How to show off real flagstone

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Real flagstone is gorgeous, and it's expensive. I have been lucky, all of my flagstone was donated to me by friends. If you are fortunate enough to have real flagstone, there is a right way and a wrong way to grout it to show it off.

First of all, real flagstone should not be cut or trimmed. Yes, it takes a long, long, time to mess with the "puzzle pieces" and it can be hard on your back, but that is how it's done. I do have some pieces that had been specifically cut, but most are in the shape they were taken out of in the quarry. Keep in mind that you are looking for a natural look, so the "seams" don't have to be perfect, in fact, they shouldn't be. It's OK for some of the edges to touch. And of course, the idea is to use the biggest possible pieces so you don't have to fill a lot of gaps. But gaps will happen. I am going back to re-filling the gaps in a contrasting color, and in my opinion, it looks great.

Flagstone is a walking surface, it is not for wheelchairs. If you need to make your garden accessible to a wheelchair, don't use flagstone. It's also not appropriate for high heels (I guess women call them pumps, but I'm a man). If you are trying to create an outdoor surface for parties where people will be all dressed up, don't use flagstone. Also if you are working with flagstone, watch out for "trip steps", that is, a small difference in level. Note that my concrete slab is flush with the flagstone, and so is the artificial turf. I took a level to all of this originally to get it right. A trip step can be cause anything from a nuisance, like a stubbed toe, to a nasty fall when people aren't expecting the change. Keep it flat.

Flagstone, has bumps and grooves. The grout between the grooves should sit down from 1/8 to 1/4 inch. This does two things - first of all, it allows water to drain more easily. And from a purely design standpoint, it shows off that it's real flagstone. The edge is the "reveal". Fake flagstone won't have that, and if you grout all the way to the top to try to smooth it out, you will ruin the look. Again, if you need a completely smooth surface, don't use flagstone.

OK, back to work for me!

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