I did on my fireplace on just a little bigger scale. Gong to try and do a built in fire pit too.

Liking this stone it's called Brown Crab Orcharid got to see if I can get it locally or have to order it.

I have done it a couple of time. You can put shovels of mortar on existing slab. Lay stone, use large level. Tap down with rubber mallet.

For fine straight lines, saw. Otherwise, like a puzzle.

You can make slab larger and attach it. Rxpansioj jpint. Rebar, drill into existing.

Expansion joint

Ha! I was like 'WTF'?