Sandstone Patio Start to finish

As you can see in the gallery above, the process for laying sandstone is time consuming but relatively simple:

Dig appropriate sub-base (in this case nearly 175mm once various roots were removed)
Lay a geotextile membrane within the area. Not to be confused with a damp proof membrane which holds water and will ‘flood’ your mortar, the geotextile reduces the risk of your soon-to-be compacted Type1 from mixing into the earth below and sinking - and provides an extra barrier to future root growth beneath the sub-base
Lay MOT Type 1 to appropriate depth, compacting with a whacker plate in layers
Prime rear of slabs using appropriate product. Many contractors choose not to prime sandstone due to its porous nature, but based on the quality of post-covid sandstone it’s a safe option, and reduces risk of reflective staining from the mortar beneath.
Lay a full bed of mortar - i.e. the rear of the slab will be fully in contact with the mortar, and even a freshly laid slab will have a feeling of ‘suction’ which makes it incredibly difficult to re-lift from the instant it’s set down. No ‘rings’ ‘dots’ or ‘dabs’; it’s poor practise, low-adhesion, allows water beneath the slabs and can even show up on the surface as ‘reflective staining’
Use appropriate jointing compound to finish - whether this is traditional sand and cement, or a product like Jointit or Flowpoint.

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